Basque phrasebook
A Basque phrasebook arranged by situation, not alphabetically: introductions, cafés, directions. Each has both sides' lines, so you understand not only what to say but what you will be told back.
Conversations by situation
- 💬Meeting someoneA first meeting
- 💬At the caféOrdering at a Bilbao tavern
- 💬How to get thereAsking the way to the station
- 💬At the marketBuying fruit at a stall
- 💬Viewing the flatTalking to the owner about the rent
- 💬At the pharmacyAsking for something for a cough
- 💬Arranging a walkThe weather and weekend plans
- 💬First day at workMeeting a colleague
- 💬AireportuanCheck-in and boarding
- 💬HondartzanA plan for the beach and a boat
- 💬Arropa dendanTrying on a shirt
- 💬Barkatu eta besarkatuA quarrel and making up
- 💬JatetxeanDinner for two
- 💬Telefono zerbitzuanCalling support: the phone will not turn on
- 💬AutobuseanAsking the driver about the route
- 💬GimnasioanSigning up at the gym
- 💬Zorionak, neba!Calling my brother on his birthday
- 💬Etxeko eskaerakAsking for help around the house
- 💬Azterketaren aurretikA student asks the teacher about the exam
- 💬Kontua irekitzenOpening a bank account
- 💬Medikuaren kontsultanAt the doctor's office
- 💬Lan-elkarrizketanA job interview at a company
- 💬Alokairu-kontratuanSigning the rental contract
- 💬Hotela eta autoaren alokairuaChecking into the hotel and asking about a car
- 💬Albisteei buruzDiscussing today's news
- 💬UdaletxeanA visit to the town hall: registering your residence
- 💬Iritzien eztabaidaTwo opinions argue about television
- 💬Biharko planaPlanning tomorrow's trip by the clock
- 💬Pertsona bat deskribatzenDescribing a new acquaintance: looks and character
- 💬Lagun bati eustenSupporting a friend after a failure
- 💬MerkatuanBuying groceries at the market
- 💬Itzulketa dendanReturning a dress at the shop
- 💬Konpontzaileari deitzenCalling the repairman: the washing machine broke
- 💬Eguraldia eta bidaiaTalking about the forecast and deciding on the mountains
- 💬Nola iritsi erdiguneraA tourist asks the way to the city center
- 💬Ikastaro bateanTwo acquaintances talk about a Basque course
- 💬Nire historiaTelling a new acquaintance your life story
- 💬Berriro galdetu, mesedezA phone call on a bad line: asking again
- 💬Lanbide bat aukeratzenTalking about professions: how people choose their calling
- 💬Mailegu bat bankuanA talk at the bank: asking for a loan for my own business
- 💬Boluntario lanakTwo people talk about volunteering in the city
- 💬Zinetik atera ondorenTwo people leave the cinema and discuss the film
- 💬Gimnasioan lehen aldizOne person asks another how to start at the gym
- 💬Neurriak hartzen dendanMeasuring and buying: choosing a table to the exact size
- 💬Medikuaren aurreanAt the doctor: back, examination and diagnosis
- 💬Amonaren urtebetetzeaA family party: preparing grandma's birthday
- 💬Auzokideen arteko eztabaidaNeighbors argue: noise at night and the way to agreement
- 💬Asteburuaren planakDiscussing weekend plans: movies, mountains and the forecast
- 💬Forma eta tamaina dendanChoosing shape and size: picking a cup to the exact measure
- 💬Gelan zer dagoen azaltzenExplaining to a guest where things stand in the room
- 💬Zenbat behar dugu?Counting how much we need for a picnic
- 💬Proiektu berriaren berriTelling a friend about a begun job — repairing the veranda
- 💬Zer da egia?Arguing about rumors in the village: what is true and what is not
- 💬Urteak kontatzenTwo old friends count the years on a bench
- 💬Auzoko bileraNeighbors discuss trash, the river and the greenery of the district
- 💬Bisita fabrikaraA guide leads a group through the cheese dairy
- 💬Istorioak afarianIn the evening at the table friends exchange stories
- 💬Izaeraz eztabaidanArguing about the character of a shared acquaintance
- 💬BazkarianTwo colleagues have lunch at a café by the market
- 💬Auzoan barrenaPassers-by talk on a street of the old town
- 💬Zer ordu? BostetanTwo friends agree on a time to meet
- 💬Zenbat pisu?A customer asks to weigh cheese and ham at a market stall
- 💬Zer apurtu da etxean?Neighbors discuss on the phone what broke at home
- 💬Deia osasun zentroraA patient calls the clinic: describes symptoms and makes an appointment
- 💬Posta bulegoanA customer sends an international package at the post office
- 💬Autoa alokatzenA customer rents a car at an office by the airport: papers, tank and the road to the coast
- 💬Zer hartuko dugu?Two friends at a restaurant table discuss the menu: the starter, the side and how the fish is cooked
- 💬Telefonoz: kodea eta bideo-deiaFriends call in the evening: one cannot log into his account, the other walks him through it by phone
- 💬Igandeko bazkaria aitonarekinSunday family lunch: the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law set the table and discuss who is coming today
Phrases that always rescue you
These are learned first not for politeness. They bring back a conversation that has already gone wrong — which makes them more useful than any list of nouns.
- eskerrik askothank you
- mesedezplease (when asking)
- ez dago zergatikdon't mention it
- barkatusorry
- ez dut ulertzenI don't understand
- astiro, mesedezslower, please
- ingelesez hitz egiten al duzu?do you speak English?
- laguntza!help!
- galduta nagoI'm lost
- ahal baduzuif it's not too much trouble
- Ba al dezakezu…?could you
- oso esker onez egongo naizI'd be very grateful
Frequently asked
Which Basque phrases to learn first?
“Hello”, “thank you”, “sorry”, “I don't understand”, “repeat, please”. The first three open a conversation; the last two save it.
Is a phrasebook enough without grammar?
For a short trip — yes. For living in the country — no: memorized phrases do not assemble into new ones, and the other person does not follow your script.