Meeting people in Basque
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. Play the ten Basque words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Basque phrases in this lesson
- Nola zaude?NO-la ZOW-de
- How are you?
- Ondo, eskerrik askoON-do, es-KER-ik AS-ko
- I'm fine, thanks
- Eta zu?e-ta SOO
- And you?
- Nola deitzen zara?NO-la DAY-tsen ZA-ra
- What's your name?
- Nire izena ... daNEE-re ee-SE-na ... da
- My name is...
- Nongoa zara?non-GO-a ZA-ra
- Where are you from?
- ...-koa naiz...-KO-a nais
- I'm from...
- Gustatzen zaitgoos-TA-tsen sait
- I like it
- Ederra dae-DE-rra da
- It's beautiful
- Ongi etorriON-gee e-TO-rree
- Welcome
Use with older people, shopkeepers you do not know well, or anyone in a professional context. The polite register in Basque is called "berori" but this form is the practical formal version.
"Ondo" is the most useful one-word answer in Basque. It means fine, well, good, or okay. Learn this word and you can answer a surprising number of questions.
Literally "how are you called?" Many Basques have traditional names like Itziar, Ander, or Amaia. Showing interest in a Basque name always starts a warm conversation.
The verb da comes at the end.
Basques are curious about visitors and delighted when anyone makes the trip specifically for their culture. Answering this question often leads to restaurant recommendations.
"Kanadakoa naiz", I'm from Canada.
For San Sebastián's bay, the only fitting comment.
On every sign at the edge of town.