85 great phrases and expressions in Basque (and their meaning)
The Basque people has a unique culture and identity , the hypotheses about the origin of this people are not conclusive (at present) and therefore remain mere conjecture.
What is undeniable for anyone is that their traditions, language and other sociological characteristics make the Basques a people with a great sense of tradition and a wonderful harmony with the surrounding nature that they do not share with the rest of their cultural neighbours.
Phrases and expressions in Basque
Basque is a language that may sound very exotic if we are not familiar with it, but below you can discover 85 great phrases in Basque and their meaning , which may help you learn a little more about this language and culture.
1. Beti egongo naiz zurekin.
I’ll always be with you.
2. Izarrak jaitsi eta zure eskuetan jarriko ditut.
I’ll take the stars down and put them in your hands.
3. Adiskide onekin, orduak labur.
With a good friend, the hours are short.
4. Aditzaile onari, hitz gutxi.
A good listener needs few words.
5. Aldi luzeak, guztia ahaztu.
In time, everything is forgotten.
6. Umea balitz bezala sentitzen naiz ni zure alboan irudikatuz.
And I feel like a child, imagining myself with you.
7. Oraindik zugan pentsatzen dut.
I still think about you.
8. Zer naiz ni zu gabe?
What am I without you?
9. Asko maite zaitut.
I love you very much.
10. Nire bizitzaren zergaitia zara.
You’re the reason for my life.
11. Nire bihotzeko poxpoloa zara.
You are the match of my heart.
12. Ai Zelako irriparra, hura da nire iparra, gidatzen nauen izarra!
Ah, what a smile, she is my north, the star that guides me!
13. Kaixo, nire bihotzeko laztana!
Hello, sweetheart!
14. Maite zaitut, olatuek itsasoa maite duten bezala.
I love you, as the waves love the sea.
15. Zergatik da itsasoa gazia? Zuk daukazulako goxotasun guztia!
Why is the sea salty? Because you have all the sweetness!
16. Zu kurba horiekin eta ni frenorik Gabe.
You’re like those curves, and I have no brakes.
17. Ilun dago itsasoa nire ohe azpian: egunargi arte ez ditut irekiko begiak:
How black the sea looks under my bed: I won’t open my eyes until tomorrow.
18. Sentitzen dut min eman izana, barka iezadazu.
I’m sorry I hurt you, forgive me.
19. Musu batean jakingo duzu isilduan guztia.
In one kiss, you’ll know everything I’ve kept quiet.
20. Non gogoa, han zangoa.
Where the heart walks, the foot bends.
21. Benetako adiskide bat, zuregan sinesten duen norbait da,zuk zuregan sinesten utzi duzun arren.
A true friend is someone who believes in you even if you have stopped believing in yourself.
22. Dezagun gutxi dezagun beti.
What little we do, we do always.
23. Eroriz ikasten da oinez.
By falling, you learn to walk.
24. Osasuna, munduko ondasuna.
Health is the wealth of the world.
25. Utzi bakean, bakean dagoenari.
Leave the one in peace alone.
26. Marinelaren emaztea, goizean senardun, arratsean alargun.
The sailor’s wife, handcuffed in the morning, widowed at sunset.
27. Hegaztia airerako, gizona lanerako.
The bird for the air, the man for the work.
28. Ilea zuritzea hobe da burua baino.
It’s better to let your hair go blank than your mind.
29. Berriz ikusiko gara horrela idatzita badago.
We’ll meet again, if that’s what it takes.
30. Isilik dagoenak ez dio gezurrik.
He who is silent does not lie.
31. Gora gu eta gutarrak!.
Not upstairs
32. Aditu nahi ez duenak, ez du esan behar.
He who does not want to hear, must not say.
33. Alferkeria, askoren hondamendia.
Laziness, the ruin of many.
34. Arian, arian, zehetzen da burnia.
Forging, forging, bending to iron.
35. Asko balio du indarrak, gehiago buru azkarrak.
Strength is worth a lot, but a smart head is even more so.
36. Bakoitzak bere zoroa bizi du.
Everyone lives their own madness.
37. Beste lekuetan ere txakurrak oinutsik ibiltzen dira.
In other places, dogs also go barefoot.
The English equivalent would be: The sun heats equally everywhere.
38. Besteren ama, ona; norberea, askoz hobea.
Other people’s mother, good one, your own, the best one.
39. Eguneroko izerdia, eguneroko ogia.
The daily sweat, (is) the daily bread.
40. Enbidiosoa, bere etsai osoa,
Envy was her own enemy.
41. Esandako hitzak lotzeko ez duzu giltzarik topatuko,
You won’t find a key that will bring your spoken words together.
42. Gaizki esanak barkatu eta ondo esanak gogoan hartu.
Sorry for the bad words and remember the good words.
43. Eskuko behatzak ere ez zituen Jainkoak berdinak egin.
God did not make even the fingers of the hand equal.
44. Entzun eta isil, baiezko borobil.
Listen and shut up, total affirmation.
45. Eguzkia eta euria, Erromako zubia.
The sun and the rain, (they bring) us the rainbow.
46. Bihar ere eguzkia aterako duk.
Tomorrow the sun will rise too.
47. Besteen faltak aurreko aldean, geureak bizkarrean.
The faults of others before us, our own behind our backs.
48. Aurreak erakusten du atzea nola dantzatu.
Those in front teach those in back to dance.
49. Arrats gorri, goiz euri.
Reddish sunset, rainy sunrise.
50. Apirilaren azkenean, hostoa haritz gainean.
At the end of April, the leaves bloom on the oaks.
51. Aldi joana ez da itzultzen.
The past moment never returns.
52. Abendua, jai huts eta gau huts.
December, all party and all night.
53. Ikusten ez duen begiak negarrik ez.
He can’t see, he can’t cry.
54. Inor ez da ikasia jaiotzen.
No one is born known/illustrated.
55. Ez pentsa ahastu zaitudanik.
Don’t think I’ve forgotten you.
56. Idiazabal: zeruko ateak zabal.
Idiazabal: the open heavenly door.
57. Munduan nahi duenak luzaroan bizi, oiloekin ohera eta txoriekin jaiki.
Whoever wants to live long in this world, let him lie down with the roosters and rise with the birds.
58. Zahar hitz, zuhur hitz.
Old man’s word, wise word.
59. Ogi gogorrari hagin zorrotza.
On a bad day, good face.
60. Egia eta fedea, Ezkurrako legea.
Truth and faith, the law of Ezkurra.
61. Atzera begiratzeak min egiten dizunean eta aurrera begiratzeak bildurtzen zaitunean,begira zazu ezker edo eskubira eta han egongo naiz, zure ondoan.
When it hurts to look back and you are afraid to look ahead, look left or right and I will be there, by your side.
62. Adiskidetasuna da, bizitzaren errezetan, osagairik garrantzitsuena.
Friendship is the most important ingredient in the recipe of life.
63. Olerki laburrenaren bertsorik politenak bi hitz baino ez ditu.
The most beautiful verse of the shortest poem has only two words: Maite zaitut. I love you.
64. Agian munduarentzat ez zara inor, baina niretzat mundua zara.
You may be nothing to the world, but to me you are the world.
65. Harrian bixulo:euria egitean xomorroak bainatuko.
Under the rain two stones with holes:
You’re the prettiest compliment.
67. Zerua bezain ederra zara!
You’re as beautiful as the sky!
68. Ona da natila, ona da suflea, baina zu zara nahiago dudan postrea.
Good is the custard, good is the souffle, but you are the dessert I crave most.
69. Loreak mendian, perretxikoak basoan eta zu bezalako mutila, nire bihotzean.
The flowers in the bush, the mushrooms in the forest, and a boy like you, in my heart.
70. Esan zure izena, eta Olentzerori eskatuko diot.
Tell me your name, I’ll ask the Olentzero.
71. Nire bizitzako emakumea zara.
You’re the woman in my life.
72. Bizitzak desio bat eskatzeko aukera emango banindu, zu berriz ezagutzea desiatuko nuke.
If life gave me one wish, I’d want to meet you again.
73. Edo garela urrun ilargia ikusten dugun bera da.
Even though we’re far away, the moon we see is the same.
74. Iratzarri nintzen zure alboan negoela ametz eginez.
I woke up dreaming I was next to you.
75. Amen: Zu hor eta ni hemen.
Amen, you there and me here.
76. Agindua bitch, esan ohi da.
Promise is debt, they say.
77. Adiskidegabeko bizitza, auzogabeko heriotza.
Life without friends means death without neighbors.
78. Aberats izatea baino, izen ona hobe.
It’s better to have a good name than to be rich.
79. Distantziak izan arren, jada ez gaude bakarrik.
Although there are distances, we are no longer alone.
80. Aberatsa, tranpa hutsa; pobrea, amets hutsa.
The rich, all cheating; the poor, all dreaming.
81. Ahoa zabal, logale edo gose.
Open mouth, sleep or hunger.
82. Alfer egon eta alfer-lana egin, biak berdin.
Lazing around and doing a job in vain, both the same.
83. Alferrak, beti lanez beterik.
The lazy ones, always full of work.
84. Alferrik da ura joanda gero presa egitea.
It is in vain to make the dam after the water has gone.
85. Apaizak eta praileak, hegal gabeko beleak.
Priests and friars, crows without wings.