85 great Basque phrases and expressions (and their meaning)

Today we will get to know the Basque Country's own language and some of its expressions.

The Basque people have a unique culture and identity.The hypotheses about the origin of this people are not conclusive (at present) and therefore remain mere conjectures.

What is undeniable for any person is that their traditions, language and other sociological characteristics, make the Basques a people with a great sense for their traditions and a wonderful harmony with the nature that surrounds them that they do not share with the rest of their cultural neighbors.

• Recommended article: "10 Basque legends full of ancient mythology".

Phrases and expressions in Basque

Basque is a language that may sound very exotic to us if we are not familiar with it, but below, you can discover 85 great Basque phrases and their meaning.We have a few tips to help you learn a little more about this language and this culture.

1. Beti egongo naiz zurekin.

I will always be with you.

Izarrak jaitsi eta zure eskuetan jarriko ditut.

I will bring down the stars 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.

With 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 of 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 are the reason of 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 of my heart!

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 are like those curves, and me without 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 isildu dudan guztia.

In one kiss, you will know all that I have kept silent.

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.

Whatever little we do, let us always do it.

23. Eroriz ikasten da oinez.

Falling, one learns to walk.

Osasuna, munduko ondasuna.

Health is the wealth of the world.

25. Utzi bakean, bakean dagoenari.

Leave in peace, the one who is in peace.

26. Marinelaren emaztea, goizean senardun, arratsean alargun.

The sailor's wife, handcuffed in the morning, widowed in the evening.

27. Hegaztia airerako, gizona lanerako.

The bird for the air, the man for the work.

28. Ilea zuritzea hobe da burua baino.

It is better that the hair remains blank than the mind.

29. Berriz ikusiko gara horrela idatzita badago.

We will see each other again, if it is so written.

30. Isilik dagoenak ez dio gezurrik.

He who is silent does not lie.

31. Gora gu eta gutarrak!.

Up with us and ours!

32. Aditu nahi ez duenak, ez du esan behar.

He who does not want to hear, should not say.

33. Alferkeria, askoren hondamendia.

Laziness, ruin of many.

34. Arian, arian, zehetzen da burnia.

Forging, forging, it bends to iron.

35. Asko balio du indarrak, gehiago buru azkarrak.

Strength is worth a lot, but an intelligent head is worth more.

36. Bakoitzak bere zoroa bizi du.

Everyone lives his own madness.

37. Beste lekuetan ere txakurrak oinutsik ibiltzen dira.

In other places, dogs also walk barefoot.

The Spanish equivalent would be: El sol calienta por igual en todas partes.

38. Besteren ama, ona; norberea, askoz hobea.

The mother of others, good, one's own, the best.

39. Eguneroko izerdia, eguneroko ogia.

The daily sweat, (is) the daily bread.

40. Enbidiosoa, bere etsai osoa,

Envy was its own enemy.

41. Esandako hitzak lotzeko ez duzu giltzarik topatuko,

You will not find a key that can bind your spoken words together.

42. Gaizki esanak barkatu eta ondo esanak gogoan hartu.

Excuse what is wrongly said and remember what is well said.

43. Eskuko behatzak ere ez zituen Jainkoak berdinak egin.

God did not make equal even the fingers of the hands.

44. Entzun eta isil, baiezko borobil.

To listen and to be silent, total affirmation.

45. Eguzkia eta euria, Erromako zubia.

The sun and the rain, (bring us) the rainbow.

46. Bihar ere eguzkia aterako duk.

Tomorrow the sun will also rise.

47. Besteen faltak aurreko aldean, geureak bizkarrean.

Other people's faults before us, ours behind our back.

48. Aurreak erakusten du atzea nola dantzatu.

Those in front teach those behind to dance.

49. Arrats gorri, goiz euri.

Reddish sunset, rainy dawn.

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.

Eye that does not see, does not cry.

54. Inor ez da ikasia jaiotzen.

No one was born knowing/enlightened.

55. Ez pentsa ahastu zaitudanik.

Don't think that I have forgotten you.

56. Idiazabal: zeruko ateak zabal.

Idiazabal: the open heavenly door.

57. Munduan nahi duenak luzaroan bizi, oiloekin ohera eta txoriekin jaiki.

He who wants to live long in this world, let him go to bed with the rooster hens and get up with the birds.

58. Zahar hitz, zuhur hitz.

Old man's word, wise word.

59. Ogi gogorrari hagin zorrotza.

To the bad day, good face.

60. Egia eta fedea, Ezkurrako legea.

The 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 to the left or to the 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.

Maybe for the world you are nobody, but for me you are the world.

65. Harrian bixulo:euria egitean xomorroak bainatuko.

Under the rain two stones with holes: pools for goldfinches.

66. Zu zara piroporik ederrena.

You are the most beautiful compliment.

67. Zerua bezain ederra zara.

You are as beautiful as the sky!

68. Ona da natila, ona da suflea, baina zu zeu zara nahiago dudan postrea.

Good is the custard, good is the soufflé, but you are the dessert I long for the most.

69. Loreak mendian, perretxikoak basoan eta zu bezalako mutila, nire bihotzean.

Flowers in the bush, 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 ask the Olentzero for it.

71. Nire bizitzako emakumea zara.

You are the woman of my life.

72. Bizitzak desio bat eskatzeko aukera emango banindu, zu berriz ezagutzea desiatuko nuke.

If life gave me a wish, I would wish to meet you again.

73. Edo garela urrun ilargia ikusten dugun bera da.

Although we are far away, the moon we see is the same.

74. Iratzarri nintzen zure alboan negoela ametz eginez.

I woke up dreaming that I was by your side.

75. Amen: Zu hor eta ni hemen.

Amen, you there and me here.

76. Agindua zorra, esan ohi da.

What is promised is debt, as the saying goes.

77. Adiskidegabeko bizitza, auzogabeko heriotza.

Life without friends means death without neighbors.

78. Aberats izatea baino, izen ona hobe.

It is 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 traps; the poor, all dreams.

81. Ahoa zabal, logale edo gose.

Open mouth, dream or hunger.

82. Alfer egon eta alfer-lana egin, biak berdin.

To be loafing and to perform work in vain, both the same thing.

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.