bai eta ez
/bai̯ eta es̻/word by word
The English phrase "yes and no" is translated into Basque as bai eta ez.
This phrase is used to indicate that there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer to a question.
Meaning: indicating there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of bai (yes), eta (and) and ez (no).
How do you pronounce it?
/bai̯ eta es̻/
Did you know?
- Basque is a language isolate, meaning neither bai nor ez has a proven genetic relationship to any other known language family in the world.
- In Basque culture, a polite 'no' is often softened by adding other words, as using ez alone can sound unexpectedly blunt or harsh to a native speaker.
- While ez means 'no', placing it at the end of a sentence can sometimes turn a statement into a question, acting as a tag question similar to 'isn't it?' in English.
Examples in context
- Bai eta ez esan daiteke galdera horri.One can say yes and no to that question.
Example conversation
Maite and Xabi are discussing if a movie was good.
- MaiteXabi, gustatzen zaizu pelikula hau?Xabi, do you like this movie?
- XabiBai eta ez, istorioa polita da baina luzea.Yes and no, the story is nice but long.
- MaiteEta aktoreak? Onak dira?And the actors? Are they good?
- XabiHorrek badaki, oso onak dira.That's for sure, they are very good.
