Do They Speak English In The Basque Country, Spain?

English is not widely spoken in the Basque Country, neither by younger nor older generations. Very few people, even in the tourist sector, are proficient in English. The highest concentration of English speakers is in the tourist areas like San Sebastián, but even there it is still quite small compared to other parts of Spain like Andalusia. However, we still had an amazing time there and it is definitely a unique area of Spain.

Being able to talk to the locals influences a lot your experience when visiting a foreign country. Although the struggle to communicate may feel intimidating at first, we have some basic Basque and Spanish words, that can definitely help you feel prepared to travel to this beautiful part of Northern Spain and enjoy your trip more. Read on!

What languages are spoken in the Basque Country?

There are two official languages in the Spanish Basque Country – Basque (Euskara) and Spanish. In the area close to the French border, some locals also speak French. It is quite overwhelming at first if you drive there, too, as traffic signs are written in 4 different languages – Euskara, Spanish, French and last, but not least, English. It takes a bit of getting used to in order to skip the first three lines of text and just look at the bottom where English is.

The Basque language is unique and unrelated to Indo-European languages. Basque is considered a ‘Language isolate’, meaning it does not belong to any known language family. Under the regime of Francisco Franco, the government attempted to suppress Basque nationalism and to limit the use of the Basque language. Nowadays, however, the Basque regional government aims at the generalization of its use. At about half of the schools, the education is entirely in Basque, with Spanish as a compulsory subject. In the rest, there is a mix of classes in Spanish and Basque, and there is very rarely a school entirely in Spanish.

Do they speak Spanish in the Basque Country?

Spanish is one of the two official languages in the Basque Country. It is definitely a huge benefit to speak Spanish as a tourist in the Basque Country, and you will certainly have no problem to get around. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be proficient in Spanish. We managed to get by even with our basic vocabulary. The locals are generally friendly and try to help and to understand you, especially when you are also making an effort to speak Spanish and not English.

Do they speak English in Bilbao?

English is not commonly spoken in Bilbao. There are some English-speaking guides, but in our experience this is the exception. At the majority of the souvenir shops, bars and restaurants we weren’t able to find English speakers. Most of the places didn’t even have a menu in English. One of our guides in Bilbao told us that the city generally doesn’t get many English-speaking tourists, but it’s becoming a hotspot for domestic tourism. That’s partly due to the fact that, up until recently, not a lot of Spanish people wanted to visit on the account of the troubled past. However, now more and more Spaniards are discovering the magic of the Basque Country. That is why even the people in hospitality and tourism still lack the incentive to speak English. Possibly this will change in the future if Bilbao attracts more international tourists.

The places where English was spoken, and admittedly at a good level too, were the tourist info office next to the Guggenheim museum, in the museum itself and to some extent at the hotel reception, where we stayed.

Do they speak English in San Sebastián?

San Sebastián attracts the majority of English-speaking tourists in the Basque Country. Therefore, English speakers are more common than anywhere else in the area, but to be fair, improvement is still much needed. Here you will most likely be able to understand each other even though their level of English is rarely proficient. English menus at bars aren’t widely available, so I would recommend using an app to translate. Nonetheless, it was definitely much easier to get around in San Sebastián compared to Bilbao. The staff at all of the major sights like the funicular at Mount Igueldo (if you don’t know what that is, check our post about San Sebastián below), La Concha beach or in the Old town spoke decent English.

You might also find interesting:

Do they speak English in Hondarribia?

Hondarribia is a small coastal town in the Basque Country, on the French border. The French town of Irun is right on the other side of the Txingudi bay. Beside the official languages – Basque and Spanish – a lot of locals also speak French on a good level. English, however, is very rarely spoken in Hondarribia. During our stay in the area, we visited one quite fancy restaurant, where we had a bit higher expectations of the staff there to speak English, as that is usually the norm at those establishments. However, even there, that was not the case. The staff had an extremely limited knowledge of English and were unable to answer even simple questions about allergens. So, in Hondarribia I would recommend trying your best in Spanish or French in order to get by.

Here are some basic phrases for your trip to the Basque Country:

Making an effort to use basic Basque or Spanish phrases will be appreciated by the locals, and it is also quite funny to immerse yourself in the local language. Here are some easy phrases for you to try on your trip to the Basque Country in both Euskara and Spanish.

Hello: Kaixo / Hola

Kaixo in Basque is pronounced “kai-sho” and Hola in Spanish – “o-la”.

Bye: Agur / Adiós

Agur in Basque is pronounced “a-gur”.

Thank you: Eskerrik asko / Gracias

To say thank you, say “es-ker-rik as-ko” in Basque.

Excuse me/ I’m sorry: Barkatu / Perdón

To say that you’re sorry or excuse me, say “bar-ka-tu” in Basque or “per-don” in Spanish.

Yes: Bai / Sí

Say “bye” in Basque.

No: Ez / No

Say “ez” in Basque.

Cheers: Txin-txin / Salud

Txin-txin in Basque is pronounced “chin-chin” and Salud in Spanish. Salud literally means health, and is used for “Bless you” after a sneeze or as a toast.

Do you speak English: Ba al dakizu ingelesez / Hablas inglés

Asking someone if they speak English is probably the most useful phrase. Say “bah al dah-kee-zu in-ge-leh-sez” in Basque. If you struggle, try it in Spanish – “a-blas in-gles”.

To sum it all up:

As of 2023 English is still not widely spoken in the Basque Country. As the region becomes more and more popular among foreign tourists, I certainly hope that this will change in the next few years. Until then, I highly recommend learning a few basic phrases in Spanish and use an app to translate menus or signs.

Luckily, the Spanish people are very chatty and friendly, so with a little bit of effort on both sides, you will be able to understand each other. And you as a tourist will be able to enjoy your experience more if you are open to trying to speak Spanish rather than sticking to English.

¡Buen viaje!