eskerrik asko
/es̺kerik as̺ko/
In Basque, 'thank you' is expressed as eskerrik asko. Wiktionary also lists mila esker and esker aunitz.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Basque | IPA |
|---|---|
| eskerrik asko | /es̺kerik as̺ko/ |
| mila esker | /mila es̺ker/ (Navarro Lapurdian) /miʎa es̺ker/ (Southern) |
| esker aunitz |
The phrase eskerrik asko is the most common and universal way to say thank you in Basque.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase eskerrik asko literally means 'thanks much' or 'thanks a lot'.
Which one should you use?
While eskerrik asko is the standard way to say 'thank you', mila esker is a more emphatic way to say 'thanks a million'. Additionally, mila esker literally means 'a thousand thanks'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas close to the French border, the French word merci may be used to express gratitude.
How does it change in a sentence?
For example, in the phrase 'zure leialtasunagatik', the suffix is attached to the noun to mean 'for your loyalty'.
How do you pronounce it?
/es̺kerik as̺ko/
Did you know?
- Basque is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relatives. While eskerrik asko sounds unique, it exists in a language that survives despite being surrounded by Indo-European languages for millennia.
- The word asko in eskerrik asko likely shares a root with ase, which means 'satisfied'. This suggests that gratitude in Basque is conceptually linked to the feeling of being content.
- The word eskerrik uses a specific grammatical case called the partitive. This means the speaker is not thanking for 'the thanks' as a whole, but rather offering a 'portion' of gratitude.
Examples in context
- Eskerrik asko zure leialtasunagatik.Thank you for your loyalty.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for someone's loyalty using eskerrik asko.Tatoeba #6831781 by zaloaz, translation #6831316 by CK
- Eskerrik asko gomendioagatik.Thank you for your advice.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for advice using eskerrik asko.Tatoeba #3815759 by basaundi, translation #71676 by CK
- Eskerrik asko ez erretzeagatik.Thank you for not smoking.This sentence is useful for expressing gratitude for the act of not smoking using eskerrik asko.Tatoeba #1333135 by txoriburu, translation #18823 by CK
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ander gives Ane a book she wanted to read.
- AnderHemen duzu liburua.Here is the book.
- AneEskerrik asko, Ander!Thank you, Ander!
- AnderEz duen garrantzia.It is nothing.
- AneOso jakingo dut.I will enjoy it very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries eskerrik asko, mila esker, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries asko, eskerrik asko, mila, mila esker, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
