Weather & Climate

1. Bero dago gaur, ezta?

   Be-ro da-go gaur, ez-ta?

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Common weather conversation opener in the Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   The weather sense of "hot" is the bare "bero dago" (no article). "Dago" is the verb of state. "Ezta?" is a tag question (isn't it?)

2. Euria egingo duela dirudi.

   Eu-ri-a e-gin-go du-e-la di-ru-di.

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   Frequently used in the rainy Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   Basque is ergative. "Egingo du" is future transitive; subject/object marking is unique

3. Ekaitza gerturatzen ari da.

   E-kai-tza ger-tu-ra-tzen a-ri da.

   A storm is approaching

   Usage

   Warning when Atlantic storms approach the Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   "Ari da" creates the present progressive in Basque

4. Fresko dago gaur, ezta?

   Fres-ko da-go gaur, ez-ta?

   It's cool today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Describe the characteristically cool Basque climate

   Grammar Note

   "Fresko" is borrowed from Spanish/French. Basque has absorbed many loanwords

5. Esan al diezadakezu eguraldiaren iragarpena?

   E-san al die-za-da-ke-zu e-gu-ral-di-a-ren i-ra-gar-pe-na?

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely ask about the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "Diezadakezu" shows Basque's complex conjugation where person, number, and case merge in the verb

6. Eguzki-krema behar al dut?

   E-guz-ki-kre-ma be-har al dut?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask before going out on a sunny day

   Grammar Note

   "Eguzki-krema" = "eguzki" (sun) + "krema" (cream) — a compound word for sunscreen. "Behar al dut?" = do I need?

7. Aterkia eraman behar al dut?

   A-ter-ki-a e-ra-man be-har al dut?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Frequently practical in the rainy Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   "Behar al dut" = "do I need to / should I"; "al" is the question particle

8. Noiz da sasoi lehorra?

   No-iz da sa-soi le-ho-rra?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Ask about the relatively drier summer in the Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   The adjective follows its noun and carries the article, giving "sasoi lehorra" (the dry season)

9. Noiz da euri sasoia?

   No-iz da eu-ri sa-soi-a?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about the wetter autumn and winter in the Basque Country

   Grammar Note

   "Sasoia" means "season". Combined with "euri" (rain) it means "rainy season"

10. Eguzkia oso bortitza dago gaur.

    E-guz-ki-a o-so bor-ti-tza da-go gaur.

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Describe the strong summer sun in the Basque Country

    Grammar Note

    The strength of the sun is "bortitza" (fierce, intense). It describes a state, so "dago" is used; "-a" is the article

11. euria

    Rain

    Usage

    Comes up when talking about or checking the weather

12. elurra

    Snow

    Usage

    Comes up when talking about or checking the weather

13. haizea

    Wind

    Usage

    Comes up when talking about or checking the weather

14. eguzkitsu

    Sunny

    Usage

    Comes up when talking about or checking the weather

15. hodeitsu

    Cloudy

    Usage

    Comes up when talking about or checking the weather

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