Flirting

10 phrases · Basque with romanization, English and audio

  1. Oso polita zara

    O-so po-li-ta za-ra

    You are very beautiful

    Usage

    A polite compliment on appearance, suitable for a first meeting

    Grammar Note

    "zara" is the 2nd person singular of "to be"; Basque encodes subject in the verb

  2. Zein da zure izena?

    Zein da zu-re i-ze-na?

    What is your name?

    Usage

    A natural way to ask the name of someone you are interested in

    Grammar Note

    "zure" is the second person singular genitive meaning "your"

  3. Edari bat hartu nahi duzu?

    E-da-ri bat har-tu na-hi du-zu?

    Would you like a drink?

    Usage

    Offering a drink at a bar or evening gathering

    Grammar Note

    "duzu" is the 2nd person singular auxiliary meaning "you do/have"

  4. Zurekin egon nahi dut

    Zu-re-kin e-gon na-hi dut

    I want to be with you

    Usage

    A romantic expression of wanting to spend time with someone

    Grammar Note

    "-kin" is the comitative case suffix meaning "together with"

  5. Maite zaitut

    Mai-te zai-tut

    I love you

    Usage

    The Basque expression for professing love

    Grammar Note

    "zaitut" encodes both "I" (subject) and "you" (object) — a hallmark of Basque verb conjugation

  6. Oso dibertigarria zara.

    O-so di-ber-ti-gar-ri-a za-ra.

    You are very entertaining.

    Usage

    Complimenting someone on their fun and entertaining personality

    Grammar Note

    "zara" is second-person singular present of "iz" (to be). "dibertigarri" + "-a" (definite) = "dibertigarria"

  7. Berriz ikusi nahi zaitut.

    Ber-riz i-ku-si na-hi zai-tut.

    I want to see you again.

    Usage

    Expressing a desire to meet again — a heartfelt romantic phrase

    Grammar Note

    "zaitut" encodes both first-person subject and second-person object — Basque verbs integrate grammatical relations

  8. Ederra zara.

    E-der-ra za-ra.

    You are beautiful.

    Usage

    Directly complimenting someone on their beauty

    Grammar Note

    "eder" (beautiful) + "-a" (definite article) = "ederra" as a predicate. Adjectives take "-a" as predicates in Basque

  9. Zinemara joango al gara elkarrekin?

    Zi-ne-ma-ra jo-an-go al ga-ra el-kar-re-kin?

    Shall we go to the cinema together?

    Usage

    Asking someone out to the cinema on a date

    Grammar Note

    "zinema" (cinema) + "-ra" (allative case) = "zinemara" (to the cinema). "al" is the question particle

  10. Zurekin denbora igarotzea gustatzen zait.

    Zu-re-kin den-bo-ra i-ga-rot-ze-a gus-ta-tzen zait.

    I enjoy spending time with you.

    Usage

    Expressing enjoyment of someone's company in a warm, romantic way

    Grammar Note

    "gustatzen zait" = "it pleases me" — the experiencer appears in the dative, not nominative, in Basque

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