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Talking about the language in Basque

52 words in Basque on the topic “talking about the language”: euskara — Basque (language), ikasi — learn, ikastaroak — courses, lineako ikastaroa — online course. 52 words can be played from recordings.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

52 words on the topic

  • euskara
    Basque (language)
    The language's own name. Euskera is also in use, eskuara in the dialects: the language's name is alive. The Basque Country is Euskal Herria — 'the land of the Basque language'
  • ikasi
    learn
    Learning it yourself is ikasi; teaching someone else is irakatsi — the split English makes with learn and teach. A student is ikasle, school is eskola
  • ikastaroak
    courses
    Made of «ikasi» — to study and «aro» — season, period. A course here is a «study season», a season long
  • lineako ikastaroa
    online course
    Literally 'the line course': lineako — from linea — 'line', a loan, admitted. Lineako means 'through the net': from home, whenever
  • entrenatzailea
    coach
    A loan from the Spanish entrenador, openly admitted. The same person in the gym and on the conversation-practice course
  • ikastaroan izena eman
    enroll in a course
    Literally 'on the course to give the name': izena eman — 'to give one's name'. To enroll is to hand the course your name
  • hizkuntza-maila
    language level
    Literally «language step»: hizkuntza, language, plus maila, step, level. The levels have names: A1, A2, B1 and up
  • apunteak
    lecture notes
    A loan from the Spanish apuntes — 'notes', openly admitted. Always plural here: apunteak kopiatu — 'to copy out the notes'
  • klasea galdu
    miss a class
    Literally 'to lose the class': galdu — 'to lose'. Missing a class is losing it, like keys: it was — and it's gone
  • bakarka
    on one's own
    Literally 'single-ly': bakar — 'alone' + -ka, manner. Bakarka ikasi — to study by oneself: without a teacher, but not without a book
  • doan
    free of charge
    A native word: for free. In shop windows and on doors it's written in capitals — DOAN — meaning: come in
  • teoria
    theory
    A loan from Greek, like ours, openly admitted. Always in a pair with practice: teoria ikasi, praktikan jarri
  • ahoskera
    pronunciation
    Literally 'the mouth's leading': ahoa — 'mouth' + -kera, manner. Pronunciation here is the manner in which the mouth leads the words
  • azentua
    accent
    A loan from the Spanish acento, openly admitted. Basque has many accents: every valley is audible — azentua bestelakoa da han
  • hiztegia
    dictionary
    Literally 'the word-place': hitza — 'word' + -tegi, 'place'. A dictionary is 'a place of words': where one goes for a word as for water
  • gramatika
    grammar
    A loan from Greek, like ours, openly admitted. Basque grammar builds up: words grow endings like icicles
  • hizkia
    letter (of alphabet)
    From hitz — 'word' + -ki: a letter here is a 'little wordlet' — a small particle of the word. The special Basque ones: tx, ts, tz — triplets
  • ama-hizkuntza
    mother tongue
    Literally 'the mother's language': ama — 'mom' + hizkuntza. Named by the teacher: it's first because it's mom's
  • esaldia
    sentence (phrase)
    A native word: from esan — 'to say'. The word hitza is one word; esaldia is already a whole thought
  • hitzak ikasi
    learn words
    Literally 'to learn the words': hitzak — words in the plural + ikasi. Words are learned in batches of ten here
  • entzunez ulertu
    understand by ear
    Literally 'having-heard to understand': the instrumental -z answers 'how?' — understanding happens through the ears. Partner of reading: irakurriz ulertu
  • jariotasunez hitz egin
    speak fluently
    From jariotasun — 'flowingness': words here flow like water. To speak fluently is 'to speak with a stream of speech'
  • talentua
    talent
    A loan from Latin, like ours, openly admitted. Spoken of with du — 'he has it', like an object
  • hasiberria
    beginner
    Literally 'beginning-new': hasi — 'to begin' + berri — 'new'. A beginner here is not a verdict but the earliest stage of mastery
  • profesionala
    professional
    A loan from Latin, like ours, openly admitted. Judged by the years: hamar urte daramatza lan honetan — 'he's carried ten years in this work'
  • lortu dut
    I managed it
    Literally 'I have achieved it': lortu — 'to achieve, obtain'. 'It worked' here with the result perfect: lortu dut — achieved and in hand
  • azkar ikasten dut
    I learn fast
    Literally 'quickly I learn': azkar — 'fast, lively'. Learning is described as motion: fast means nimble
  • zail egiten zait
    it's hard for me
    Literally 'hard to-me it makes itself': zait — 'it happens to me', the same as in Ulertzen zaitut. The difficulty isn't mine — it happens to me
  • teknika ulertu
    understand the technique
    Literally 'to understand the technique': teknika — a loan from Greek, admitted. Understanding the workings, not only pressing buttons
  • autoa gidatu
    drive a car
    Literally 'to lead the car': gidatu — 'to lead, drive'; the driver is gidaria. Driving here is 'leading', like a horse
  • gitarra jo
    play the guitar
    Literally «strike the guitar»: jo, to strike, and the same verb means playing an instrument: «pianoa jo», «danborra jo»
  • bere eskuz konpondu
    fix with one's own hands
    Literally 'with his own hand to fix': eskua — 'hand' + -z, the instrumental. What's made 'with one's own hand' is a special pride
  • aurrerapena
    progress
    Literally 'the forward-marching': aurrera — 'forward' + -pen, the action noun. Literally 'an advancing': steps forward that can be seen
  • hutsegitea
    failure
    From «huts egin» — to miss, make a mistake: huts, empty, plus egite, doing. A failure here is a miss, not a defeat for good
  • oharra
    note (remark)
    A native word: a margin note; plural — oharrak. The teacher's remark here is a note you reread
  • saiatu
    try hard
    A native word: to strive, attempt; the attempt is saioa. Saiatu berriro — 'try again' — the most common encouragement
  • emaitza hobetu
    improve the result
    Literally «result improve»: emaitza, outcome, what came out, plus hobetu, make better, from «hobe» — better. Step by step
  • erdian utzi
    give up halfway
    Literally 'to leave in the middle': erdia — 'half' + utzi — 'to leave'. Abandoned halfway is left exactly in the middle
  • urratsez urrats
    step by step
    Literally 'by-step by-step': urratsa — 'step' + the instrumental -z twice. The formula of repetition: one step, then another — that's how a language is learned
  • aldi bakoitzean hobe
    better every time
    Literally «better at each time»: aldi, time, plus bakoitz, each, plus hobe, better. Progress here is counted in times
  • ia ulertu dut
    I almost understood
    Literally 'almost I-understood it': ia — 'almost' + the perfect dut. 'Almost' is an honest mark: not understood — but almost
  • praktika gehiago behar dut
    I need more practice
    Literally 'practice more to-me is-needed': praktika — a loan, admitted + behar — 'to need'. One's practice is asked for out loud here, without embarrassment
  • urratsen ordena
    order of steps
    Literally 'the steps' order': urratsak — 'steps' + ordena — 'order' (a loan, admitted). An instruction is ordered steps
  • etapa
    stage
    A borrowing, like ours, openly admitted. The process is divided into them, like a road into stretches
  • xehetasunez
    in detail
    From xehetasun — 'details, trifles' + the instrumental -z. In detail here is 'by the small things': a story taken apart into details
  • bere hitzetan
    in one's own words
    Literally 'in his/her words': hitza — 'word' + -etan, in the plural. In one's own words — the words of the speaker: a check of real understanding
  • sinpleago esanda
    simply put
    Literally 'more-simply having-said': sinple — 'simple' + -ago, the comparative, like garestiago + esanda — 'having said'. The simplification formula at half a word
  • adibidea eman
    give an example
    Literally 'to give the example': adibidea — the same as adibidez — 'for example'. An example here is a thing handed into your hands
  • Erakutsi nola egiten den
    show how it's done
    «Nola egiten den» — how it is done: the «-n» at the end tucks the question inside the sentence. Showing beats telling
  • Argi?
    clear? (got it?)
    Literally «clear?»: argi is both light and clarity. A short «Argi?» after an explanation checks it got through
  • Orain ulertzen dut
    now I understand
    Literally 'now I understand': ulertu — 'to understand' + the present. Understanding here is a process that just switched on
  • nahastu egin naiz
    I got confused
    From nahastu — 'to mix' + egin naiz — 'I became': got confused is 'got mixed'. Steps, numbers and roads tangle identically

Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet

The CSV contains spelling, reading guides, translations and links to word pages. Use the browser menu to save the printable sheet as a PDF.

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

euskara — Basque (language). The language's own name. Euskera is also in use, eskuara in the dialects: the language's name is alive. The Basque Country is Euskal Herria — 'the land of the Basque language'.

ikasi — learn. Learning it yourself is ikasi; teaching someone else is irakatsi — the split English makes with learn and teach. A student is ikasle, school is eskola.

ikastaroak — courses. Made of «ikasi» — to study and «aro» — season, period. A course here is a «study season», a season long.

lineako ikastaroa — online course. Literally 'the line course': lineako — from linea — 'line', a loan, admitted. Lineako means 'through the net': from home, whenever.

Test yourself

First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.

  1. What is this word?

  2. What is this word?

  3. What is this word?

  4. What is this word?

  5. What is this word?

Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.

  1. How do you say “Basque (language)” in Basque?

  2. How do you say “lecture notes” in Basque?

  3. How do you say “dictionary” in Basque?

  4. How do you say “speak fluently” in Basque?

  5. How do you say “understand the technique” in Basque?

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

“I'm learning”, “I don't speak it”, “I understand a little”. Admitting that your command of the language is still poor almost always makes the other person more patient.

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.

Frequently asked

How do you say “Basque (language)” in Basque?

«euskara». The language's own name. Euskera is also in use, eskuara in the dialects: the language's name is alive. The Basque Country is Euskal Herria — 'the land of the Basque language'. It is one of 52 words in the set “talking about the language” — the rest are in the table above.

How many phrases about the language itself do you need to start?

The whole set on this page is 52 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.

Is there audio?

Yes, 52 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.

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