Indulgences

1. sagardoa

   Cider

   Usage

   Fermented apple juice at 3–8% alcohol. The Basque Country has a long tradition of "sagardotegi" cider houses. In the Northern Basque Country it is "sagarnoa"

   Grammar Note

   A compound of "sagar" (apple) and "ardo" (wine); "sagardoa" is "sagardo" with the definite article "-a"

2. txotx

   Txotx (the call that a cider barrel is being opened)

   Usage

   Shouted in a cider house when a barrel is about to be tapped: take your glass and queue at the barrel. The cider-house season, roughly January to April, is called "txotx-garaia"

   Grammar Note

   The same word also means a toothpick, a barrel spigot, or a twig

3. txakolina

   Txakoli (slightly sparkling wine)

   Usage

   A lightly carbonated wine of about 10.5–12%. The Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa versions carry a protected mark. White ("zuria") is the common type; the red ("gorria") is made mainly in Bizkaia. It is poured from a height to raise the bubbles

   Grammar Note

   "txakolina" is "txakolin" with the definite article "-a". Spanish spells it "chacolí"

4. patxarana

   Patxaran (sloe liqueur)

   Usage

   A sweet reddish liqueur, 25–30%, made by steeping sloe berries ("basaran") in anise spirit; drunk very cold after a meal. Navarre's protected geographical indication dates from 1988

   Grammar Note

   "patxarana" is "patxaran" with the definite article "-a"

5. kalimotxoa

   Kalimotxo (red wine and cola)

   Usage

   Half red wine, half cola; a festival staple, sometimes shortened to "kali" or "motxo". A Southern Basque Country term

   Grammar Note

   "kalimotxoa" is "kalimotxo" with the definite article "-a"

6. ardoa

   Wine

   Usage

   Named by colour as "ardo zuria" (white), "ardo gorria" (rosé) and "ardo beltza" (red). In the Northern Basque Country it is "arnoa"

   Grammar Note

   "ardoa" is "ardo" with the definite article "-a"

7. garagardoa

   Beer

   Usage

   A compound of "garagar" (barley) and "ardo" (wine). Also "zerbeza" in the south and "biera" in the north. Dark beer is "garagardo beltza", pale beer "garagardo horia"

8. presioko garagardoa

   Draught beer

   Usage

   Beer poured from the tap rather than a bottle

9. zuritoa

   Zurito (small glass of beer)

   Usage

   A small glass holding about half a beer, the usual order when moving from bar to bar. A Southern Basque Country term

   Grammar Note

   "zuritoa" is "zurito" with the definite article "-a"

10. baxoerdia

    Baxoerdi (small glass of wine)

    Usage

    A small glass of wine, also called "txikitoa". Going from bar to bar with one is "txikiteoa", usually with pintxos alongside

    Grammar Note

    "baxoerdi" is a colloquial word; "baxoerdia" is "baxoerdi" with the definite article "-a"

11. tabakoa

    Tobacco

    Usage

    Rolling tobacco is "biltzeko tabakoa"; a tobacconist is a "tabako-denda"

    Grammar Note

    "tabakoa" is "tabako" with the definite article "-a"

12. zigarroa

    Cigarette

    Usage

    In the Southern Basque Country this means a cigarette, but it can also mean a cigar; say "zigarro purua" when you specifically mean a cigar

    Grammar Note

    "zigarroa" is "zigarro" with the definite article "-a"

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