[Basque] What about Euskera?

[irmamar]

I've just started my first lesson in Euskera. This is a quite difficult language too. Plural is made with "k" instead "s" and the verb is at the end of the sentence, like in Latin.

Well, I'm trying to learn the "izan" verb (to be), but I forget even the pronouns... Well, with some more time, I hope, I'll be able "to be"

ni naiz (I am, etc.)
hura da
gu gara
zu zara
zuek zarete
haiek dira

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I've just started my first lesson in Euskera. This is a quite difficult language too. Plural is made with "k" instead "s" and the verb is at the end of the sentence, like in Latin.

Well, I'm trying to learn the "izan" verb (to be), but I forget even the pronouns... Well, with some more time, I hope, I'll be able "to be"

ni naiz (I am, etc.)
hura da
gu gara
zu zara
zuek zarete
haiek dira

Interesting. Keep up posted as to how hard the language is. How is it pronounced? Do you pronounce the letters similar to Spanish?

[bobjenkins]

¡Muy bien! Me parece sumamente difícil

[irmamar]

Euskera is pronounced very similar to Spanish, but there are exceptions. I'll try to make a list, but it also depends on the place is spoken.

[CrOtALiTo]

Where is spoke the language?

[ElDanés]

Basque is spoken in and around the Basque Country, which is a region in northern Spain.

[Tomisimo]

The Basque Country spans Spain and France, but most of it is in Spain.

[irmamar]

Yes, there is also "el país vasco-francés".

I've found this interesting web page about Euskera in the Internet (in English):

http://buber.net/Basque/

And in the following link you can hear some Basque words (there are another languages, too):

http://es.forvo.com/languages-pronunciations/eu/

But basically, the following sounds are which are different from Spanish ones:

g: g suave castellana, como gue/gui
tx (txe): como la ch castellana
ts (tsi): un poco más suave que la ch castellana
tz (tza): parecido a la zz italiana de “pizza”
z: s sibilante (en algunos sitios = z castellana)
x = sh inglesa
il = ll castellana
in = ñ castellana

[ElDanés]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

The Basque Country spans Spain and France, but most of it is in Spain.

It depends on which Basque Country you are referring to.
While I was talking about the autonomous community in Spain, you are talking about the cultural region of the Basques.

[irmamar]

En este link se puede ver una distribución geográfica del euskera. Según la Wikipedia, en el País Vasco francés, lo hablan 80.000 personas de 124.000 habitantes. El porcentaje no está mal, teniendo en cuenta las políticas lingüísticas francesas con respecto a las lenguas minoritarias.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskera...eogr.C3.A1fica