mila esker
/mila es̺ker/
The English phrase "thanks" is expressed in Basque as mila esker. Wiktionary also lists esker aunitz.
Meaning: used to express appreciation or gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Basque | IPA |
|---|---|
| mila esker | /mila es̺ker/ (Navarro Lapurdian) /miʎa es̺ker/ (Southern) |
| esker aunitz |
Both forms are used to express appreciation or gratitude.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mila esker literally means "a thousand thanks".
Which one should you use?
Mila esker is the most common way to say "thanks" or "thank you very much" in Basque, whereas esker aunitz is an alternative form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Biscay, the phrase Mila esker, agur is used to mean "A thousand thanks, goodbye".
How do you pronounce it?
/mila esker/
Did you know?
- Basque is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relationship to any other living language. While mila was borrowed from Latin, the word esker belongs to a unique family of words found nowhere else on Earth.
- The word mila is a linguistic relative of the English word 'mile'. Both terms descended from the Latin 'mīlia', which originally referred to a thousand paces.
- In some regions, you might hear mila mila esker, doubling the word mila to express an even deeper sense of gratitude than the standard 'a thousand thanks'.
Examples in context
- Mila esker laguntzagatik.Thanks a lot for the help.
Example conversation
Xabi gives Ane a gift.
- XabiHemen duzu zure oparia, Ane.Here is your gift, Ane.
- AneMila esker, Xabi!Thanks, Xabi!
- XabiEz dauka garrantzia.It is nothing.
- AneOso maite dut.I love it very much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thanks” translations and entries mila esker, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mila, mila esker, CC BY-SA 4.0.
