Art & Museums

1. Argazkia ateratzen uzten da hemen?

   Ar-gaz-ki-a a-te-ra-tzen uz-ten da he-men?

   Is photography allowed here?

   Usage

   Used to check whether photography is permitted in a museum or gallery

   Grammar Note

   Basque is a language isolate with no proven relation to any other known language family

2. Nor da artista?

   Nor da ar-tis-ta?

   Who is the artist?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the creator of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   Basque suffixes its definite article, but on a stem already ending in -a the article is absorbed, so it stays "artista". "Artistea" is the Bizkaian -ea pattern stacked on the -a stem and is not standard Batua

3. Nola deitzen da obra hau?

   No-la dei-tzen da ob-ra hau?

   What is this work called?

   Usage

   Used to ask for the title of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   "Nola deitzen da?" literally "How is it called?" — standard Basque name question

4. Noiz eraiki zen museo hau?

   No-iz e-rai-ki zen mu-se-o hau?

   When was this museum built?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the construction date of a museum

   Grammar Note

   "Zen" is the past form of "da" (is). Basque verbs agree with both subject and object

5. Audio gida dago?

   Audio gi-da da-go?

   Do you have an audio guide?

   Usage

   Used to ask about audio guide availability

   Grammar Note

   "Dago" is the third-person singular of "egon" (to be/exist)

6. Non dago opari-denda?

   Non da-go o-pa-ri-den-da?

   Where is the gift shop?

   Usage

   Used to locate the gift shop

   Grammar Note

   "Non dago ~?" is the standard Basque location question

7. Arte-lan honen erreprodukzio bat erosi nahi dut.

   Ar-te-lan ho-nen er-re-pro-duk-zio bat e-ro-si na-hi dut.

   I'd like to buy a print of this artwork.

   Usage

   Used when wanting to purchase a print of an artwork

   Grammar Note

   "Nahi dut" means "I want"; "nahi" (want) + auxiliary "dut" (I have)

8. Bisita gidatua dago?

   Bi-si-ta gi-da-tu-a da-go?

   Is there a guided tour?

   Usage

   Used to ask if a guided tour is available

   Grammar Note

   "Gidatua" is the past participle of "gidatu" (to guide)

9. Zein da museoaren ordutegia?

   Zein da mu-se-o-a-ren or-du-te-gi-a?

   What are the museum's opening hours?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the museum's operating hours

   Grammar Note

   "-aren" is the genitive suffix, giving "museoaren" (of the museum). The head noun modified by a genitive is still definite and needs the article -a; the bare stem "ordutegi" cannot serve as the subject of the copula "da"

10. Koadro hau ederra da.

    Ko-ad-ro hau e-der-ra da.

    This painting is beautiful.

    Usage

    Used to express admiration for a painting or artwork

    Grammar Note

    "Ederra" is the definite form of "eder" (beautiful); adjectives also take the "-a" article

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