Language/Basque/Vocabulary/Introducing-Yourself

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Basque → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Greetings and Introductions → Introducing Yourself

Basic Introduction

Welcome to the Basque Vocabulary course! In this lesson, you will learn the basic phrases for introducing yourself and asking for someone's name in Basque. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently introduce yourself to anyone in Basque.

Basic Phrases

Let's start with some simple phrases for introducing yourself:

Basque	Pronunciation	English
Kaixo!	KAI-cho	Hello!
Ni... naiz	nee... nais	I am... (use your name here)
Zer izan zara zure izena?	zer eethan zara sure ithena?	What is your name?
Nire izena... da	NEER-eh ithena... da	My name is... (use your name here)

Remember to use the formal form of address, "zu" (pronounced "zoo"), when speaking to someone you don't know or someone you should show respect to. If you are talking to someone your own age or younger, you can use the informal form "hik".

Now let's see some examples of how to use these phrases in context:

Example 1

A: Kaixo! Zer izan zara zure izena? B: Kaixo! Nire izena Iñigo da.

Translation: A: Hello! What is your name? B: Hello! My name is Iñigo.

Example 2

A: Kaixo! Zer izan zara zure izena? B: Ni Jon, baina gutunak dituzun guztiei Joan deitzen diet. A: Ongi etorri Jon!

Translation: A: Hello! What is your name? B: My name is Jon, but I go by Joan to everyone who knows me well. A: Welcome Jon!

Photo by Pablo Arriaga on Unsplash

Asking Basic Personal Information

After introducing yourself, you may want to share some basic personal information with the person you are talking to. Here are some phrases that will help you do that:

Basque	Pronunciation	English
Non bizi zara?	non bee-zee zara?	Where do you live?
Nire herrian bizi naiz	nee-reh her-rian bee-zee nah-iz	I live in my town/city.
Haurdun zara?	haur-DOON zara?	Are you pregnant?
Ez, haurdun ez naiz	ez, haur-DOON ez nah-iz	No, I'm not pregnant.
Zenbat urte dituzu?	thehm-bat oor-teh dee-tzu	How old are you?
_____ urte ditut.	____ oor-teh dee-toot	I am _____ years old.

Remember that Basque verbs always come at the end of the sentence. When using the verb "dut" (meaning "to have") to express your age or anything else you "have", you must use the singular form "dut" with the singular subject "ni" (meaning "I") and the plural form "ditut" with the plural subject "gu" (meaning "we") or "zuek" (meaning "you").

If you are uncertain about the gender or number of the person you are talking to, use the neutral form "zurekin" instead of "zurekin" or "zuekin".

Here's an example of how to use these phrases in context:

Example 1

A: Kaixo! Non bizi zara? B: Kaixo! Nire familia Logroñon bizi da. Hainbat urtetan Urbana bizi naiz. A: Oso interesgarria!

Translation: A: Hello! Where do you live? B: Hello! My family lives in Logroño. I have been living in Urbana for many years. A: Very interesting!

Now it is your turn to practice these phrases! Remember to use the audio resources included in the course to practice your pronunciation.

Conclusion

Congrats! You have completed the "Introducing Yourself" lesson of the Basque Vocabulary course. In this lesson, you learned how to introduce yourself, ask for someone's name, and share basic personal information. These phrases will come in handy when you meet new people in Basque-speaking countries or when speaking with Basque-speakers in your own community. Don't forget to practice and review the vocabulary and phrases in this lesson to cement your understanding.

Table of Contents - Basque Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Basque Language

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Articles

• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Noun Gender and Number

  ---

Numbers and Counting

• Numbers 1-20
• Ordinal Numbers

  ---

Pronouns and Verb Conjugation

• Subject Pronouns
• Regular Verb Conjugation

  ---

Days, Months, and Seasons

• Days of the Week
• Months and Seasons

  ---

Questions and Negation

• Interrogative Words
• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Basque Culture and Traditions

• History and Geography
• Festivals and Celebrations

Other Lessons

• Common Greetings
• Directions
• Weather
• Dinner Table
• Days of the week
• House
• Clothes
• Count to 10
• Transportation
• Days of the Week

Sources

• Basque Phrases & More: An Introduction to Europe's Most ...
• The Basque Language: A Practical Introduction (The Basque Series ...
• Basque/Introduction - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

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