Euskara
Basque
Language isolate
Also known as: Basque, Euskara
Basque (Euskara) is a language isolate — not demonstrably related to any other living language family — with ~750K speakers in the Basque Country spanning northeastern Spain (Hegoalde: Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Araba, Navarre) and southwestern France (Iparralde: Lapurdi, Lower Navarre, Soule). It is co-official with Spanish in the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre. As the only surviving pre-Indo-European language of Western Europe, Basque predates Latin in the region (Roman-era Aquitanian inscriptions are likely a Basque ancestor). Linguistically distinctive for ergative-absolutive case marking (rare in Europe), polypersonal verbal agreement encoding subject, direct object, and indirect object simultaneously, and SOV word order. The standardized form Euskara Batua was developed by the Royal Academy of the Basque Language (Euskaltzaindia) starting 1968, drawing primarily on the central Gipuzkoan dialect. Strong revitalization since the 1980s through ikastolak (Basque-medium schools).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Basque
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Language isolate
| Meaning | Basque | Asturian | Sardinian | Salvadoran Spanish | Extremaduran | Argentine Spanish | Mexican Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ur /ur/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | abba /abba/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | augua /ˈawɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ | agua /ˈaɣwa/ |
| Fire | su /su/ | fueu /ˈfweu/ | fogu /foɣu/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | huegu /ˈhweɣu/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ | fuego /ˈfweɣo/ |
| Sun | eguzki /eɣuski/ | sol /sol/ | sole /sole/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sɔl/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sol/ |
| Moon | ilargi /ilaɾɣi/ | lluna /ˈʎuna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ |
| Star | izar /is̻ar/ | estrella /esˈtɾeʎa/ | isteddu /isˈteɖɖu/ | estrella /esˈtɾeʝa/ | estrella /ehˈtɾeʎa/ | estrella /esˈtɾeʃa/ | estrella /esˈtɾeʝa/ |
| Night | gau /ɡau/ | nueche /ˈnwetʃe/ | notte /ˈnɔtːe/ | noche /ˈnotʃe/ | nochi /ˈnotʃi/ | noche /ˈnotʃe/ | noche /ˈnotʃe/ |
| Rain | euri /ˈeuɾi/ | lluvia /ˈʎuβja/ | proja /ˈproja/ | lluvia /ˈʝuβja/ | lluvia /ˈʎuβja/ | lluvia /ˈʒuβja/ | lluvia /ˈʝuβja/ |
| Snow | elur /elur/ | nieve /njeβe/ | nie /nie/ | nieve /ˈnjeβe/ | ñevi /ˈɲeβi/ | nieve /ˈnjeβe/ | nieve /ˈnjeβe/ |
| Wind | haize /ˈaise/ | vientu /ˈbjentu/ | bentu /ˈbɛntu/ | viento /ˈbjento/ | ventu /ˈbentu/ | viento /ˈbjento/ | viento /ˈbjento/ |
| Earth | lur /luɾ/ | tierra /ˈtjera/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | tierra /ˈtjera/ | tierra /ˈtjera/ | tierra /ˈtjera/ | tierra /ˈtjera/ |
| Stone | harri /ˈari/ | piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ | pedra /ˈpedra/ | piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ | piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ | piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ | piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ |
| Mountain | mendi /ˈmendi/ | monte /ˈmonte/ | monte /ˈmɔnte/ | montaña /monˈtaɲa/ | montaña /monˈtaɲa/ | montaña /monˈtaɲa/ | montaña /monˈtaɲa/ |
| Sea | itsaso /iˈts̻aso/ | mar /maɾ/ | mare /ˈmaɾe/ | mar /maɾ/ | mar /maɾ/ | mar /maɾ/ | mar /maɾ/ |
| Mother | ama /ama/ | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ | mama /mama/ | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ | mai /mai/ | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ | madre /ˈmaðɾe/ |
| Father | aita /aita/ | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ | babbu /babbu/ | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ | pairi /ˈpajɾi/ | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ | padre /ˈpaðɾe/ |
| Daughter | alaba /alaba/ | fía /ˈfia/ | fiza /ˈfidza/ | hija /ˈiha/ | ija /ˈiha/ | hija /ˈixa/ | hija /ˈixa/ |
| I | ni /ni/ | yo /ʝo/ | deo /ˈdɛo/ | yo /ʝo/ | yo /ʝo/ | yo /ʃo/ | yo /ʝo/ |
| You | hi /hi/ | tu /tu/ | tue /ˈtue/ | vos /bos/ | tú /tu/ | vos /bos/ | tú /tu/ |
| We | gu /ɡu/ | nosotros /noˈsotɾos/ | nois /ˈnois/ | nosotros /noˈsotɾos/ | nusotrus /nusoˈtɾus/ | nosotros /noˈsotɾos/ | nosotros /noˈsotɾos/ |
| Name | izen /is̻en/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nòmine /ˈnɔmine/ | nombre /ˈnombɾe/ | nombri /ˈnombɾi/ | nombre /ˈnombɾe/ | nombre /ˈnombɾe/ |
| Person | pertsona /perˈts̻ona/ | persona /peɾˈsona/ | persone /perˈsɔne/ | persona /peɾˈsona/ | presona /pɾeˈsona/ | persona /peɾˈsona/ | persona /peɾˈsona/ |
| Head | buru /buɾu/ | cabeza /kaˈβeθa/ | conca /ˈkoŋka/ | cabeza /kaˈβesa/ | cabeça /kaˈβesa/ | cabeza /kaˈβesa/ | cabeza /kaˈβesa/ |
| Eye | begi /beɣi/ | güeyu /ˈɡweʝu/ | ogru /ˈoɣru/ | ojo /ˈoho/ | oju /ˈohu/ | ojo /ˈoxo/ | ojo /ˈoxo/ |
| Ear | belarri /belari/ | oreya /oˈɾeʝa/ | origa /ɔˈɾiɡa/ | oreja /oˈɾeha/ | oreja /oˈɾexa/ | oreja /oˈɾexa/ | oreja /oˈɾexa/ |
| Nose | sudur /s̻uður/ | nariz /naˈɾiθ/ | nasu /ˈnazu/ | nariz /naˈɾis/ | narís /naˈɾis/ | nariz /naˈɾis/ | nariz /naˈɾis/ |
| Mouth | aho /ˈaho/ | boca /ˈboka/ | bucca /ˈbukka/ | boca /ˈboka/ | boca /ˈboka/ | boca /ˈboka/ | boca /ˈboka/ |
| Tooth | hortz /orts̻/ | diente /ˈdjente/ | dente /ˈdente/ | diente /ˈdjente/ | dienti /ˈdjenti/ | diente /ˈdjente/ | diente /ˈdjente/ |
| Tongue | mihi /mihi/ | llingua /ˈʎiŋɡwa/ | limba /ˈlimba/ | lengua /ˈleŋɡwa/ | luenga /ˈlweŋɡa/ | lengua /ˈleŋɡwa/ | lengua /ˈleŋɡwa/ |
| Hand | esku /esku/ | mano /ˈmano/ | manu /manu/ | mano /ˈmano/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | mano /ˈmano/ | mano /ˈmano/ |
| Foot | oin /ojn/ | pie /pje/ | pei /pei/ | pie /pje/ | pie /pje/ | pie /pje/ | pie /pje/ |
| Heart | bihotz /biots/ | corazón /koɾaˈθon/ | core /kore/ | corazón /koɾaˈson/ | curaçón /kuɾaˈsɔn/ | corazón /koɾaˈson/ | corazón /koɾaˈson/ |
| Bone | hezur /esur/ | güesu /ˈɡwesu/ | ossu /ˈossu/ | hueso /ˈweso/ | güesu /ˈɡwesu/ | hueso /ˈweso/ | hueso /ˈweso/ |
| Blood | odol /odol/ | sangre /ˈsaŋɡɾe/ | sàmbene /ˈsambene/ | sangre /ˈsaŋɡɾe/ | sangri /ˈsaŋɡɾi/ | sangre /ˈsaŋɡɾe/ | sangre /ˈsaŋɡɾe/ |
| Poop | kaka /kaka/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | cacca /ˈkakka/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | — | caca /ˈkaka/ | caca /ˈkaka/ |
| Love | maitasun /maitasun/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amore /amore/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amol /aˈmol/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ | amor /aˈmoɾ/ |
| Tree | zuhaitz /suaits/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | àrbure /ˈarbure/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | arbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ | árbol /ˈaɾβol/ |
| Dog | txakur /tʃakur/ | perru /ˈperu/ | cane /kane/ | perro /ˈpero/ | perru /ˈperu/ | perro /ˈpero/ | perro /ˈpero/ |
| Cat | katu /katu/ | gatu /ˈɡatu/ | gattu /ɡattu/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gatu /ˈɡatu/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | gato /ˈɡato/ |
| Fish | arrain /aˈrajn/ | pexe /ˈpeʃe/ | pische /ˈpiske/ | pez /pes/ | pexi /ˈpeʃi/ | pez /pes/ | pez /pes/ |
| Bird | txori /tʃoɾi/ | páxaru /ˈpaʃaɾu/ | puzone /puˈdzone/ | pájaro /ˈpahaɾo/ | páxaru /ˈpaxaɾu/ | pájaro /ˈpaxaɾo/ | pájaro /ˈpaxaɾo/ |
| Butterfly | tximeleta /tʃimeleta/ | caparina /kapaˈɾina/ | cabagasu /kaβaˈɣazu/ | mariposa /maɾiˈposa/ | — | mariposa /maɾiˈposa/ | mariposa /maɾiˈposa/ |
| Egg | arrautza /arauts̻a/ | güevu /ˈɡweβu/ | ou /ˈou/ | huevo /ˈweβo/ | güevu /ˈɡweβu/ | huevo /ˈweβo/ | huevo /ˈweβo/ |
| Bear | hartz /arts/ | osu /ˈosu/ | ursu /ˈursu/ | oso /ˈoso/ | ossu /ˈosu/ | oso /ˈoso/ | oso /ˈoso/ |
| Horse | zaldi /s̻aldi/ | caballu /kaˈβaʎu/ | cabaddu /kaˈbaɖɖu/ | caballo /kaˈβaʝo/ | caballu /kaˈβaʎu/ | caballo /kaˈβaʃo/ | caballo /kaˈβaʝo/ |
| House | etxe /etʃe/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | domo /domo/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ |
| Milk | esne /esne/ | lleche /ˈʎetʃe/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | leche /ˈletʃe/ | lechi /ˈletʃi/ | leche /ˈletʃe/ | leche /ˈletʃe/ |
| Honey | ezti /es̻ti/ | miel /mjel/ | mele /ˈmɛle/ | miel /mjel/ | miel /mjel/ | miel /mjel/ | miel /mjel/ |
| Salt | gatz /ɡats̻/ | sal /sal/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sal /sal/ | sal /sal/ | sal /sal/ | sal /sal/ |
| Wine | ardo /ardo/ | vinu /ˈbinu/ | binu /ˈbinu/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vinu /ˈbinu/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ |
| Rice | arroz /aˈros/ | arroz /aˈroθ/ | risu /ˈrizu/ | arroz /aˈros/ | arrós /aˈros/ | arroz /aˈros/ | arroz /aˈros/ |
| Chocolate | txokolate /tʃokolate/ | chicolate /tʃikoˈlate/ | ciculata /tʃikuˈlata/ | chocolate /tʃokoˈlate/ | chocolati /tʃokoˈlati/ | chocolate /tʃokoˈlate/ | chocolate /tʃokoˈlate/ |
| Iron | burdina /burdina/ | fierro /ˈfjero/ | ferru /ˈferru/ | hierro /ˈjero/ | hierru /ˈhjeru/ | hierro /ˈjero/ | hierro /ˈjero/ |
| Wheel | gurpil /ɡurpil/ | rueda /ˈrweða/ | roda /ˈroda/ | rueda /ˈrweða/ | ruea /ˈrwea/ | rueda /ˈrweða/ | rueda /ˈrweða/ |
| Silk | zeta /ˈset̪a/ | seda /ˈseða/ | seda /ˈsɛða/ | seda /ˈseða/ | seda /ˈseða/ | seda /ˈseða/ | seda /ˈseða/ |
| Book | liburu /liβuɾu/ | llibru /ˈʎiβɾu/ | libru /ˈliβɾu/ | libro /ˈliβɾo/ | libru /ˈliβɾu/ | libro /ˈliβɾo/ | libro /ˈliβɾo/ |
| Eat | jan /jan/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | mandigare /mandiɡare/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | comel /koˈmel/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ | comer /koˈmeɾ/ |
| Drink | edan /eðan/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | bìere /ˈbiere/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | bebel /beˈβel/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ | beber /beˈβeɾ/ |
| Sleep | lo egin /lo eɡin/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ | dormire /dorˈmire/ | dormir /doɾˈmiɾ/ | durmil /duɾˈmil/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ |
| One | bat /bat/ | ún /un/ | unu /unu/ | uno /ˈuno/ | un /un/ | uno /ˈuno/ | uno /ˈuno/ |
| Two | bi /bi/ | dos /dos/ | duos /ˈduɔs/ | dos /dos/ | dos /dos/ | dos /dos/ | dos /dos/ |
| Three | hiru /iɾu/ | tres /tɾes/ | tres /tres/ | tres /tɾes/ | tres /tɾes/ | tres /tɾes/ | tres /tɾes/ |
| Four | lau /lau/ | cuatro /ˈkwatɾo/ | bator /ˈbattor/ | cuatro /ˈkwatɾo/ | cuatru /ˈkwatɾu/ | cuatro /ˈkwatɾo/ | cuatro /ˈkwatɾo/ |
| Five | bost /bost̪/ | cinco /ˈθiŋko/ | chimbe /ˈkimbe/ | cinco /ˈsinko/ | cincu /ˈθiŋku/ | cinco /ˈsinko/ | cinco /ˈsinko/ |
| Hundred | ehun /eun/ | cien /θjen/ | chentu /ˈkentu/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /θjen/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ |
| Hello | kaixo /kaiʃo/ | hola /ˈola/ | salude /salude/ | hola /ˈola/ | salú /saˈlu/ | hola /ˈola/ | hola /ˈola/ |
| Thank you | eskerrik asko /esˈkerik ˈasko/ | gracies /ˈɡɾaθjes/ | gràtzias /ˈɡrattsjas/ | gracias /ˈɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ˈɣɾasjas/ | gracias /ˈɡɾasjas/ | gracias /ˈɡɾasjas/ |
| Good | on /on/ | bonu /ˈbonu/ | bonu /bonu/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ | güenu /ˈɡwenu/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ | bueno /ˈbweno/ |
| New | berri /beri/ | nuevu /ˈnweβu/ | nou /ˈnou/ | nuevo /ˈnweβo/ | nuevu /ˈnweβu/ | nuevo /ˈnweβo/ | nuevo /ˈnweβo/ |
| Red | gorri /ˈɡori/ | bermeyu /beɾˈmeʝu/ | ruju /ˈruːju/ | rojo /ˈroho/ | coloráu /koloˈɾaw/ | rojo /ˈroxo/ | rojo /ˈroxo/ |
| White | zuri /s̻uɾi/ | blancu /ˈblaŋku/ | biancu /ˈbjaŋku/ | blanco /ˈblaŋko/ | blancu /ˈblaŋku/ | blanco /ˈblaŋko/ | blanco /ˈblaŋko/ |
| Black | beltz /bels̻/ | negru /ˈneɣɾu/ | nieddu /ˈnieddu/ | negro /ˈneɣɾo/ | negru /ˈneɣɾu/ | negro /ˈneɣɾo/ | negro /ˈneɣɾo/ |
| Green | berde /ˈbeɾde/ | verde /ˈbeɾðe/ | birde /ˈbirde/ | verde /ˈbeɾðe/ | verdi /ˈbeɾði/ | verde /ˈbeɾðe/ | verde /ˈbeɾðe/ |
| Blue | urdin /urˈdin/ | azul /aˈθul/ | biaittu /bjaˈittu/ | azul /aˈsul/ | azul /aˈθul/ | azul /aˈsul/ | azul /aˈsul/ |
| Cuckoo | kuku /ˈkuku/ | cuquiellu /kuˈkjeʎu/ | cucu /ˈkuku/ | cuco /ˈkuko/ | cucu /ˈkuku/ | pirincho /piˈɾintʃo/ | pijuy /piˈxwi/ |
| Woof | au au /au au/ | — | — | guau guau /ɡwau ɡwau/ | — | guau guau /ɡwau ɡwau/ | guau guau /ɡwau ɡwau/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | kukurruku /kukuˈruku/ | — | — | quiquiriquí /kikiɾiˈki/ | — | quiquiriquí /kikiɾiˈki/ | quiquiriquí /kikiɾiˈki/ |
| Computer | ordenagailu /ordenaˈɡai̯lu/ | ordenador /oɾðenaˈðoɾ/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computadora /komputaˈðoɾa/ | ordenaol /oɾðenaˈol/ | computadora /komputaˈðoɾa/ | computadora /komputaˈðoɾa/ |
| Sushi | sushi /s̺uʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsusi/ | sushi /ˈsusi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | te /te/ | té /te/ | te /te/ | té /te/ | té /te/ | té /te/ | té /te/ |
| Coffee | kafe /kafe/ | café /kaˈfe/ | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | café /kaˈfe/ | café /kaˈfe/ | café /kaˈfe/ | café /kaˈfe/ |
| Sugar | azukre /as̻ukɾe/ | azucre /aˈθukɾe/ | tzùcaru /ˈtsukaru/ | azúcar /aˈsukaɾ/ | açuca /aˈsuka/ | azúcar /aˈsukaɾ/ | azúcar /aˈsukaɾ/ |
| Orange | laranja /laɾanʃa/ | naranxa /naˈɾaŋʃa/ | aranzu /aˈrandzu/ | naranja /naˈɾaŋha/ | naranja /naˈɾaŋha/ | naranja /naˈɾaŋxa/ | naranja /naˈɾaŋxa/ |
| Ninety-nine | laurogeita hemeretzi /lauɾoɣeita emeɾetsi/ | noventa y nueve /noˈβenta i ˈnweβe/ | — | noventa y nueve /noˈβenta i ˈnweβe/ | noventa i nuevi /noˈβenta i ˈnweβi/ | noventa y nueve /noˈβenta i ˈnweβe/ | noventa y nueve /noˈβenta i ˈnweβe/ |
| Dopamine | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ |
| At sign | a bildua /a βilˈdua/ | arroba /aˈroβa/ | — | arroba /aˈroβa/ | arroba /aˈroβa/ | arroba /aˈroβa/ | arroba /aˈroβa/ |
| Internet laughter | karkarkar /karkarkar/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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