País Vasco
/paˌis ˈbasko/
The English phrase "basque country" is translated into Spanish as País Vasco.
País Vasco refers to the geographical region in Spain and France where the Basque language is traditionally spoken.
Meaning: geographical region in Spain and France where the Basque language is traditionally spoken (name)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase País Vasco is composed of País (country) and Vasco (Basque).
Which one should you use?
País Vasco is the standard Spanish name for the region. However, you may also see the term Euskadi, which is the name in the Basque language but is frequently used when speaking Spanish, especially in political or cultural contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the name of the region is almost always preceded by the definite article el, as in el País Vasco.
How do you pronounce it?
/paˌis ˈbasko/
Did you know?
- The Basque language, spoken in el País Vasco, is a language isolate. This means it has no known relationship to Spanish, French, or any other living language in the world.
- The word país shares a common ancestor with the English word 'page' via its roots in the Latin word for a rural district or village. It stems from the Medieval Latin pagēnsis, referring to people of a specific territory.
- While País Vasco is the Spanish name, the term Euskadi is used to specifically denote the Basque homeland. Using Euskadi instead of País Vasco can often signal a stronger political alignment with Basque nationalism.
Examples in context
- Bilbao es una ciudad del País Vasco.Bilbao is a city in the Basque country.This sentence shows the location of Bilbao in the País Vasco.Tatoeba #10078940 by manufrutos, translation #1347779 by Mirena
- San Sebastián es una ciudad del País Vasco.Donostia is a city in the Basque Country.This sentence shows the location of San Sebastián in the País Vasco.Tatoeba #10078941 by manufrutos, translation #1347749 by Mirena
- El País Vasco es conocido por su rico patrimonio cultural.The Basque Country is known for its rich cultural heritage.
- La Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco tiene competencias legislativas.The Autonomous Community of the Basque Country has legislative powers.
- El País Vasco tiene paisajes preciosos.The Basque Country has beautiful landscapes.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are looking at a map of Spain.
- Sofía¿Quieres visitar el País Vasco?Do you want to visit the Basque Country?
- MateoSí, me encantaría ir allí.Yes, I would love to go there.
- SofíaEs una región muy especial.It is a very special region.
- MateoTengo muchas ganas de conocerla.I am looking forward to knowing it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basque country” translations and entries País Vasco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries país, vasco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
