Basque people use a lot of sayings and expressions in daily life which offer advice and even sometimes have hidden meanings.
Check out these proverbs and quotes below to gain some insight into Basque beliefs and ways of thinking.
Below I’ve listed famous Basque quotes, inspiring Basque sayings and common Basque proverbs.
Table of Contents
Famous Basque Proverbs & Basque Sayings
Below I’ve listed the most famous Basque proverbs as well as some common Basque sayings. These are used often in day to day life.
- Aurrera begiratzen ez duena, atzean dago – Those who don’t look forward, stay behind.
- Oilo ibiltari, azerien janari – The hen that strays away will be eaten by the fox.
This Basque proverb means that if you take unnecessary risks, you will suffer the consequences.
- Aberats izatea baino, izen ona hobe – It’s better to have a good name than to be rich.
- Aditu nahi ez duenak, ez du esan behar – He who doesn’t want to hear, shouldn’t say.
- Aditzaile onari, hitz gutxi – A good listener needs few words.
- Ardi galdua atzeman daiteke, aldi galdua berriz ez – The lost sheep may be recovered, the lost time cannot.
This Basque saying means that time is more valuable than money because it can never be recalled.
- Alferkeria, askoren ondamendia – Laziness leads many people astray.
- Adiskide onekin, orduak labur – With a good friend, the hours are short.
This Basque proverb means that time passes quickly when you are enjoying time with good friends.
- Agindua zorra, esan ohi da – A promise is a debt, it’s always been said.
- Bat izatea hobe, bi itxo egitea baino – It’s better to have one than be waiting for two.
This Basque proverb means that it is better to hold onto something you actually have than risk losing it for something better that you might not get.
- Alferrik da, ura joan eta gero, presa egitea – It is useless, once the water is gone, to hurry.
- Arotzaren extean keŕena zurez – The craftsman has a bad roof.
This Basque saying means that when working hard for other people, you often neglect your own needs.
- Alferrarendako lanik ez, eta astirik ez – The lazy person has no work and has no time.
- Azeri zaharrak ile zaharra uzten du, aztura zaharrik ez – The old fox sheds its old hair, but not its old habits.
This Basque quote means that it is hard to stop doing things that you have been doing for a long time.
- Ardiak beeka egonik, ez du jaten belarrik – A bleating sheep eats no grass.
This Basque proverb means that you can’t act and talk at the same time. Don’t just complain, take action.
- Mihiaz egiten den mina, da azken sendatzen dena – The pain caused by the tongue is the hardest one to cure.
This proverb highlights that words can hurt more than actions.
- Untsa habiatu den lana, erdi akabirik – Well begun is half done.
This Basque proverb means that beginning a project well makes it easier to do the rest.
- Azeria solas ematen zaukanean ari, gogo emak heure oiloari – When the fox is engaging you in conversation, keep an eye on your chicken.
This Basque saying teaches us to be wary and consider people’s ulterior motives.
- Berbak handiak, ezkurrak txikiak – The words are big but the acorns are small.
This Basque quote means that it is better to do something well than talk about doing it and falling short.
- Astoari ezin mendeka, mendeka albardari – Not able to take revenge on the donkey, take it out on the saddle.
This Basque quote means that people often won’t take revenge directly on someone but instead on their things, friends or family.
- Aukera maukera, azkenik trankera – The choosy one ends up with the ordinary.
- Alferrak, beti lanez beterik – Lazy people are always busy.
- Arranoak lumak behar, txepetxak ere bai – The eagle needs feathers, and the wren does too.
This Basque saying means that despite our differences, all people have similar needs.
- Beltz guztiak ez dira ikatz – Not everything that’s black is coal.
This Basque proverb is similar to the English version ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.
- Iturri txikiak, handiak adina egarria kendu – A small fountain quenches your thirst as well as a big one.
- Inoren oiloak, gureak baino arraultz gehiago – Everybody else’s hens lay more eggs than ours.
This saying is similar to the English version ‘the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence’ and means that other people’s lives and situations always seem better than our own.
- Hiru belarritan igaren hitz isila, orotan lasterka dabila – A secret that has been through three ears, won’t remain a secret much longer.
- Haria meheenean eten ohi da – A thread usually breaks from where it’s thinnest.
This proverb means that a group is only as strong as their weakest person and if one person fails, everyone fails.
Beautiful Basque Quotes & Basque Sayings
Below I’ve listed a range of famous and inspirational Basque quotes and more Basque sayings.
- Onegi dena beretzat ez da aski besterentzat – If you love yourself too much you won’t love others enough.
- Aseak gosea ezin ikus – Those who are full cannot see the hungry.
- Osasuna, paregabeko ondasuna – Good health is better than wealth.
- Aski ez duena, deusik ez duena – Not having enough is like not having anything.
- Ez egin gaitzik eta ez izan beldurrik – If you do no wrong, you need not be afraid.
- Balantza duen aldera erortzen da arbola – The tree falls towards the side it’s leaning.
This Basque quote means that things and people have certain predispositions and when the time to act comes, that’s the way they go.
- Askoren mina, tontoen atsegina – The stupid find relief in the suffering of others.
- Begiak noraino, nahia haraino – As far as the eyes can see, that’s how far one’s desires go.
- Beti on nahi duena, maiz gaizki – The one who wants everything to be just right, often gets just the opposite.
- Neke gaberik ez da bizitzerik – There is no life without suffering.
- Mendiak mendia behar ez du, baina gizonak gizona bai – Mountains don’t need other mountains, but people do need other people.
- Burdina berotan jo behar da – Iron must be hammered when it’s hot.
This Basque proverb means the same as ‘strike whilst the iron is hot’ and means we should take opportunities when they come to us.
- Begietatik urruti, bihotzetik urruti – Far from the eyes, far from the heart.
This Basque saying is similar to the English version ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
- Nahi dukana hiretzat, besterentzat – What you want for yourself, want also for others.
- Lurrak hazi, lurrak jan behar – The earth makes us grow and the earth makes us disappear.
- Nork dabilen bideak harrapatu ohi du – The path you follow is bound to catch up with you.
This saying means that sooner or later you will have to face the consequences of your actions.
- Alferrarentzat jana eta langilearentzat lana, ez da inoiz faltako – There is never a lack of food for the lazy person, nor of work for the industrious.
- Ardi txikia, beti bildots – The small sheep is always a lamb.
This Basque quote means that even though a small sheep is not always a lamb, they are likely to be categorized that way.
- Arian, arian, zehetzen da burnia – By working and working at it, iron can be pulverized.
This Basque quote means that if you stay persistent and keep working at something, you will achieve it.
- Nekatzen da emailea, baina ez hartzailea – The giver tires before the taker.
- Beti ordu duena, beti berandu heldu dena – The one who has a lot of time to spare, is the one who always arrives late.
- Asto askok, lasto asko – A lot of donkeys need a lot of hay.
This Basque quote about family means that families with many children have lots of expenses.
- Besteen faltak aurreko aldean, geureak bizkarrean – Other people carry their faults up front. We carry ours behind our backs.
- Bere etxe pobrea, erregearena baino hobea – Even poor people prefer their own home to a palace.
This saying in Basque is similar to the English saying ‘there’s no place like home’.
- Bihotzean dagoena, mihira irten – What is in one’s heart, comes out of one’s mouth.
This Basque quote means that eventually people will speak about how they truly feel.
- Orratzak baino hariak luzeago izan behar du – The thread must always be longer than the needle.
This saying teaches people to be tolerant and patient with others.
- Ohakoan dena ikasten, ez da jagoiti ahazten – What’s learned in the cradle is never forgotten.
- Nekez hartutako gauza, nekez utzi – One doesn’t give up easily what one has worked hard to obtain.
- Lastozko isatsa duenak, atzera begira – Those who have their tail made of straw are afraid of fire.
This quote in Basque means that if you have some weakness or vulnerability, then you will be aware and self-conscious about it.
- Etorkizuna, kontakizuna – The future is still to be told.
- Hartzen dena, zortzen dena – When you take something, you owe something.
- Guztien adiskide dena, ez da inorena – One who is everybody’s friend, is not anybody’s friend.
Basque Proverbs & Basque Sayings In English
Below I’ve listed a range of famous Basque proverbs and sayings that have been translated into English.
These all have Basque origin.
- You know much if you know how to live.
- Fortune seems to disdain the lazy.
- The most painful insult is the one that’s true.
- Not all truths are good to say.
- If you always tell the truth, you may lose your friends.
- By falling, one learns to walk.
- The sun shines equally on the good and the bad.
- Earth belongs to the brave but heaven to those who deserve it.
- Don’t say as much as you know, and don’t eat as much as you can.
- An imaginary mill produces no flour.
- It’s not useful closing the barn door after the horse has been stolen.
- Time goes by, and we go with it.
- One eye is enough for the seller, but one hundred is not too many for the buyer.
- He who doesn’t want to hear unpleasant things, shouldn’t say unpleasant things.
- Let us have little, but let us always have enough.
- Doing nothing and doing useless work are the same.
- If you hear something and you don’t object, people will assume that you agree.
- It’s better to have a good reputation, than to be rich.
- Say little about what you know, and don’t say anything about what you don’t know.
- Eyes that don’t see, don’t cry.
Check out the video below which features a range of famous Basque quotes and well-known Basque sayings & proverbs.
Thanks for reading this post on the best Basque quotes about life, famous Basque sayings and fascinating Basque proverbs.
These Basque quotes & sayings give an interesting insight into the Basque beliefs and language.
Related Posts: