94 Basque words useful on your trip to the Basque Country

Generic words in Basque:

• Good morning: Egun on, egun means day and on means good, so associated together, we get good morning.
• Good afternoon: Arratsalde on, is the same as the previous one, arratsalde means afternoon and on means good, associated we obtain the meaning of good afternoon.
• Good evening: Gabon.
• Thank you very much: Eskerrik asko or mil esker. Eskerrak is thank you, if we associate it with the word asko, we would be saying thank you very much, if we associate it with mil, then a thousand thanks, simple right?
• See you later: Gero arte.
• Please: Mesedez.
• Hello: Kaixo, although the mythical aupa predominates on a daily basis.
• Likewise: Berdin, although depending on the type of Basque used (euskalki) we can use variants such as bardin. We can also use the term bai eta zuri ere.
• Goodbye: Agur.
• Until tomorrow: Bihar arte, bihar means tomorrow and arte until, if we join them together we get until tomorrow.
• Welcome: Ongi etorri, ongi means good and etorri means come.
• Que aproveche/ buen provecho: On egin.
• Open: Zabalik.
• Closed: Itxita.
• Si: Bai.
• No: Ez.
• Kiss: Musua.
• Sorry: Barkatu.
• Good: Ona.
• Bad: Txarra.
• Pasalo bien: Ondo pasa.
• Congratulations: Zorionak.
• Help: Laguntza.
• Then: Gero.
• Right: Eskuina.
• Left: Ezkerra.
• No smoking: Ez erre.
• Above: Goian.
• Below: Behean.
• Happy birthday: Zorionak.
• You are welcome: Ez horregatik.
• I do not understand: Ez dut ulertzen.
• Caution: kontuz.
• Good: Ondo / ongi, both Basque variants are correct.
• Party: Jaia.
• Mucho: Asko.
• Poco: Gutxi, although as we have explained before, depending on where we are in the Basque Country we can use other variations such as gitxi.

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Basque words for places:

• Navarra: Nafarroa.
• North: Iparralde, term used in Euskal Herria to refer to the French Basque Country.
• Beach: Hondartza.
• Mountain: Mendia.
• Bar: Tavern.
• Plaza: Square or enparantza.
• Restaurant: Jatetxea.
• Market: Azoka.
• Farmhouse: Baserria.
• House: Etxea.
• Parking lot or parking: Aparkalekua.

Gastronomy words in Basque:

• Milk: Esnea.
• Café con leche: Kafesnea. In case you want a cortado, ebakia.
  
• Cider: Sagardoa.
• Beer: Garagardoa. Zuritoa, if we want to refer to a small glass of beer.
• Wine: Ardoa. To indicate that you want red wine, you should ask for “black wine” (Ardo beltza), “red wine” (Ardo Gorria) for rosé and white wine (Ardo zuria) for white.
• Water: Ura.
• Broth: Salda.
• Nuts: Intxaurrak.
• Cheese: Gazta.
• Bread: Ogia.
• Food: Janaria.
• Breakfast: Gosaria.
• Lunch: Bazkaria.
• Aperitif at 11:00: Hamaiketakoa.
• Dinner: Afaria.
• Pintxo: A word that, although nowadays its use has become globalized, is a Basque word, euskaldun. A word that refers to a small dish, to that miniature gastronomy that we find in any bar in Euskal Herria.
• MarmitakoThe Basque word “marmitako” has its origin in the French word “marmite” (marmite). As you all know, the “marmita” is a pot, casserole or metal pot in which it is usually cooked. Well, the word marmitako can be divided into two parts “marmi” and “tako” a fusion of characters that in Basque means “what is in the pot”. The suffix “tako” is used to make relative clauses.

Numbers in Basque:

• Zero: Zero.
• One: Bat.
• Two: Bi.
• Three: Hiru.
• Four: Lau.
• Five: Bost.
• Six: Sei.
• Seven: Zazpi.
• Eight: Zortzi.
• Nine: Bederatzi.
• Ten: Hamar.

Family members in Basque:

• Grandfather: Aitona
• Grandmother: Amona
• Father: Aita.
• Mother: Ama.
• Son: Semea.
• Daughter: Alaba.
• Parents: Gurasoak.
• Husband: Senarra
• Wife: Emaztea
• Uncle: Osaba
• Tia: Izeba
• Brother / Sister: When we talk about brothers and sisters in Spanish we use practically the same word, but in Basque there are different terms depending on the sexes involved in the sentence. Thus, we find anaia, neba, ahizpa or arreba, 4 different words in Basque. If you are a man and you want to talk about your brother, you should do it as “anaia“, if you want to allude to your sister you should say “arreba“. If you are a woman, and you want to refer to your brother, you should say“neba” and if you want to say sister you should indicate that she is your “ahizpa“. For general terms you can use the term“anai-arrebak”.

Other Basque words:

• Free: Aske izan.
• Familia: Family, although it may seem strange to you, the same word is used in Basque.
• Weak rain: Zirimiri. A Basque word, in Euskera, that is used today in many territories to refer to that light rain that so often lashes our land.
• I love you: Maite zaitut.
• Nice: Polita, ederra.
• Heart: Bihotza.
• Patriot / nationalist: Abertzalea.