mesedez
/mes̺edes̻/
mesedez is the Basque word for please. Wiktionary also lists faborez and otoi.
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
Ways to say it
| Basque | IPA |
|---|---|
| mesedez | /mes̺edes̻/ /mes̺edes̻/ (dialectal) |
| faborez | |
| otoi | |
| arren |
The terms are used as interjections to make a polite request.
Which one should you use?
mesedez is the standard and most common way to say please, whereas faborez is a more formal version.
How do you pronounce it?
/mes̺edes̻/
Did you know?
- Basque is a language isolate, meaning 'please' shares no linguistic relatives with any other known language family, unlike English or Spanish.
- Because faborez is so formal, using it with close friends or family might be interpreted as being sarcastic or jokingly distant.
- While mesedez is the standard, using the older form otoi can make your request sound like something from a medieval epic or a historical novel.
Examples in context
- Orri hau kopiatu, mesedezPlease copy this page.This sentence shows how to use mesedez for a polite request to copy something.Tatoeba #6616660 by Maria64D, translation #60551 by CK
- Oh! Erakuts iezadazu faborez.Oh! Show it to me please.This sentence shows how to use faborez to ask someone to show something.Tatoeba #412645 by jmli, translation #19142 by sacredceltic
- Mesedez, baina dezakezu umea?Could you please give the baby a bath?This sentence shows how to use mesedez when asking a polite question.Tatoeba #895074 by gorkaazk, translation #569807 by CK
- Eskerrik asko, mesedez.Thank you very much, please.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xabi is asking Nerea for a glass of water.
- XabiUrragarbat bat eman didazu, mesedez.Give me a glass of water, please.
- NereaBai, Xabi, hemen duzu.Yes, Xabi, here it is.
- XabiEskerrik asko, Nerea.Thank you, Nerea.
- NereaEz duen garrantzia.It's nothing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries mesedez, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
