Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vasco | /ˈbasko/ | masculine |
| vascuence | /basˈkwenθe/ /basˈkwense/ |
masculine |
| euskera | /eusˈkeɾa/ | masculine |
| eusquera | /euskeɾa/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, alternative form |
| éuskaro | /euskaɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| euskaro | /euskaɾo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| euskara | /euskaɾa/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, alternative form |
| éuskara | /euskaɾa/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
While vasco is the standard Spanish adjective for anything Basque, speakers often use the endonym euskera when referring specifically to the Basque language itself.
Which one should you use?
vasco is the standard Spanish adjective used for anything Basque, whereas euskera is the specific name for the language. Several alternative spellings for the language exist, including eusquera, euskara, euskaro and éuskaro. The form vascuence is a dated way to refer to the language.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal contexts, you can use Idioma Vasco to refer to the Basque language. The term vascongado is an archaic and more formal way to refer to a person from the Basque region, but it is rarely used in modern everyday speech.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective vasco must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to vasca for feminine nouns, such as cultura vasca.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbasko/
When do people say it?
The Basque Country is referred to in Spanish as País Vasco.
Did you know?
- Unlike most languages in Spain, euskera is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relationship to any other living language in the world.
- The word vasco has a Latin ancestor, vascō, which means the name has been used to identify the people for nearly two millennia.
- While vasco is the common adjective, using euskera in Spanish is a way of showing respect by using the language's own name for itself.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde aprendió ella euskera?Where did she learn Basque?This sentence shows how to use euskera when asking about learning the language.Tatoeba #10078929 by manufrutos, translation #7975907 by adiante19
- España se llama "Espainia" en vasco.Spain is called "Espainia" in Basque.This sentence demonstrates the use of vasco to indicate how a name is said in the language.Tatoeba #10021306 by manufrutos, translation #1815511 by Amastan
- Bilbao es una ciudad del País Vasco.Bilbao is a city in the Basque country.This sentence uses vasco to describe the Basque Country (País Vasco).Tatoeba #10078940 by manufrutos, translation #1347779 by Mirena
- Quiero aprender euskera para poder comunicarme con los vascos.I want to learn Basque to be able to communicate with the Basques.
- El idioma vasco tiene una riqueza cultural única.The Basque language has a unique cultural richness.
- Estoy interesado/a en estudiar la lengua vasca en la universidad.I am interested in studying the Basque language at the university.
- Mi vecino es vasco y me ha enseñado algunas palabras en euskera.My neighbor is Basque and has taught me some words in Basque.
- Vamos a ir de vacaciones al País Vasco para sumergirnos en su cultura y tradiciones.We are going on vacation to the Basque Country to immerse ourselves in its culture and traditions.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are discussing culture at a cafe.
- AlejandroEl vasco es un idioma muy difícil.Basque is a very difficult language.
- SofíaEs verdad, pero tiene mucha historia.It's true, but it has a lot of history.
- Alejandro¿Tú hablas vasco?Do you speak Basque?
- SofíaNo, solo hablo español.No, I only speak Spanish.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “basque” translations and entries vasco, vascuence, euskera, eusquera, euskara, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries euskera, vasco, vascuence, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
