Home and things in Basque
271 words Basque words on the topic “home and things”: etxea — house, etxebizitza — housing, gela — room, sukaldea — kitchen. 271 words can be played from recordings.
271 words on the topic
- etxeahouseEtxean — at home: the one suffix -n does all the placing. The Basque surname Etxeberri — 'new house': houses grew into family names here
- etxebizitzahousingLiterally 'house-living': etxe + bizi. The bookish word from the listings; the concrete flat is pisua
- gelaroomA short word for every room: gela bikoitz — a room for two, the hotel-listing phrase
- sukaldeakitchenFrom sukalde, literally 'the fire's side': su + alde. Kitchen and cuisine in one: euskal sukaldaritza — Basque cuisine
- bainugelabathroomLiterally 'bathing room': bainu + gela. In the listings: bi bainugelako pisua — a flat with two bathrooms
- balkoiabalconyA borrowing, as elsewhere. Balkoian loreak daude — flowers on the balcony: a classic of Basque streets
- solairuafloor (story)Beheko solairua — the ground floor, literally 'the lower one'. In the lift, the buttons 1…5 are solairuak
- igogailualiftLiterally 'the raiser': igo — 'to climb' + -gailu, 'device'. Old houses don't have one — igogailurik gabe they write, honestly
- eskailerastaircaseFrom eskaila — 'step'. The stairwell in Basque is eskailerak — 'stairs' in the plural: the stairs ARE the entryway
- mahaiatableMahaira! — 'to the table!': the call to dinner. Mahai gainean — on the table, literally 'on the table's top'
- aulkiachairA native word, not the Spanish silla: one of the first signs that someone speaks Basque
- oheabedOhera joan — to go to bed, literally 'to go to the bed'. And 'a riverbed' — the same word
- armairuawardrobeRelated to the French armoire. Sukaldeko armairua — the kitchen cupboard
- leihoawindowA native word, sounds like 'lay-O-e'. Leiho zabala — a wide window; Basque kitchens talk through them
- ateadoorOne syllable. Both the flat's door and the car's door. Ate-jarte — a door latch, a word from old houses
- giltzakeyThe same word means 'clasp' and 'collarbone': saihes-giltza. Wifiaren giltza — 'the wifi's key', the password — they joke
- lanparalampRelated to 'lamp'. From it, lanpara-hodi — a light bulb, literally 'lamp-tube'
- ur beroahot waterLiterally 'water hot': ur + bero. Ez dago ur beroa — the phrase that starts the call to the landlord
- elektrizitateaelectricityAround the house they say it short: argia — 'the light'. Argiaren faktura — the light bill, the most discussed document
- zakarrontziatrashLiterally 'the grime-container': zakar + the vessel tail. Sorting here is strict: five containers
- garbiketacleaningFrom garbitu — 'to clean'. Garbiketa-produktuak — cleaning products: a whole row on the pharmacy shelf
- ohe-lanen garbiketalaundryLiterally 'the cleaning of bed things': ohe-lanen — 'of the linens'. The washing machine is garbigailua — 'the cleaner'
- sukaldeko ontziakdishesLiterally 'kitchen vessels': sukalde + ontziak. The dishwasher is ontzi-garbigailua — literally 'vessel-washer'
- esku-oihalatowelLiterally 'hand-cloth': esku + oihal. The towel for hands is named by its station
- xaboiasoapWith x — 'sh': sha-BO-e. Xaboi naturala — natural soap; they wash everything with it here
- auzokoaneighborFrom auzo — 'neighborhood' and 'quarter': auzo-giroa — the neighborly feel. A woman is auzokoa too
- jabealandlordThe owner of anything: a dog, a car, a flat. Jabearen izena — the owner's name in the document
- alokairuarentThe word from every listing: alokairurako pisua — a flat to let. Alokairu-prezioa — the rent price
- kontratuacontractRelated to 'contract'. Alokairu-kontratua — the rental contract: read it to the last line before signing
- fiantzadepositA loan from fianza. Usually one month's rent: hilabeteko fiantza. You get it back if everything is whole
- fakturautility billThe bill in general: light, water, phone. Fakturak jabeak ordaintzen ditu — the landlord pays the bills; ask in advance
- berritzearenovationFrom berri — 'new': renovation here is 'renewal'. Pisua berritua — a renovated flat, sold at a higher price
- zarata dagoit's noisyLiterally 'there is noise': Basque describes the noise rather than naming a quality. Kale zarata — street noise, the excuse for cheap rent
- Ez dabil.it doesn't workDabil — 'works' about devices and mechanisms. The universal formula: the lift, the light, the wifi
- Apurtu da.it brokeLiterally 'it broke by itself': the thing breaks 'at its place', no culprit named. The adjective is apurtuta
- tantokait's leakingFrom tanto — 'drop': 'dripping' IS 'leaking'. Sabaia tantoka dago — the ceiling leaks: a call to the landlord
- Deitu teknikari bati.call a technicianDeitu — 'to call' + to whom (-i). Teknikaria here is the fix-it man; the landlord usually knows his own
- Noiz etorriko zarete?when will you come?The future of etorri — 'to come': etorriko zarete — 'you will come'. The polite way to ask the technician
- Itxaron minutu bat.wait a minuteItxaron — 'wait!'. Minutu bat — one minute: the same phrase covers 'just a moment'
- Dena ondo dago.everything is fineLiterally 'everything is well situated'. The technician says it leaving; you answer perfektua
- Ezin dut ireki.I can't open itEzin — 'can't': negated ability in one word. Door, window, bank — it works with everything
- pisua alokaturent a flatLiterally 'to rent the flat': pisua — both 'scale' and the flat, from the Spanish piso. To rent is alokatu, from alokairua
- alokairuan jarrilet a flatLiterally 'to put on rent': letting here is 'putting'. The sign in the window says it itself: Alokairuan — 'to let'
- alokairu-kontratuarental agreementLiterally 'the rent's contract': kontratua — the same contract, only about a home. Reading before signing is a rule, not advice
- hilabeteko alokairuamonthly rentLiterally 'the month's rent': -ko — 'for'. The rent is counted in months: the first of the month is alokairua day
- alokairu-epealease termLiterally 'the rent's term': epe — 'term', the same as in the payment deadline. A year, two, five — the term is written in the agreement
- inmobiliariareal estate agencyA loan from Spanish inmobiliaria — 'real estate', openly admitted. It names the agency and its agent — context tells
- pisu-bisitaflat viewingLiterally 'the flat's visit': bisita. They look at everything: the water, the neighbors and the sun in the windows
- altzaridun pisuafurnished flatLiterally 'a furniture-having flat': -dun — 'having', as in adiruduna. The furniture is already standing — you move in with suitcases
- sartumove inSartu — 'to enter and move in': pisu berrira sartu naiz — I moved into the new flat. The same verb already spoke of university admission
- ateramove outAtera — 'to take out and move out': pisutik atera naiz — I moved out. Photos, money and rented flats — all get 'taken out' with it
- etxe-aldaketaa move (house)Literally 'the house's change': aldatu — 'to change'. A move here is 'a change of house' — an honest word, not a scary one
- mugiturelocateA native word: to move things and to relocate. The furniture gets moved, and life too — one verb
- mudantza-langileamoverMudantza — a loan from Spanish mudanza, openly admitted; langile — 'worker'. The mover carries the furniture walking backwards
- kamioiatruckA loan from Spanish camión, openly admitted. In the morning it's empty, by evening — full of life
- ontziratupack upFrom ontzi — 'the vessel': to pack here is 'to vessel-ify'. The same verb that boards you onto a plane packs the suitcase too
- kutxatik ateraunpackLiterally 'to take out of the box': kutxa + atera. Unpacking is happier than moving: you find what you forgot
- helbide berrianew addressLiterally 'the new address': helbidea. Here they write the new address for the family on a napkin — a tradition
- gauzak garraiatzeahauling the thingsLiterally 'the things' transporting': garraiatu — 'to transport', related to garraio — 'transport'. Two truck runs is the norm
- kokatusettle inA native word: to place and to situate. To settle in here: the mug in its place, the books on the shelf — the home happened
- leku berrira ohituget used to the new placeLiterally 'to the new place to accustom': ohitu — from ohitura, 'custom'. Getting used here is 'making it your custom' — it takes a season
- altzariakfurnitureA native word, usually plural: furniture here is 'the pieces of the setting'. Sofa, wardrobe and chair — all inside this word
- sofa-asofaA loan from Arabic through the European languages, openly admitted; written with the article: sofa-a, like wifi-a. The sofa is the center of the evening
- beso-aulkiaarmchairLiterally 'arm-chair': beso — 'arm' + aulkia. The armchair here is 'embracing': in it they read and doze
- apalashelfA native word: the shelf and the ledge. The shelves here hold books — and order and chaos at once
- alfonbracarpetA loan from Arabic through the Spanish alfombra, openly admitted. On the carpet the baby crawls
- ispiluamirrorA native word, old. In the morning it honestly says how you look
- gortinacurtainA loan from Latin through the Spanish cortina, openly admitted. The curtains here are 'opened' with the same ireki as the window
- burkoapillowLiterally 'the head-thing': burua — 'head'. Under the head — literally
- mantablanketA loan from Spanish manta, openly admitted. In winter they ask for one more: beste manta bat — after a number the article vanishes
- sabaiko lanparaceiling lampLiterally 'the ceiling's lamp': sabaia + lanpara. Honestly named by its place of residence
- pinturapaintA loan from Latin through the Spanish pintura, openly admitted. White paint — space, green — boldness
- hormak pintatupaint the wallsLiterally 'the walls to paint': horma — 'wall'. A day with paint ends with drops on the floor and pride in the chest
- horma-paperawallpaperLiterally 'wall's paper': horma + papera. Wallpaper here is 'wall paper' — logical to the point of comedy
- lauzatileA native word: tile, slab and stone plate at once. In the bathroom and the kitchen — up to the ceiling
- biltzaileascrewdriverFrom bildu — 'to gather': the screwdriver here is 'the gatherer'. The wardrobe from the box is assembled with it in an evening — and a couple of parts remain
- zulagailuadrillFrom zulo — 'a hole': the drill here is 'the hole-maker', the same -gailu as the vacuum cleaner. The noisy Sunday neighbor is this one
- hodiapipeA native word: pipe, hose and channel at once. Behind it live both the water and the heat
- bonbilla erre dathe bulb burned outLiterally 'the bulb has burned': bonbilla — a loan from Spanish bombilla, erre — 'to burn'. It always goes in the evening, at the wrong moment
- berokuntzaheatingFrom bero — 'warm' (beroa da — 'it's hot'): heating here is 'the warming'. Turned on in October and argued about until April
- konponketa egindo renovationsFrom konpondu — 'to fix': the renovation here is 'a fixing'. Small — with your own hands, big — with a master and tea
- kontagailuameter (utility)From kontatu — 'to count', related to kontua: the meter here is 'the counter', the familiar -gailu. It spins — you pay; it stands — a surprise
- kontagailuaren irakurketameter readingLiterally 'the meter's reading': irakurri — 'to read'; even numbers get 'read' here. Once a month a photo of the meter flies to the management
- ur-fakturawater billLiterally 'the water's bill': faktura. The water is cheap here, but the bill comes anyway — like clockwork
- argindar-fakturaelectricity billLiterally 'the light-power's bill': argindar — a native word for electricity, 'the power of light'. In winter the bill grows with the heating
- ura moztu dutethe water was cut offLiterally 'they cut the water': moztu — 'to cut'. The water here gets 'cut' — for works, and always at the wrong time
- zabor-ontziagarbage canLiterally 'the trash's bin': zabor — 'trash', related to zakarra, ontzi — 'vessel'. Taken out in the evening so the truck takes it in the morning
- sarreraentrywayThe same word as 'entrance': the entryway here is the house's 'entrance'. Don't mix with sarrerak — the incomes: there the plural is about money
- atari-telefonoaintercomLiterally 'the doorway's telephone': atari — the door opening and the entryway. The intercom here is 'the entrance's phone': buzzer, voice, door
- auzokoen zarataneighbor noiseLiterally 'the neighbors' noise': auzokoa — 'neighbor', zarata — 'noise'. You hear it all: music, footsteps and somebody's laughter at two in the night
- etxeko arauakhouse rulesLiterally 'the house's rules': arau — 'rule', a loan from Latin, openly admitted. Silence after eleven is rule number one, and not only here
- mahaia prestatuset the tableLiterally 'to prepare the table': prestatu — 'to prepare', the same verb as makes dinner. Preparing the table for the guests
- festa-afariafestive dinnerLiterally 'the holiday's dinner': festa — 'party' + afaria — 'dinner'. A scheme-word: whose dinner it is, that's what it's called
- goxokiacandyFrom goxoa — 'tasty' + -ki: 'a yum-yum'. Children always beg for them at the shop
- lore-sortabouquetLiterally 'the flowers' bunch': lorea — 'flower' + sorta — 'a bunch'. Named by how it's made: flowers tied together
- globoaballoonA loan from the Latin globus — 'a sphere', openly admitted. Inflated with air: for the holiday they're let up to the ceiling
- girlandagarlandA loan from the Latin girlanda — 'a wreath', openly admitted. A chain of lights or flowers hung on the walls
- etxea apaindudecorate the houseLiterally 'to adorn the house': apaindu — 'to adorn', the hairdresser's root. Dressing the house for the holiday
- eskainitreat (offer)A native word: to offer and to treat at once. From it, eskaintza — 'the treat'. Offering out of generosity
- oparia irekiopen the presentLiterally 'to open the present': ireki — 'to open', known from windows and doors. Opened in front of everyone, after thanking first
- desioawish (toast)A native word: a desire and a wish at once. The wish said aloud at the table
- bigunasoftA native word: yielding — a pillow, bread crumb. Partner of gogor — 'hard'. Basques say it about character too: an accommodating person
- gogortoughThe same word as 'persistently' — context splits them: hard here is to the touch, stone and chairs. Partner of biguna — 'soft'
- bustiawetA native word: soaked; from it, busti egin — 'to wet'. Partner of lehor — 'dry'. Rain passed — the streets are bustiak
- lehordryA native word: dry weather, dry earth, dry hands. Partner of bustia — 'wet'. From it, lehortu — 'to dry'
- meheathinThe same word as 'slim' — context splits them: thin here is a sheet, cloth, ice. Partner of lodia — 'thick'
- sakonadeepA native word: a river, a pit, a thought. Partner of xehea — 'shallow'. From it, sakonera — 'depth'
- biribilaroundA native word: a table, a coin, a porthole. From it, biribildu — 'to round off'. The roundabout in Basque towns is biribilgi
- norawhere toThe question of motion: nora zoaz? — where are you going? The answer takes -ra: etxera — home. Don't mix it with non — 'where' (standing still)
- nonahieverywhereLiterally 'where-any': non — 'where' + nahi. Everywhere here is all over the house: zatokia dago nonahi — dust everywhere. Partner of inon ez — 'nowhere'
- inon eznowhereLiterally 'anywhere not': inon — 'anywhere' + ez. Giltza ez dago inon — the key is nowhere. Partner of nonahi — 'everywhere'
- bizkorraquickA native word: brisk and lively, a person or an animal alike. Partner of mantso — 'slow'. Related to bizi — 'to live'
- mantsoaslowA native word: unhurried — a train, a person, a river. Partner of bizkor — 'quick'. The adverb is also mantso
- zailadifficultThe same word as 'hard' — context splits them: difficult here is a task, a choice. Partner of erraza — 'easy'. Erabakia zaila da — the decision is hard
- soilaplain (simple)From soil — 'bare': plain here is without extras, honest. A two-dish lunch is bazkari soila. Partner of konplexua — 'complex'
- zuzenaright (answer)The same word as 'straight' — context splits them: correct here is an answer, a decision. From zuzen — 'straight': the straight path IS the true one
- okerrawrongThe same word as 'crooked' — context splits them: wrong here is an answer, a road, a number. Partner of zuzena — 'right'. Zenbakia okerra da — the number is wrong
- ilunadarkFrom ilun: a room, a color, an evening. Partner of argia — 'light'. You know ilunabarra — 'dusk'. From it, iluntasuna — 'darkness'
- xeheafine (small)A native word: fine-grained, thin, detailed: sand, print, handwriting. For water it pairs with sakona — 'deep'. Related to mehe — 'thin'
- ezberdinadifferentLiterally 'not-equal': ez + berdin — 'the same'. Different here is not the same one: kolore ezberdinak — different colors. Partner of berdina
- berdinaidenticalFrom berdin — 'equally': identical here is one to one. Bi botilak berdinak dira — both bottles are identical. Related to berdin dio — 'it doesn't matter'
- jaitsitake downThe same word as 'descend' and 'drop' — context splits them: lowering here is a thing taken down by hand. Present: jaisten dut
- mugitumove (something)The same word as 'relocate' and 'move yourself' — context splits them: moving here is pushing or dragging a thing. Aulkia mugitu, mesedez — move the chair, please
- jareginto pourLiterally 'to let go from the hands': jar- + egin. Dropping here is letting it fall on its own: katilua jaregin du — the cup got dropped. Partner of harrapatu — 'to catch'
- lurretik altxatupick up off the floorLiterally 'from the ground to lift': lur — 'earth' + -tik 'from' + altxatu — 'to raise'. It fell — you bent, you lifted
- esekito suspendA native word: to hang (and, of an official, to suspend). At home: jaka esekitzen dut armairuan — I hang the jacket in the wardrobe. Present: esekitzen dut
- apaletik kendutake off the shelfLiterally 'from the shelf to remove': apala — 'shelf' + -tik + kendu — 'to remove'. Take it, read it, put it back
- tolestufoldFrom toles — 'a crease': folding here is 'laying in creases'. Laundry after drying — tolesten dut. A paper plane is paper tolestua
- hedatuspread outA native word: to spread out and to spread (news) alike. The cloth on the table — mahaloia mahaian hedatzen du. Partner of tolestu — 'to fold'
- bilduwrap upA native word: to gather and to wrap in one. A present in paper — oparia paperarekin bildu. Related to bilkura — 'a gathering'
- desbilduunwrapLiterally 'un-wrap': des- reverses the action. Partner of bildu — 'to wrap'. A child unwraps faster than you wrapped
- irekiopen (verb)A native word: to open a door, a window, a mouth and eyes alike. You know irekita — 'open'. Present: irekiten dut
- itxiclose (verb)A native word: to close a door, a shop, eyes. You know itxita — 'closed'. The present tightens: itxi → ixten
- giltzapetulockLiterally 'to close with the key': giltza — 'key' + -petu. Leaving the house: atea giltzapetu dut — I locked the door
- desgiltzapetuunlockLiterally 'un-close with the key': des- reverses giltzapetu. In the evening the key turns and you desgiltzapetzen duzu the door
- argia piztuturn on the lightLiterally 'to light the light': piztu — 'to ignite'. In Basque you light the light like a candle: argia piztu dut
- argia itzaliturn off the lightLiterally 'to extinguish the light': itzali — 'to put out'. Partner of argia piztu. Argia itzaltzen du lo baino lehen — he turns the light off before sleep
- sakatupressA native word: to press a button, a bell, a pedal. Botoia sakatu — press the button. Related to sakon — 'deep': you press it inward
- heldulekua biratuturn the handleLiterally 'to turn the handle': heldulekua — 'handle' (heldu — 'hold' + -leku) + biratu — 'to turn'. The door opens by itself
- atea joknockLiterally 'to hit the door': jo — 'to hit'. Three times and wait: atea jotzen du norbaitek. No bell — they knock
- txirrin eginring the bellOnomatopoeia: txirrin! — ding. Basque 'does' the ring: txirrin egin dute — the doorbell rang. Partner of atea jo — 'to knock'
- guraizeekin moztucut with scissorsLiterally 'with scissors to cut': guraizeak — 'scissors' (a borrowing) + -kin 'with' + moztu — 'to cut'
- itsatsito stick onThe same word as 'stick on' — context splits them: gluing here is in general, with anything. The glue is itsatsia. Present: itsasten dut
- josisewA native word: by needle, by machine. Amonak prakak josten ditu — grandma sews trousers. Present: josten dut
- puntuz josiknitLiterally 'to sew with loops': punta — 'a loop, a needle' + -z 'with'. Knitting here is a sweater, a scarf, by needles or hook. Wool is artilea
- konpondurepairThe same word as 'fix' — context splits them: repairing here is in general, with your own hands. A loan from Spanish componer, openly admitted
- apurtusmashThe same word as 'break' — context splits them: smashing here is glass and dishes into shards. Beira apurtu da — the glass broke
- karraskatuscratchA native word: to scratch (and to crunch). The cat claws the door, the mouse scrapes in the wall: one sound — karraska
- zikindudirty (verb)Literally 'to turn into dirt': zikin — 'dirty' + -du. Dirtying covers things and clothes: prakak zikindu ditut — I got the trousers dirty
- garbituclean (verb)The same word as 'wash' — context splits them: cleaning here is shoes, furniture, teeth. From it, garbiketa — 'cleaning'
- zatokia kendudust (verb)Literally 'to remove the dust': zatokia — 'dust' + kendu — 'to remove'. A cloth over the shelf — and the furniture is yours again
- arropa garbitudo the laundryLiterally 'to wash the clothes': arropa — 'clothes' + garbitu — 'to wash'. Laundry here is machine and hands alike. Once a week, like clockwork
- lehortudry (verb)From lehor — 'dry': to dry is 'to make dry'. Laundry in the sun — eguzkitan lehortzen dut. Hair too
- burruntzia pasatuironLiterally 'to run the iron': burruntzia — 'iron', a native word + pasatu — 'to pass'. Ironing is 'driving the iron' over the shirt. Hot — kontuz
- zorua garbitumop the floorLiterally 'to wash the floor': zorua — 'floor' + garbitu — 'to wash'. Once a week — and the house is another house. The mop waits in the corner
- aireztatuair outLiterally 'to fill with air': aire — 'air' + -ztatu. Air out here is a window wide open for ten minutes
- loreak ureztatuwater the flowersLiterally 'to give the flowers drink': loreak — 'flowers' + ureztatu — 'to water'. A watering can or a jar — no matter, it's the water that counts
- landatuplantFrom landare — 'a plant': to plant is 'to make into a plant'. In spring — tomatoes and lettuce. Tree saplings too
- zulatudigFrom zulo — 'a hole': to dig is 'to make holes'. With a spade in the garden, with a trowel in a pot. Present: zulatzen dut
- biridatzicopy outLiterally 'to write anew': bir- 'again' + idatzi — 'to write'. Fair copy — biridazten dut. The present tightens: idatzi → idazten
- inprimatuprintThe same word as 'print out' — context splits them: printing here is in general, sheet by sheet. A loan from Spanish imprimir, openly admitted
- aitortuconfessThe same word as 'admit' — context splits them: confessing here is in general, at home and in a game. Aitortu egin du — he confessed
- arinalight in weightThe same word as 'light' — context splits them: light in weight here is on the arm, in the bag. Partner of pisutsua — 'heavy'. A feather is arina
- haitz gogorrarock hardLiterally 'rock hard': haitz — 'rock' + gogor — 'hard'. Yesterday's bread gets exactly this: haitz gogorra. A comparison as an intensifier
- ukitzean bigunasoft to the touchLiterally 'soft on touching': ukitu — 'to touch' + -tzean 'when'. The touch here is the palm: a blanket, a cat, down. The eyes rest
- zorrotzsharpA native word: a knife, an axe, a tongue alike. Partner of zorrotzik gabe — 'blunt'. A sharp mind is zorrotz too
- zorrotzik gabenot sharpLiterally 'without sharpness': zorrotz + the partial -ik + gabe. A blunt knife doesn't cut, it crushes: zorrotzik gabe dago
- lerro zuzenastraight (line)Literally 'a straight line': lerro — 'line' + zuzen — 'straight'. Straight here is about a line and a road: no turns, no knots
- goratuaconvexLiterally 'raised': goratu — 'to lift up' + -tua. Convex here is bulging outward: a shield, a dome, a lid. Partner of barnehutsa in its own way
- barnehutsahollowLiterally 'empty inside': barne — 'inside' + huts — 'empty'. Hollow here is a tube, a stem, a bone. Knock — you'll hear it
- osokoasolid (one piece)From oso — 'whole': solid here is from one piece, no seams. Egur osokoa — solid wood. Against sections and joints
- egongelaliving roomLiterally 'staying room': egon — 'to stay' + gela — 'room'. In the evening everyone is here: the sofa, the TV, the cat
- sarreragelahallwayLiterally 'entry room': sarrera — 'entrance' + gela. Shoes and jackets live here: zapatak sarreragelan uzten ditut
- pasabideacorridorLiterally 'passing-way': pasa — 'to pass' + bide — 'way'. The corridor leads to the rooms: luzea eta iluna — long and dark
- biltegiastoreroomThe same word as 'warehouse' — context splits them: a storeroom here is at home, in the flat. From bildu — 'to gather': everything extra goes there
- lubathresholdA native word: the door's crossbar: atea luba gainean. Step over it — you're home. Luba gurutzatu — to cross the threshold
- ateko heldulekuadoor handleLiterally 'the door's hold-place': heldu — 'to hold' + -leku 'place'. The handle greets you first: turn it and you're in
- ateko sarrailadoor lockLiterally 'the door's lock': sarraila — 'lock', a native word. The key turns and the bolt goes about. Related to sarratu — 'to lock'
- ateko txirrinadoorbellLiterally 'the door's ding': txirrina — 'bell', grown from the sound. Txirrina jo du norbaitek — someone rang. Partner of atea jo — 'to knock'
- leiho bazterrawindowsillLiterally 'the window's corner': bazter — 'corner, edge'. The cat and the geranium fight for this spot: katua leiho bazterean lotan dago
- gortinacafé curtainThe same word as 'curtain' — context splits them: this one is the kitchen's short curtain. A loan from Spanish cortina, openly admitted
- bonbillalight bulbA loan from Spanish bombilla, openly admitted. When it burns out — erre da: they change it, screwing counterclockwise
- linternaflashlightA loan from Spanish linterna, openly admitted. The light is out — the flashlight waits in the drawer. Linternekin begiratu dut armairuan
- gaueko lanparanightlightLiterally 'the night's lamp': gauekoa — 'of the night' + lanpara — 'lamp'. For the child to sleep: a weak light in the corridor
- txorrotatapA native word: the tap in the kitchen and in the bathroom alike. If it drips — tantoka dabil: change the washer. Related to txorrota egin — 'to spout'
- lababoasinkA loan from Spanish lavabo, openly admitted. The dishes go into it: platerak lababoan garbitzen ditut. The tap is right there — the hand reaches by itself
- bainuontziabathtubLiterally 'the bathing vessel': bainu — 'bathing' + ontzia — 'vessel'. Hot water and foam: ur berorekin betetzen dut
- komun ontziatoiletLiterally 'the common vessel': komun — 'common' + ontzia. Colloquial and exact at once. Next to it — paper and brush
- ur hodiahoseLiterally 'water-pipe': ur — 'water' + hodia — 'pipe, channel'. The garden is watered from a barrel: the hose is dragged across the lawn
- fosforoakmatchesA loan from Spanish fósforo, openly admitted; plural — the box rattles. The fireplace and the old stove — matches are still needed
- pizgailualighterLiterally 'the igniting device': piztu — 'to ignite' + -gailu 'device'. Gas inside — the spark clicks. Partner of fosforoak
- fregonamopA loan from Spanish fregona, openly admitted; written just so in Basque texts. The floor is washed fregonarekin — with the mop
- trapuaragA loan from Spanish trapo, openly admitted. The rag is the first helper: dust off, spill caught. Trapuz garbitzen du — he wipes with a rag
- eskobabroomA loan from Spanish escoba, openly admitted. Broom and dustpan are a pair: they sweep the yard and the kitchen. It stands in the corner, head down
- palatxoadustpanThe diminutive of pala — 'spade' (a borrowing): a dustpan here is a 'little spade'. You sweep the trash straight into it
- zatokiadustA native word: dust, fluff, flakes. On the shelf in a week — a layer: zatokia dago altzarietan. Wiped with a rag
- zikinadirtThe same word as 'dirty' — context splits them: dirt here is the noun, on the floor and on the hands. Partner of garbia — 'clean'
- detergenteadetergentA loan from Spanish detergente, openly admitted. A little covers the whole basin: detergente pixka bat. The foam hums
- xurgagailuarekin garbituvacuumLiterally 'to clean with the sucker': xurgagailua — 'vacuum cleaner' (xurgatu — 'to suck' + -gailu). Carpets and floor get it at once
- zorua eskuobatusweep the floorLiterally 'to sweep the floor': eskuobatu — 'to sweep', from eskoba — 'broom' + -tu. Before washing, they sweep first
- txukundutidy upFrom txuku — 'neat, comely': to tidy up is 'to bring to neat'. Every thing its place — and the room breathes
- egurrezkoawoodenLiterally 'of wood': egur — 'wood' + -rezkoa 'made of it'. Warm to the touch: tables, spoons, floors
- metalezkoamade of metalLiterally 'of metal': metala + -zkoa. Cold and ringing: spoons, keys, gates. Knock — you'll hear it
- beirezkoaglass (adjective)Literally 'of glass': beira + -rezkoa. Clear and fragile: a glass, a jar, a window. It falls — into shards
- plastikozkoaplasticLiterally 'of plastic': plastikoa — a borrowing + -zkoa. Light and cheap: bags, bottles, toys. It's the one that gets recycled
- paperezkoapaper (adjective)Literally 'of paper': papera — a borrowing + -zkoa. Disposable and light: a cup, a bag, a napkin. Water is its enemy
- harrizkoastone (adjective)Literally 'of stone': harri — 'stone' + -zkoa. The houses of old Basque streets are harrizkoak: cool in summer
- burdinairon (metal)A native word: the metal of forges. The Basque Country is the land of iron: Burdinola — iron works. It rusts without paint
- kartoiacardboardA loan from Spanish cartón, openly admitted. Boxes are made of it: kutxiak kartozkoak dira. It folds and glues
- kautxuarubberA loan from Spanish caucho, openly admitted. It springs and keeps water out: wheels, boots, gaskets. Gurpila kautxuzkoa da
- larrualeatherA native word: hide — jackets, bags, belts. You know larru naturala — 'genuine leather'. It grows softer with the years
- paretako erlojuawall clockLiterally 'the wall's clock': paretakoa — 'wall' + erlojua — 'clock'. It ticks through the whole room: geldi dago — it stopped
- alfonbratxoasmall rugThe diminutive of alfonbra — 'carpet': a small rug is a 'carpet-baby'. By the door and in the bathroom: your feet don't freeze
- sofa mantathrow blanketLiterally 'the sofa's blanket': manta — 'blanket', sofa — a borrowing. In the evening, a series and a throw — an inseparable pair
- burko oihalapillowcaseLiterally 'the pillow's cloth': burkoa — 'pillow' + oihala — 'cloth'. Every two weeks — into the wash: that's how sleep stays clean
- ohe mantabedspreadLiterally 'the bed's blanket': ohea — 'bed' + manta. Beauty on top, warmth underneath. The bed is dressed at once
- koskahook (fastener)A native word: a hook, a clasp: hang the jacket on it — and order. Doors, gates and backpacks all have koskak
- argazki markoaphoto frameLiterally 'the photo's frame': argazkia — 'photo' + markoa — 'frame' (a borrowing). A shelf of them is the family chronicle
- bateavaseA native word: a vase, a bowl — Basques carved them from wood for centuries. Flowers into it: loreak batean jarri ditut
- lore ontziaflower potLiterally 'the flowers' vessel': lore + ontzia. A hole at the bottom — the extra water drains. On the windowsill they thrive
- arkachestA native word: a chest, the ark of memory: blankets, letters, a dowry. It stood by the wall in every Basque house
- zerrasawA native word: its teeth sing zerr-zerr. Don't mix it with xerra — 'slice': one letter decides
- aizkoraaxeA native word: firewood and trunks. Related to aizto — 'knife': one edge, two characters
- torlojuascrew (with nut)The same word as 'screw (into wood)' — context splits them: this one takes a nut — machines and furniture. A loan from Spanish tornillo, openly admitted
- pintzelapaintbrushA loan from Spanish pincel, openly admitted. Brush and paint get along: pintzelarekin pintura eman dut. Don't leave it bristles-down
- bernizavarnishA loan from Spanish barniz, openly admitted. Varnish makes the wood shine: one coat, another — and it gleams
- oholaplankA native word: a plank — fences, floors, benches. Related to oihal — 'cloth': the same sheet, another world
- erreminta kutxiatoolboxLiterally 'the tools' box': erremintak — 'tools' + kutxia — 'box'. A handle on top — take it and go fix
- egurrafirewoodFrom egur — 'wood': wood goes into the stove and lives as firewood. Chopped with an axe, dried under a shed: egurra lehortzen
- tximiniafireplaceA loan from Spanish chimenea, openly admitted; the chimney and the hearth in one word. In winter the whole house gathers by the fire
- bordashedA native word: a shed, a lean-to — in the mountains it's also the shepherd's hut. Tools and the bike go there, beyond the house door
- igurtziwipeA native word: to wipe with pressure — a table, a shop window, a brow. With a rag — trapuz igurtzi. Present: igurtzitzen dut
- zulagailuaz zulatuto drill a holeLiterally 'to hole with the driller': zulagailua — 'drill' (zulo — 'hole' + -gailu). The instrumental -z says what with: zulagailuaz. Loud but precise
- iltzea johammer in a nailLiterally 'to hit the nail': iltzea — 'nail' + jo — 'to hit'. Three strikes — and the picture hangs. Mind your fingers: kontuz!
- torlojuz finkatuscrew downLiterally 'to fix with the screw': torlojuz — 'with a screw' (instrumental) + finkatu — 'to fix'. The screwdriver clicks — the part stands
- altzariak muntatuassemble furnitureLiterally 'to mount the furniture': altzariak — 'furniture' + muntatu — 'to mount' (a borrowing). An instruction, a thousand parts — but by evening the wardrobe stands
- desmuntatudisassembleLiterally 'un-mounted': des- reverses muntatu. A move is near — the furniture comes apart: ohea desmuntatu dute
- betefillThe same word as 'fulfil' — context splits them: filling here is to the brim: a bucket, a tub, a mold. Ur ontzia bete dut — I filled it with water
- zintaz itsatsitape overLiterally 'to glue with tape': zinta — 'tape' + -z + itsatsi — 'to glue'. A crack and a little hole — under the tape
- ur garbian isuririnseLiterally 'to pour in clean water': isuri — 'to pour'. The soap is gone — you rinse: once, twice, until it squeaks
- ohea eginmake the bedLiterally 'to do the bed': Basque does the bed the way it does sleep (lo egin). Sheet, blanket, pillow — and the room sighs with relief
- argia itzali dathe light went outLiterally 'the light extinguished itself': itzali da — it went out on its own (compare argia itzali — to turn it off). Matches and flashlight — right here
- txorrota tantoka dabilthe tap is drippingLiterally 'the tap goes dripping': tantoka — 'dripwise' + dabil — 'goes about'. Drip-drip all night — sleep won't come
- berokailuak ez du berotzenthe radiator doesn't heatLiterally 'the warmers don't warm': berokailuak — 'radiators' (berotu + -kailu) + ez du berotzen. Winter is near — they fix them till spring
- entxufeak ez du funtzionatzenthe outlet doesn't workLiterally 'the socket doesn't work': entxufea — 'socket and plug' (from Spanish enchufe) + funtzionatu — 'to work' (borrowed). The charger is silent
- atea ez da ixtenthe door won't closeLiterally 'the door doesn't close itself': itxi → ixten tightens. The door resists — the hinge or the lock is at fault
- txarnetak oliatuoil the hingesLiterally 'to oil the hinges': txarnetak — 'hinges' (native) + oliatu — 'to oil' (olioa — 'oil'). The creak leaves — the door sings
- sarraila aldatuchange the lockLiterally 'to change the lock': sarraila — 'lock' + aldatu — 'to change' (the basics). The key is lost — the lock is new
- bonbilla jarriscrew in a bulbLiterally 'to put the bulb': jarri — 'to put'. Counterclockwise — out, clockwise — in. The light returns
- aulkia konpondufix the chairLiterally 'to fix the chair': konpondu — 'to repair'. The leg wobbles — glue and a screw. The chair is proud again
- tantaka egindripLiterally 'to do dropwise': tanta — 'a drop' + -ka + egin. Dripping here is the tap and the rain off the roof alike. Ura tantaka erortzen da — the water falls in drops
- zurrunastiffA native word: unbending — new shoes, a starched collar. Partner of biguna — 'soft'. About rules too: a stiff order
- nagusiamainFrom nagusi — 'chief, elder, owner': main here is first of all. Ate nagusia — the main entrance. Related to nagusia — 'the boss'
- biziaaliveFrom bizi — 'to live': alive here breathes and grows. Partner of hila — 'dead'. The tree is still alive — green on the branches
- hiladeadFrom hil — 'to die': about plants and beasts, calmly. Partner of bizia — 'alive'. Lore hila da — the flower has dried up
- arriskutsuadangerousThe same word as 'dangerously' — context splits them: dangerous here is a trait of a thing, a road. From arrisku — 'risk'. Partner of segura — 'safe'
- segurasecureA loan from Spanish seguro, openly admitted. Safe here is without fear: a street, a district, a lock. Partner of arriskutsua
- zaratsianoisyFrom zarata — 'noise' + -tsu: noisy here is neighbors, a street, a company. Partner of isila — 'quiet'. Thin walls — you hear it all
- beldurgarriascaryLiterally 'fear-bringing': beldur — 'fear' + -garri 'bringing'. Scary here is a film, a basement, a story. Stronger at night
- deserosoauncomfortableLiterally 'un-cozy': des- + erosotasun — 'comfort'. Uncomfortable here is a chair, a bus seat. Partner of erosoa — 'comfortable'
- benetakoarealFrom benetan — 'in truth': real here is not a fake and not a game. Hau benetakoa da — this is real. Partner of faltsua — 'fake'
- posibleapossibleA loan from Spanish posible, openly admitted. Possible here is 'may come to pass': dena posiblea da — everything is possible. Partner of ezinezkoa
- ezinezkoaimpossibleLiterally 'not-can-able': ezin — 'can't' + -ezko. Impossible here is against the laws: two places at once. Partner of posiblea
- beharrezkoanecessaryLiterally 'of the need': behar — 'need' + -rezko. Necessary here is without which nothing works: water, keys, passport
- bakanarareA native word: scarce, precious — a flower, a coin, a guest. Partner of arrunta — 'common'. Rarity raises the price
- goiztiarraearly (ahead of time)From goiz — 'early, morning' + -tiar: early here is ahead of time: a guest, a train, a harvest. Partner of berantiarra — 'late'
- berantiarralate (delayed)From berandu — 'late' + -tiar: late here is with delay: a train, a dinner, a spring. Partner of goiztiarra — 'early'
- urrunafarawayThe same word as 'far' — context splits them: faraway here is a trait: a country, a mountain, relatives. Partner of gertua — 'close'
- gertuaclose (adjective)The same word as 'close by' — context splits them: close here is a trait: a shop, a friend. Partner of urruna — 'faraway'
- goikoaupperLiterally 'the upper one': goi — 'top' + -ko. Upper here is a floor, a shelf, a tooth. Partner of behekoa — 'lower'. The lift hums
- behekoalowerLiterally 'the lower one': behe — 'bottom' + -ko. Lower here is a shelf, a drawer, a floor. Partner of goikoa — 'upper'. Bend down — it's there
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
What is worth knowing about these words
etxea — house. Etxean — at home: the one suffix -n does all the placing. The Basque surname Etxeberri — 'new house': houses grew into family names here
etxebizitza — housing. Literally 'house-living': etxe + bizi. The bookish word from the listings; the concrete flat is pisua
gela — room. A short word for every room: gela bikoitz — a room for two, the hotel-listing phrase
sukaldea — kitchen. From sukalde, literally 'the fire's side': su + alde. Kitchen and cuisine in one: euskal sukaldaritza — Basque cuisine
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is etxea — house.
- What is this word?
It is igogailua — lift.
- What is this word?
It is atea — door.
- What is this word?
It is ohe-lanen garbiketa — laundry.
- What is this word?
It is kontratua — contract.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “house” in Basque?
Etxean — at home: the one suffix -n does all the placing. The Basque surname Etxeberri — 'new house': houses grew into family names here
- How do you say “lift” in Basque?
Literally 'the raiser': igo — 'to climb' + -gailu, 'device'. Old houses don't have one — igogailurik gabe they write, honestly
- How do you say “door” in Basque?
One syllable. Both the flat's door and the car's door. Ate-jarte — a door latch, a word from old houses
- How do you say “laundry” in Basque?
Literally 'the cleaning of bed things': ohe-lanen — 'of the linens'. The washing machine is garbigailua — 'the cleaner'
- How do you say “contract” in Basque?
Related to 'contract'. Alokairu-kontratua — the rental contract: read it to the last line before signing
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Room, key, water, electricity. You will need them on your first day in a rented flat.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “house” in Basque?
«etxea». Etxean — at home: the one suffix -n does all the placing. The Basque surname Etxeberri — 'new house': houses grew into family names here. It is one of 271 words in the set “home and things” — the rest are in the table above.
How many household words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 271 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 271 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.