One of the biggest things I learnt this past weekend visiting Gipuzkoa is that the Basque language is very different from Spanish (or indeed French). I’d been to Spain quite a few times in the past and so I assumed that I would be able to throw around all the Spanish phrases I’d learned (which are really only limited to about 5 basic ones – typically involving food or gratitude). Boy was I in for a surprise!
The Basque language indeed looks and sounds nothing like what I expected but fret not, in advance of my blog posts on our visit to Gipuzkoa, I have put together a list of some Basque phrases I recently learnt. Hopefully, this will help you when you go visit but more importantly, it’s a chance for me to show off my new found love for the Basque language! 🙂 😉 (I jest!!! This has been written more to help you than for me to show off – as Lloyd will attest to, it took me the best part of 2 days to figure out the best way of saying “Thank You” in Basque!)
Before I get started, it’s probably worth noting that Basque in Basque language is actually “Euskara” . The list below follows the structure “Basque —> English“.
- Kaixo —> Hello
- Egun on —> Good morning
- Arratsalde on —> Good afternoon
- Gabon —> Good night
- Agur —> Goodbye
- Zorte on! —> Good luck
- Egun on izan dezala —> Have a nice day
- Ez dut ulertzen —> I don’t understand
- Astiro—>astiro hitz egin mesedez —> Please speak more slowly
- Idatz iezadazu mesedez —> Please write it down
- Euskaraz badakizu? —> Do you speak Basque?
- Bai —> Yes
- Ez —> No
- Zenbat balio du? —> How much is this?
- Eskerrik asko —> Thank you
- Komuna, non dago? —> Where are the toilets?
- Non dago tren—>geltokia? —> Where is the train station?
- Non dago autobus—>geltokia? —> Where is the bus station?
- Ez dakit euskaraz—> I do not speak Basque
- Ba al dakizu ingelesez?—> Do you speak English?
- Nongoa zara? —> Where are you from?
- Non dago xxxxxxx? —> Where is xxxxxxx?
- Bai ote? —> Really?
- Topa! —> Cheers!
- Hementxe! —> Over / right here!
- Geldi!—> Stop
- Lasai—> Take it easy
- Ez dut nahi—> I do not want
For those who are looking to go a step even further and learn how to pronounce these phrases, the BBC has put together a useful Basque pronunciation guide.
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(Most) Photos taken at Restaurant Ziaboga, Pasaia
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