Euskera (Basque) for the Visiting American -- Thoughts on the Language and a Short Dictionary

With colleagues at the American Consulate in Bilbao, 1991

EUSKERA FOR THE VISITING AMERICAN

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE BASQUE LANGUAGE

 AND A SHORT DICTIONARY OF IMPORTANT WORDS

By William R. Meara

Written in the Basque Country from 1989 - 1991

I originally thought of calling this document "Survival Euskera for the visiting American", but this title would have been misleading - a visitor does not need to know the Basque language (Euskera) to survive in the Basque country. Spanish is understood and spoken everywhere and it is only in a few isolated communities that older people who cannot speak Castellano can be found. Euskera is used rarely used in daily conversation in the Bilbao area, but in rural zones - especially in the province of Guipuzcoa - it is the language most frequently employed. A 1991 study showed that only ten percent of the population on Bilbao is currently fluent in Euskera - this may be the highest percentage in history!

Euskera is an important part of Basque life and culture. It forms an essential component of the Basques' identity. Many Basque - even in Bilbao - use it in their homes as the language of family conversation. School programs here at a minimum include classes in Euskera - some schools are bilingual (Castellano-Euskera) others are conducted completely in the Basque language.

In the Basque country a lot of human effort is being expended in an effort to resuscitate Euskera. I believe the effort is succeeding and expect that in twenty years Euskera will be in much greater use here. In the course of two years in Bilbao, I believe that I have noticed an increase in the use of Euskera in my surroundings.

If I were a nationalist, I suppose I'd be very pleased. But as a non-nationalist, I ask myself about the opportunity costs of all this study. Euskera is a very difficult language. Suppose that twenty years ago the Basques decided to mount a similar effort to teach their people English... or Japanese. I'm sure that the effect on the economic well-being of the community would have been much greater. From the economic viewpoint, Euskera is I think a net negative. It creates an additional complication for potential investors. Why build a factory here when you can build one twenty miles away in Cantabria or Castilla and forget about the Euskera issue? 

   

These are questions and speculations that - for the foreigner - are best left unspoken here. In the Basque country, one must be very sensitive to the feelings and emotions associated with Euskera. Native Basque speakers will have an intensely personal relationship to the language and will always have strong "protective" feelings towards it - to understand these people, try to imagine being the member of a very small group of people whose mother tongue is most definitely under siege and could quite possibly disappear from the face of the earth. Those who have learned Euskera as adults will be justifiably proud off the achievement. Basques who do not speak the language will often be somewhat ashamed of the fact that they do not speak it. Many who don't speak Basque will frankly tell you that they "don't like" Euskera. Tread softly when talking about language!

One curious element in this language debate is the almost total lack of friction between the Basque speakers and the non-Basque speakers. There is some social class tension between the "immigrants" of the left bank of Bilbao's Nervion River and the upper class of the right bank, but this is a social class issue. There is some tension about the imposition of language requirements for Basque government jobs and teaching positions, but at a day-to-day level you find nothing of the kind of tension that exists between say French Canadians and their English speaking brethren or between French speaking Belgians and the Waloons. This is probably due to the fact that everybody is fluent in Castellano and many of those who do not speak Basque quietly wish that they did ... and feel a little ashamed that they don't.

Of course the correlation between Euskera fluency and nationalist feeling has political ramifications. It is a safe bet that the percentage of Euskera speakers is higher in Herri Batasuana than it is in any other nationalist party. An informal 1991 survey carried out in Guipuzcoa by the newspaper "El Pais" showed significantly higher approval rating for Herri Batasuna in Ikastolas than in the Castellano language secondary schools (17% vs. 25%). In Vizcaya, the towns are traditionally under HB control are those where Euskera is spoken - Leketio, Bermeo etc. 

Keep in mind that certain terms have become nationalist shibboleths: Nationalists generally say "Euskadi", non-nationalists generally say "Pais Vasco". Nobody is overly sensitive to this and they will be forgiving of a foreigner's transgressions, but the use of terms like this is a way of letting others know where one stands on the big questions of Nationalism. When I used the word Euskadi among the Neguri elite, people chuckled and teased that "Oh a Basque Beret would fit you just fine!" When I said "Pais Vasco" to a more nationalist girl on the beach, she got a little annoyed and told me to use Euskadi: "You sound like some Andaluz when you say Pais Vasco!" she complained.

In a very real way, the language itself is a nationalist shibboleth - a linguistic device intended to set the Basques apart.  People here study English and French and German to expand their horizons, to reach out to other cultures; they study Euskera to reduce their horizons, to circle the wagons and to close themselves off from outsiders; most of all they study it in order to better define themselves - to make themselves more Basque.

For travelers, visits to the Basque Country will be enriched by an exposure to the language. At the very least, I hope that this dictionary will help you decipher some of the local graffiti. The easiest way to hear it spoken is to tune into local radio stations (many are in Euskera) or to turn to channel ETB-1 on your television. (Basque country Television has two channels - ETB-1 is in Euskera, ETB-2 is in Castellano). Basque language television plays an important role in the effort to promote, preserve and propagate the language. For a real tri-cultural experience, try to watch a rerun of an American television programs dubbed with Euskera with subtitles in Castellano!  For some reason Star Trek seems especially well suited for Euskera.  My favorite experience of this type involved a basketball game in Israel between a team from Euskadi and one from Tel Aviv. ETB-1 transmitted the game with Euskera language commentary while Hebrew language subtitles shot across the screen in the wrong direction! 

Basque grammar is very difficult and the way Euskera orders thoughts is profoundly different than what we're used to. For example, we say "I am spinning". In Euskera this becomes "Iruten ari nuzu" which literally translates to "in the act of spinning doing you have me". The you and the me might change depending on gender. Good luck!

You will notice that the lettering used in Euskera signs is different than the lettering on Castellano signs. (You'll also notice that radicals have often painted over the Castellano place names!) Often bilingual signs will employ both the Euskera lettering and the more conventional letters. The use of the distinctive letters is a way of asserting or emphasizing the "Basqueness" of the organization. The Steel company ACENOR for example, uses "Basque" lettering in its corporate logo. But there is no historical basis for the use of this quaint lettering. 

Basques will often employ two different spellings for their names. Asua becomes Axua for example. Often you will find several different variations on the spellings of certain words. Sabino Arana was the one who developed this "different spelling" and he did it specifically to set the Basques even further apart from "Spain."

Euskera and Castellano have influenced each other. A local linguist tells me that the Euskera influence explains Castellano's relative shortage of vowels. There are Euskera words that have crept into Castellano and - in the Basque country there are some unusual Castellano phrases that can be traced to the influence of Euskera. In Castellano for example, Como andas? is often used in lieu of Como estas?; this can be explained by the fact that in Euskera, the verbs to be and to walk are almost identical.

Euskera has influenced the way many Castillian speaking Basques express themselves in Castellano. There are older Basque speakers  (Euskaldunes) who struggle with Spanish and speak it in a crude form and there are younger people who - because of their proximity to these people -  speak a crude version of Castellano.  When speaking Castellano, Basques frequently do not use the subjunctive properly (but I'm not sure this can be blamed on Euskera). I think that the coarse, blunt and forceful nature of Euskera has influenced the Castellano speech patterns of the Basques. I've also heard that Basques are more prone to use the tu form of address than are other Spaniards - this may be because Euskera does not have a differentiation between tu and usted and because "you" in Euskera comes out as "zu"...which sounds like tu!

Some words in Spanish thought to be of Euskera origin include izquierda (left), barro (mud). 

Some very common names (first and last) have their roots in Euskera. Ochoa comes from the Basque word for wolf (Otso). Javier has a fascinating history: Etxeberria is one of the most common Basque surnames. Like many Basque names it derives from a place name: Etxe means place or house.  Berri means new. So Etxeberria means new house or the place of the new house. In French Etxeberria evolved into Xabier after people started naming their kids after a Saint who was from Etxeberria. Xabier is translated into Spanish and - Eureka!- we have the familiar Javier.

There is a great, longstanding, very complicated academic debate about the connections between Euskera and the pre-roman languages of the rest of the Iberian peninsula. Some (the vasco-iberico school) have maintained that Euskera was at one time the language of all of Iberia - the language of the Iberos. Others hotly dispute this claim.

Legend has it that the language is so difficult that devil himself was unable to learn it - therefore it is impossible to blaspheme in Euskera!

As you travel through the Basque Country you will see street signs and advertisements in Euskera. On a day to day basis you will also from time to time bump into Euskera phrases and words that have come to be used in Castillian conversation.  I've  prepared a short dictionary of the words and phrases that a visitor is most likely to come into contact with (in many cases I've included common derivations of the root word). Some of the words might not technically be from Euskera, but they are "Vasquismos" i.e. words used almost exclusively in Euskadi by Basques. 

Aberri Eguna - Fatherland day. Easter Sunday. The most important "holy day" on the Basque political calender.

Abertzale - Basque patriot. Literally: "fatherland lover" This very important Basque word has, unfortunately, been co-opted by Herri Batasuna to the point where now even HB critics refer to HB members as Abertzales.

Agua de Bilbao - Not a Euskera term, but you need to know this one. Agua de Bilbao is not agua from the Nervion river (thank God!). It is a cheap, low quality champagne served in certain bars in Bilbao. There are various stories about how the term sprung up, none of them very coherent.

Agur - goodbye.  Probably the most widely used Basque word. Commonly used in conversation even by those who don't speak Basque. A good way to show interest in the local culture is to use Agur in departing. But be careful - "immigrants" who do not consider themselves Basques may find an "Agur" farewell somewhat inappropriate or a little corny. My rule is - if they say Agur to me, I say Agur to them

.

A.E.B. -  U.S.A.

Aiba! - OOPS! WOW! After you live here a while you'll find yourself saying this without even really noticing that you're using it!

Aita - Father. Almost all Basque children - Euskaldun or not - use Aita and Ama or Amatxu when speaking to their parents.

Aitor - a common male name. It supposedly comes from Basque mythology: according to the legend Aitor, was the ancient patriarch of Euskadi, father of the Basque people.  

Aitz - (or Haitz) stone. The theory that the Basque language has stone age origins is supported by the fact that many Basque words for tools include "aitz": even scissors are aitz-tturr!

Aizkolaris - wood choppers (Ax-ers!) this is one of the famous Basque "work sports" - they see who can chop through tree trunks fastest.

Alkartasuna - Solidarity

Alkartetxe - From the word Alkartasuna, one of a chain of political taverns run by the Eusko Alkartasuna party. 

Amerikako Estatu Batuak - The United States of America. Note the "Batuak": plural of Batua, the word for united or unified, the same word is used for the Esperanto of the Euskeras: Batua. There are lots of words with "Bat" in them because bat means "one". see also Herri BATasuna, Beste BAT, and BATzoki. 

Ama or Amatxu - Mother. Even when speaking Castellano, little kids in the Basque country use this word. See also: Aita

Andra Mari - The Virgin Mary. Because of the strong Marian tradition in the Basque country, you'll find lots of place names with Andra Mari in them. Andra doesn't literally translate as virgin - it really means Senora or Esposa.

Apurtu - To break into bits, to smash. Frequently used in graffiti.

Arratsalde on - Good afternoon. At the evening political/economic/business seminars that are common in Bilbao, speakers will often throw in a quick "arratsalde on" as they begin their speech. This is especially true of representatives of organizations that are Basque in nature (the union ELA/STV for example). Foreigners seem to win big points if they make this gesture, but most make the mistake of saying Gabon (good evening); even in Euskera, its not evening until after the evening meal. So say Arratsalde on at a seven p.m. seminar. They will love it. 

 

Araba - Alava (the province)... not an obscure PLO-linked terrorist group!

Arbola - Tree.  As in Gernikako Arbola (the Tree of Gernika) a very important Basque song (the Basque National Anthem). While Euskera is filled with Euskera words for particular tree species, there is currently no word for trees in general. One theory says that centuries ago, oaks were so common that the word for "oak" (aritz or aretx) came to be used for trees in general (leaving a gap for the specific term for "oak")

Askatasuna - Liberty, freedom

Askatu - Free! Let Loose! "Presoak Askatu!": Free the prisoners!

 

Aupa! - Viva! or "Go get 'em" or "heave-ho"! Soimetimes used as a greeting. Often used by joggers or bicyclists trying to encourage each other. Lots of regional variations: in Algorta they say "Apa". This word has found its way into local lexicon and the Spanish National level lexicon - you'll occasionally see commercials in which they use "Aupa!" in lieu of "Viva!".  This word is becoming a verb and you now frequently hear Aupar: to give a boost.

Aurrera - Onward! Frequently used in graffitti.

Aurresku - The traditional Basque dance, or the lead dancer in the dance.

Bai - yes (Euskera speakers answer the telephone with "Bai?")

Babazorro - a pejorative used by Bilbainos and perhaps by Guipuzcoanos to describe Alaveses. Literally "a sack of beans!"

Barka - excuse me

Baserritar - villager, rural person, campesino

Batasun - Union - Unity (Herri Batasuna political party - Popular Unity)

Batua -  "unified" ... Batua refers to the "esperanto" of Euskera; a somewhat artificial lengua franca developed to standardize the various Euskeras that developed in the different regions of Euskadi. Derived from Lapurdian (a French Basque province) Euskera. The development  Euskera Batua  - the standard, unified literary Euskera - was completed in 1968!

Batzoki= meeting hall - this term is used for the meeting halls of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). (Batz- "one" + toki- "place" = meeting place.) In small towns many Batzokis have restaurants where the food is usually good and cheap and the ambiance is politically interesting.

Beltzas - The black ones. The riot squad of the Basque police (so named for the color of their uniforms).

Berri - New (frequently used for "The News" i.e. TeleBerri - TV News)

Bertsolaris: Basque Poets (Bards). This is sort of a Euskera poetic version of "dueling banjos".  A moderator provides a theme and then the Bertsolaris sing impromptu poems on the theme. They go back and forth mildly teasing each other in the verses. Take an interpreter: the lyrics often get very political and very interesting.

Beste Bat  - Another One, Other

Bidaia - Journey (Bide=way - frequently seen on bars and restaurants sort of "road house")

Bihar - Tomorrow

Bilbainada - not a Euskera word, but worth including here. This word refers to the haughty, proud and sometimes extravagant ways of the citizens of Bilbao. A Bilbainada is a showy, expensive, extravagance whose purpose is to ostentatiously demonstrate wealth, strength etc. Bilbao residents are famous for their high opinions of themselves. Years ago, en route to soccer games in Madrid, fans of Bilbao's "Athletic" team once caused trouble in Burgos by throwing money out the car windows at their poorer Castillian neighbors. That's a Bilbainada.

Bilbo - Bilbao (Beware! Euskera place names are often thrown into Castellano conversation! see also Gasteiz and Donostia! Oddly, Bilbao may have been close to the original spelling!) Bilbao was originally a fishing village on the Banks of the Nervion river. There are several theories about where the name came from. One theory says that in Euskera is started out as Bi-albo; Bi for two or dual, "albo" for river bank, thus "the city on both sides of the river".  As it is today.  

Biziki-biziki -  lively or animated

El Bocho - obviously not Euskera. This is a slang term for the city of Bilbao. A Bocho is a hole. Bilbao is in a river basin surrounded by steep hills - hence El Bocho.

Borroka - combative, conflictive. This is an important term that is frequently used in Castillian speech in the Basque country. It refers usually to the more youthful members of Herri Batasuna/Jarrai and to the anti-social hoodlums that cluster around these younger abertzales (see above). Certain Bars and restaurants will be tagged as "Borroka" - stay away from these places; they will be filled with violent sociopaths, drug addicts and other riff-raff.

C - There is supposedly no letter C in Euskera, so you will see things like, "language study plans A, B and D" !

Dei - Proclamation, Call (Deia "The Call" is the name of the Basque Nationalist Newspaper associated with the PNV)

Donostia or Donosti - The City of San Sebastian

Egin - to do or, to make (also the name of a radical separtist newspaper)

Egun - Day

Egun On - Good morning. Here is one of my favorite Euskera jokes. "If Egun on is how you greet somebody in the morning, How do you say goodbye to them in the morning?: Egun off!" 

 

Eguzki - Sun (also the name of a radical Basque environmental group)

Emakume - Woman (literally "soft and young")

Emakumeak - lady's room (sometimes they won't have the internationally used symbols on the door - so you need to know this one! see also Komunak and Gizoneak)

Eman Botoa! - "Get out and Vote!"

Errefuxiatuak - Refugees

Erdaldun - One who does not speak Euskera (i.e. us!) (literally - "speaker of another tongue")

Eros - the verb "to buy"

Eroski and Erosle - two chains of food stores

Ertzaintza - The Basque Police force - from Herri(country)-Zain (guard) - "country guard"

Ertzaina - a Basque policeman

Eskerrik asko - Thank you.

Estatubatuar - Estado Unidense - "United Stateser",  American

Eta - the conjunction "and". Lest you think that Basques talk of nothing but terrorism, don't confuse "eta" with "E.T.A." !!! 

Etxe - casa, home. Frequently appears as a suffix -etxea meaning "house of" (-a is the possessive).

Euri - rain (always an important topic of conversation here!) see also Uri

Eusko-  - The prefix "Eusko" is used to refer to anything related to the Basque country or the Basque people i.e. EuskoTelbista = Basque Television (ETB) 

Euskadi - The Basque Country. An interesting note: the PNV spells it with a z - "Euzkadi" the others use Euskadi. Sabino Arana made this word up. He derived it from the Greek "sun people"!

Euskal Herria - The Basque Country

Euskaldun - A speaker of Euskera (or sometimes used as synonym for Basque without linguistic connotation).

Euskaldunberri - literally "new Basque speaker" i.e. one who learned Euskera as an adult.

Euskaldun-motz - a Basque who has turned his back on Euskera. Take a look at the definition below for Motz!

Euskaltzaindia - The Royal Academy of the Basque Language. Founded in Onate in 1918 for the purpose of "spreading and deepening the normalization of Euskera".  PNV linked, not radical. Most of the members are professors at the Basque University or Deusto University.

Eusko Alderi Jeltzailea - EAJ. The Basque Nationalist Party

Ez - No

Ezker - Left (Euskadiko Ezkerra = political party "Basque Left") It is not clear whether the Spanish word Izquierdo derives from the Euskera Ezker ...or if the Basques took it from Castillian.

Eskerrik asko - Thank you very much (asko means "much")

Farol - from the card game Mus. A bluff - as in poker.

 

Garai - High up, elevated.  also: Win, Be Victorious.

  

Gasteiz - The City of Vitoria (The Capital of the Basque Country)

Gau - Night

Gau on  (or Gabon)- Good evening

Gaztexe - "youth center". A frequent demand by members of JARRAI (who seem to feel that this is a birthright)

Gora - Viva! (Up with!). One day in Gernika, I was watching an elderly singing group give an impromptu recital at the side of the famous tree of Gernika. After singing a couple of Euskera tunes, the maestro paused for a second, furtively looked around a little,  then screamed "GORA EUSKADI ASKATU!!!"  "GORA!" replied the chorus!

Giri - this is a very interesting word. I first started hearing it in Algorta as a pejorative applied to foreigners (non-Spaniards). At first I assumed that this was just a Castellano slang term - sort of an equivalent of Gringo. But maybe not! One day I checked my Euskera dictionary and sure enough Giri has a political meaning. It literally  means "in heat" as applied to an animal in heat. It was used during the Carlist Wars by the Carlists as a pejorative directed against their liberal enemies. This word perfectly captures the Basques' notion that the Spaniards (liberals) are a bunch of over-sexed Latinos!  I think it is interesting and revealing that this word is now being used as a very scornful pejorative used to describe foreigners in general. It says something about Basque xenophobia. 

Gizon - Man (literally "good human"; for a chuckle see Emakume!)

Gogo or Gogoan - Spirit, thought, mind memory. Frequently used in graffitti: "Remember so-and-so!"

Goi-  - goi in general means high up elevated, exalted. This prefix shows up in a lot of names - Goiri, Goicoetxeta etc.

Gizoneak - men's room

Goardia Zibilaren - Guardia Civil

Gudari - Basque Soldier

Gurea - a very popular name for restaurants; roughly "Our Place"

Han hemenka ibili - To wander, to rove, to move from place to place. This phrase has worked its way into Castellano here. It is a useful phrase for a diplomat!

Harrijasotzaile - Rock Lifter! Rock lifting is a big Basque sport! Inaki Perurena is the champ! He is a very eloquent guy who can lift over 300 kilos (and he writes poetry in Euskera!). They lift stone cubes, cylinders or spheres. They have to get the object off the ground and up onto their shoulder! Most often the contest is to see which lifter can lift a given stone the most times in a three minute period.

Hauteskundeak - Elections. I think it is interesting that this word is so obviously not borrowed from Castellano. The root is hauta - selection.

Herri - Country, Homeland (Herri Batasuna - a political party)

Herriko Taberna - A chain of Bars operated throughout Euskadi by Herri Batasuna and its Youth Corps Jarrai. Sort of the HB equivilent of a PNV Batzoki (see above) or a PSOE Casa del Pueblo, or an EA "Alkartetxe". Stay out of the Herriko Tabernas.

Hegoalde - the southern part. The Spanish Basque country. 

Hiri - city, village

Ingurugiro - The environment (in the green sense)

Ikastola - a primary school with instruction in Euskera. Ikastolas are now part of the Basque country school system. There's a lot of myth about how old the Ikastolas are. They probably actually date from the late 1950's!

Ikurina: the Basque Flag. An important term and an important symbol. Designed by Sabino Arana. First flown in 1894. Here is the symbology: The red background signifies the province of Vizcaya (Sabino was Vizcayan). The Green areas represent the sacred oak of Gernika. One of the crosses is the cross of St. Andrew, whose festival is celebrated on November 30 and thus recalls the Basques victory in the Battle of Arrigorriaga in 888 (see the history section for a description of Sabino Arans's views on history). The other cross is the cross of Jesus Christ.  The ikurrina was intended at first to be simply the flag of the PNV. During the Civil War period it came to be accepted as the flag of all the Basques. During the Franco era it was outlawed and many Basques went to jail for displaying it.

Indartsu - strong, robust (you frequently see this inscribed on government buildings)

Irrati - radio. "Herri Irrati"= Radio Popular. Irrati Gaztea = Youth Radio

 

Irunea or Iruna - The city of Pamplona

Ipparalde - the Northern provinces - i.e. the French Basque country

Irteera - Exit

Itxas (or Itsaso or Itxaso) The Sea. Lots of restaurants and bars are called "Itxas Bide": this translates to roughly: Seaside Drive

Jai - Festival  (Jai alai - Happy Festival or the sport "fronton" as played in Miami)

Jainko - God. This is thought to be a possible root for the English expression "By Jingo!" and the derivative "jingoism".

Jarrai -  "Follow!" People will use this word when summoning their dogs or their little children. Appropriately, it is also the name of the "Youth Group" closely affiliated with KAS and Herri Batasuna.

Jatetxe - Restaurant. Literally "eating place" (Don't come back to the office from a trip to Guipuzcoa with a report on a great Basque restaurant that you've found that's called "Jatetxe"!) Here are some fun onomatopoetics that could be of use in a restaurant: if you are undecided you are "keko-meko"; if you are careless in your choice you are "birristi-barrasta" if you eat too much you could be accused of gluttony: "mauku-mauku": "yum-yum"

Jaun-Goikua - Lord of the Heights i.e. God. The slogan of the PNV is "Jaun-Goikua eta Lagi-Zara" - "God and the Old Laws" the old laws are the fueros.

Jauntxo - "little lord" The term used to describe the leaders of the economic elite that dominated the Basque Country in the centuries prior to the industrial revolution. Although I've never seen anything written on this, could it be possible that Jauntxo is the origin of our term Honcho (for big Boss)?

Jaurlaritza - Government. Eusko Jaurlaritza: Basque Government.

Jolas - play or recreation. Jolastoki or Jolaseta = places of play or recreation. Frequently used as names for bars.

 

Kaiku - Traditional Basque Jacket (or a milking pail) Basques used to heat the milk by placing large heated stones into the Kaiku pail.

Kaixo - Hello. Basque television sometimes has trouble translating modern slang expression into Euskera, so they sometimes go with the Castellano word that is being used. As a result, in a Humphrey Bogart movie presented on ETB-1, our hero walks into the bar and says, "Kaixo muneca!": "Hello baby!"

Kalea - Street (I know of one Italian businessman who, while visiting San Sebastian got terribly lost and called his company's Bilbao office to complain that "all the streets are called Kalea!")

Kaletarras - City dwellers or town people. As opposed to those Basques who live in caserios.

Kanpora! - Get Out! Fuera! (as in "F.O.P. KANPORA!": Forces of Public Order - Get out!)

Kaputs egin - I found this one by accident while looking for another word in my dictionary.  I include it only because I think it bizarre and interesting. It means to loose all your money in a game of chance! Kaput!

Kili-kili - tickles

Kirolak - Sports (seen in the newspaper sports section)

Komunak - rest rooms

Kontuz! - Attention! Warning! As in the sign placed outside Usurbil Guipuzcoa: "Kontuz! Eman Euskaldunak gaituk!" ("Warning! We are Basque speakers!")

Kotxe-bonda - Car Bomb. Obvioulsy not a word handed down from the stone age.

 

Kristoren - This is kind of "hip" Euskera slang. It is the equivalent of the Castellano slang term "guay" which sort of means "cool, slick, neat".

Kupelas - Wine barrels

Lauburu - The Basque Swatika!  You will from time to time come across swastikas in the Basque country. They frequently appear on monuments and as ornaments above doors etc. This has nothing to do with the Nazis. It is believed that this symbol began to be used in ancient times as a pagan religious symbol perhaps as a sun worship device. This symbol was used throughout the ancient world (Japan, China, India) and throughout Europe. The Basque Lauburu is not as angular as the Nazi version - it is more curvilinear. The curvilinear version is still used by the University of Nevada's Basque studies program. It shows up occasionally in the obituaries in Basque country newspapers. You will frequently see it used by the Basque nationalist parties. You can see traces of this swirling symbol in the logo of the PNV. There is a really scary looking Nazi-angular version on an old building at the crossroads in Urduliz, Vizcaya.

Lo - sleep. This word has worked its way into the Castellano lexicon (perhaps at the Spanish national level). Mothers will rock their babies to sleep with a slow repetition of this word:  "Lo-Lo-Lo". 

Maite - beloved, frequently a girls name, versions of this word are used as the Euskera equivalent of the affectionate word "Carino". You'll sometimes hear even non-Basque speakers use this word in greetings.

Maite Zaitut - I love you. (Kontuz! Use this phrase with discretion!)

Maketo- Derogatory racial epithet used to slur non-Basque immigrants. Sort of translates as the equivalent of "Spic". My Euskera dictionary claims that this term originated in Santander as a pejorative for the Castillian residents of the Meseta. Later adopted by the Basques and used to refer to non-Basques from other parts of Spain.

Maketania - derivative of Maketo invented by Sabino Arana... "Spain: where the Maketos live"

Makila - sort of a Basque walking stick, but smaller, more like a baton.  Often a small sword or poker will be concealed inside the stick. More common in the French Basque country than in the south.

Mendigoizale or mendizale - Mountaineer, mountain climber. At several points in the Basque political struggle, nationalists built their organization around groups of mountain climbing enthusiasts.

Mesedez - please

Motz - A very interesting word!  Blunt, shot, stubby, flat-nosed, also (revealingly) a Basque pejorative nickname for the Castillians. Also used for those Basques who have turned their backs on Euskera. See Euskaldun-motz. 

Muga - Border, Limit

Mus - the Basque card game...

Muxu or musu - kiss.... Muxu goxo bat = one sweet kiss

Naba - Narrow plain between mountains- the root for the word Navarra. May have worked itself into Castellano as "Nava"= plain. One of Navarra's kings (in the Sancho series) won a key victory over the Moors at Navas de Tolosa.

Nazio - no, the graffitti with this word does not indicate any HB ties to Third Reich holdovers (although the HBers would probably find some common ground with them).  Nazio is the Euskera word for nation.

Nazioarteko - International

 

Negu - winter

Neguri - winter-garden or winter residence. The name of the exclusive Getxo neighborhood that was once the home of the Basque country's business and financial elite.

Neska - girl

Ogi - Bread

Ondartza (or Hondartza) - the beach!

 

Ongi Etorri - Welcome

Ordago! - a term used while playing Mus. Sort of means "I bet it all! I dare you!"  Has slipped into general use for any situation involving a bold gambit.

Osasuna - "Cheers!" "Salud!" literally it is the word for health but it is also used as the equivalent of "cheers" when drinking with a group. It is also the name of the Pamplona soccer team.

Osakidetza - the Basque public health service. 

Osoa - Complete, total. As in "Amnestia Osoa" i.e. "Complete amnesty!"

Patxaran or Pacharan - An alcoholic beverage made in Navarra from endirinas (sloe), a bluish black, plum-like fruit that grows on a thorny shrub indigenous to Europe and Asia (Prunus spinosa is the  biological name for the bush - use this fact at a dinner sometime - they'll think you are a pompous genius).

Pelota - Basque handball. This is the basic Basque game. It can be played as handball. More frequently an oblong paddle (Pala) is used. In its advanced form it is played with the long scoop (canasta) and is what we know as Jai Alai (see Jai Alai)

Pelotari - A player of Pelota. Jai Alai players are also referred to as Pelotaris. Many Pelotaris went to the United States to play professional Jai Ali in Florida or, more frequently, Connecticut. Many of the children of these players were born in the U.S.  As a result of this, an unusually high percentage of the American Citizens in the Basque country were born in Connecticut.

Riau-Riau - the party chant of the fiesta of San Fermines - the running of the bulls - in Pamplona.

Sirimiri - "Fine, mist-like rain" a frequently used term that has worked its way into north coast Castellano lexicon. Sometimes pronounced as Chirimiri by Spanish speakers. Sometimes spelled Xirimiri

Sokatira - Tug o'war. Another popular Basque sport.

Talde - a group or team. As in a Rock and Roll group. On the local radio station they attach "taldea" to the English names of the current rock favorites... so you get outbursts like "EURITHMICS TALDEA!".

-tegi - suffix for "place" i.e. Euskaltegi, Usategi etc.

Toki - Place

Tomatera - not Euskera, but interesting anyway! In the old days they used to grow tomatoes in what is today the Bilbao neighborhood of Deusto. So a girl from Deusto is a tomatera. And some of them actually are (tomatoes!). 

Ttipittapa - little by little - the appropriate name for a group dedicated to the study of Euskera!

Ttipittapa is also an HB affiliated group seeking Amnesty for ETA prisoners.

Trikilaris - Basque musical/singing groups.

Trainera -  a type of boat; today the "Traineras" are the traditional  Basque Boat Races. (thirteen or fourteen man row-boats, fixed courses sometimes on the open sea)

  

Txacoli - an acidic wine made in the Basque country.

Txakura - dog (Basques love dogs!) This word is also used as a pejorative for the police; you'll see a lot of grafitti with this word.

Txapel - Beret (older Basque men often wear their traditional beret)

Txikiteo - Bar hopping. An important word and an important social custom. Participation recommended! Term derived from Txikito for small glass of wine. Txiki means small. Txiki is frequently used as a nickname as in Txiki Banegas. While you are bar hopping in the Basque country, you will partake of "Banderillas" or "Pinchos"; these are the local equivalents of Madrid's "Tapas" - bite sized morsels served in bars. Nowadays, the term Txikiteo has been replaced largely by the word "poteo".   

Tximberos - Supposedly a pejorative used by people of Alava to describe people from Bilbao. I have my doubts about this one, because Euskera is not widely used in Alava. Alavese separatists from the party Unidad Alavesa may be promoting the belief that this word was in widespread use in order to promote their Alavese program! (see also Babazorro).

Txistu - The traditional Basque flute. Played with one hand while a small drum is beat with another.

Txistulari - Basque flute player. The flute is played with one hand while a small drum is simultaneously played with the other.

Txoko - an all male Basque gastronomic society or club house. A fraternal organization in which the men cook and then eat together amidst much boisterousness. Txokos are very private, almost clandestine operations. You won't find a Txoko with a big sign in the street announcing its presence.  People build Txokos in unused garages or in unused rooms of factories and other businesses. Spain's most powerful Banker, Francisco Luzon (President of CBE and the son of an immigrant from Cuenca!) has a Txoko in his garage. Emilio Ybarra (President of BBV) reportedly frequents a Txoko in San Sebastian.  I was once taken to an opulent Txoko that was attached to the back of Vizcayan machine tool factory.

Uda - Summer

Udaberri -Spring (literally new summer)

Udal or Udaletxe - City Hall

Ur - Water

Uri - City (shows up in a lot of names - Uribarri -"New City" -etc.)

Vascongadas -  Not an Eeuskera word, but worth mention in this dictionary: it means "The Basque-ized provinces" Navarra was the original Basque country; Vizcaya, Alava and Guipuzcoa were won over from other tribes. For this reason they are the "provincias Vascongadas". Many people make the mistake of including Navarra as part of the "Teritorios Vascongados".

   

Vasquista - not a Euskera word, this Castellano term describes somebody who is fond of "Basque things and Basque traditions"... but who has not gone the extra political mile and become a nationalist. This term is used as a pejorative by ardent nationalists to refer to those Basques who do not share their yearning for national independence/autonomy/self determination etc. Julio Caro Baroja is an example of a Vasquista.

Zazpiak Bat: "Out of Seven, One". Nationalist Political expression: the seven are the seven Basque provinces (four in Spain - including Navarra - and three in France) the one is, of course, the one Euzkadi. (Note - Some Navarrans don't like this phrase because it implicitly accepts the division of Navarra into upper - French - and lower - Spanish -  Navarra!)

Zero - Zero! Apparently the ancient Basques hadn't invented the concept of the number zero.

Zorionak - Felicidades! Congratulations! Zorionak Eta Urte Berri On: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Zulo - literally hole, often used for "cache" i.e. arms cache.