This guide adapts rules and examples from Microsoft’s 41-page Basque Localization Style Guide (originally written for software/UI localization). The underlying linguistic rules apply universally — to legal contracts, medical documents, marketing copy, and any Basque translation work. Restructured and reformatted as a general Basque translator reference by ChatsControl.

Basque Translation Style Guide — Voice, Word Choice & Common Pitfalls (Legal, Medical, Marketing, IT)¶

TL;DR¶

• Basque translation across all spheres (legal, medical, marketing, IT) requires a clear, friendly, conversational register — long formal constructions feel artificial in modern consumer-facing content.
• Basque uses omission rather than abbreviation for short forms (mezu elektroniko → mezu) — don’t mimic English short forms with letter truncation (avoid Aplik., Infor.).
• Hyphenate noun+noun compounds (kontrol-panel, erabiltzaile-izen, wifi-sare) except after erdal/euskal/itsas/giza or when one element is an acronym/foreign word.
• Postpositional declension marks handle relationships English expresses with prepositions (-tzeko, -ren, -ko); follow Euskaltzaindia’s normative rules.
• Basque has no grammatical gender — use collective terms (senideak, gurasoak, kideak, irakasleak) and people-first disability language (desgaitasun bat duen pertsona).

Register and tone for modern Basque translation¶

Register is the level of formality, warmth, and conversational ease the target text projects. Modern Basque readers across consumer-facing spheres expect language resembling everyday conversation rather than the formal, technical register of older commercial and administrative writing.

Three principles define the modern Basque register for consumer-facing content:

• Warm and relaxed. Sounds like honest conversation, not a formal notice. Less formal, more grounded — matching how Basques actually speak in informal contexts.
• Crisp and clear. Written for scanning first, reading second. Sentences short enough to parse quickly. Simplicity is the default.
• Ready to help. Anticipates what the reader needs and offers it at the right moment, rather than burying it under qualifications.

Why this matters: Formal register damages outcomes across spheres. In marketing copy it kills conversion — readers bounce when text sounds like an administrative form. In patient-facing medical materials it reduces comprehension and compliance. In software UI it creates friction at every interaction. In consumer-facing legal documents (terms of service, privacy notices) regulators increasingly demand plain language. Only sworn legal translation and pure technical specifications retain the older formal register.

Audience targeting: technical vs. consumer vocabulary¶

The same source text requires different vocabulary depending on who reads the translation. Use technical terms for technical audiences; for consumers use common words. A clinical drug monograph for prescribers uses precise pharmacological terminology; the patient leaflet for the same drug uses everyday Basque. A software API reference uses developer jargon; the end-user help article uses plain Basque.

This applies in every sphere. Legal translation for corporate counsel uses Latinisms and procedural shorthand; consumer-facing versions need plain-Basque framing. Medical translation for clinicians keeps Greek/Latin nomenclature; for patients it switches to common terms. IT translation uses developer jargon in engineer-facing docs, natural Basque in end-user help.

Word choice: short forms via omission, not truncation¶

Approved terminology is the project-specific bank of fixed translations for key terms, product names, technical concepts, and recurring phrases. Every serious translation project has one, explicit (glossary, termbase) or implicit (translator’s accumulated decisions). Consistency within the bank matters more than the individual choice.

In Basque, short word forms aren’t common as they are in English. The principle of using everyday words is met mainly through omission — dropping qualifying adjectives that aren’t necessary in context. This reflects how terms are used in real-life Basque speech.

Don’t try to mimic English shortened words when there’s no short Basque equivalent. Use the full Basque form regardless of source.

Why this matters: Terminology consistency is non-negotiable in legal translation (a defined term in a contract must render identically across all 200 pages — variant renderings create ambiguity opposing counsel will exploit), medical translation (drug names, dosage units, anatomical terms must be invariant — a synonym swap can produce a dispensing error), and IT/software translation (UI labels, menu items, error codes must match help documentation word-for-word or users can’t find what they need). For Basque specifically, the omission approach over letter-truncation matters in marketing (truncated forms read as broken Spanish/English), patient materials (full forms aid comprehension), and legal/administrative (truncations may be ambiguous).

Words and phrases to avoid¶

Long, formal, or obscure constructions should be avoided in favor of simpler, more direct syntax. Some suggestions don’t fit all contexts — they’re guidance, not absolute rules.

Why this matters: These overly formal forms appear in legal templates and government forms out of institutional habit but feel alien in modern consumer products, patient-facing medical materials, brand-led marketing, and user-friendly software. The shift from -tze aldera to -tzeko reduces visual weight; the shift from ahalbidetzen du to -ri esker daiteke reads as natural Basque rather than translatorese.

Inclusive language¶

Gender-neutral vocabulary¶

Basque has no grammatical gender — there’s no inherent male/female stereotype in the morphology. But many compound nouns still include gendered terms (gizonak “men”, andreak “women”, mutilak “boys”, neskak “girls”). Use collective terms instead.

Accessibility and people-first language¶

Focus on people, not disabilities. Don’t use words that imply pity (gaixotasun bat pairatu, ornozitu). Avoid obsolete or pejorative terms (zoroa, baliaezina) as well as euphemisms (pertsona ezberdinak instead of desgaitasun bat duten pertsonak; mutiko berezi bat instead of desgaitasun bat duen mutiko bat).

Keep paragraphs short and sentence structure simple — aim for one verb per sentence. Read text aloud and imagine it spoken by a screen reader. Spell out words like gehiago, gutxiago, handiago, txikiago — screen readers can misread special characters (+, -, <, >).

Why this matters: Inclusive vocabulary is increasingly contractually required in enterprise translation (Microsoft, EU institutions, multinational HR materials), public-sector medical translation, and government-facing legal translation. The collective-term approach is particularly natural in Basque because the language doesn’t require gender marking — there’s no excuse for defaulting to gendered compounds in modern content.

Grammar and orthography¶

Abbreviations¶

Avoid abbreviations whenever possible. When the long version doesn’t fit, modify by omission or rewording. Don’t abbreviate product names. Don’t use more than one abbreviation per string.

Two methods: 1. Eliminate the last part of a word. Abbreviations shouldn’t end with a vowel (exceptions: standardized month abbreviations mai., abu.). Basque bigrams (tx, ts, tz) should be kept complete when appearing at the end. Exception: bigram rr can be broken (or. for orri). 2. Take away internal letters. Example: zk. (zenbakia).

Common abbreviations:

Weekdays: astelehena → al., asteartea → ar., asteazkena → az., osteguna → og., ostirala → or., larunbata → lr., igandea → ig.

Months: urtarrila → urt., otsaila → ots., martxoa → mar., apirila → api., maiatza → mai., ekaina → eka., uztaila → uzt., abuztua → abu., iraila → ira., urria → urr., azaroa → aza., abendua → abe.

Acronyms¶

Acronyms must always be kept in their original form. Don’t create new acronyms derived from language-specific translations. When an acronym isn’t standardized or well known, spell out the words.

Unlocalized acronyms can take a generic term after them, helping declension. When attaching declension directly to an acronym, no hyphen. Avoid declining acronyms when possible.

Adjectives¶

Literal translation of some adjectives hurts readability — change or omit.

Possessive adjectives¶

English uses possessives frequently. Basque uses them rarely — only when ownership is important. Omit the possessive and let the verb reflect the person.

Articles¶

Basque has no independent article. Articles attach to nouns.

Unlocalized feature names — Microsoft product/feature names that aren’t translated take no definite or indefinite article in English or Basque.

Localized feature names — translated feature names take definite/indefinite articles. They aren’t treated as proper nouns.

Loan words. For an English loan word, consider: motivation (formal features fitting Basque noun class), analogy (equivalent Basque term whose article could be used), frequency (use in other technical documentation). For declension marks: when to hyphenate vs. attach directly depends on the word’s standardization status.

Capitalization¶

Apply Basque conventions, not source-text conventions. Replace English title capitalization with sentence capitalization: capitalize only the first letter of the first word in a string, sentence, or product/feature name. Avoid excessive capitalization.

Compounds¶

Compounds should be understandable and clear — avoid overly long or complex compounds. Name + name compounds usually take a hyphen between them. Never hyphenate when:

• The first word is erdal, euskal, itsas, or giza.
• One of the words is an acronym or foreign word.

For Microsoft products specifically, terms in the sorta/multzo/modu group are hyphenated for readability (despite EIMA’s general recommendation).

Note: Not all noun+noun constructions are compounds. Some are in apposition (proxy zerbitzari, hegazkin modu) — these don’t take a hyphen.

Compounds with product/component names. Product names usually trademarked → remain unchanged. Additions take a hyphen, or a periphrastic construction if the hyphen doesn’t fit. These rules apply whether or not the name contains an acronym, abbreviation, or number.

Conjunctions¶

English uses conjunctions to make text sound friendly and conversational — starting a sentence with a conjunction conveys informal style. Even when source doesn’t use them this way, you can add them in Basque to improve readability.

Genitive¶

Basque genitive constructions use the -REN and -KO declension marks or omission (as in English). All are correct and interchangeable depending on context. Even if a term is approved with a certain construction, modify when syntax or context calls for it.

When the first term is a product name, either hyphenate the declension mark or omit it. Strings often use placeholders instead of product names, so omission is usually preferred:

Colloquialisms, idioms, and metaphors¶

To express the intent of source colloquialisms:

• Don’t replace with a Basque colloquialism unless it’s a perfect natural fit.
• Translate the intended meaning (not literally) if it’s integral and can’t be omitted.
• If the colloquialism can be omitted without affecting meaning, omit it.

Colloquialisms are more common in English than Basque. Avoid excessive use in Basque translation.

Numbers¶

The general recommendation: spell out numbers up to ten. In UI, numerals are usually used for visual clarity and to save space.

Exception for the number one. When spelled out, it goes at the end of the phrase; when written as a numeral, position is the same as any other number even though we read it in its natural position. In running text, spell out one so it appears in its natural reading position.

Examples: - Inprimatu 1 orri (reads “inprimatu orri bat”) - Aukeratu fitxategi bat

Postpositions (not prepositions)¶

Basque is postpositional — there are no prepositions. English prepositions translate as postpositions and declension marks. Use them correctly; don’t mimic English directionality or omit them.

Why this matters: Postposition correctness is core to Basque grammar — the wrong case ending can change meaning in legal contracts (locative vs. directive case in liability clauses), medical instructions (where vs. into vs. from for medication administration), and software UI (data flow direction). English-influenced translators frequently drop or misuse postpositions; the result reads as broken Basque.

Punctuation¶

Follow EIMAren estilo-liburuko Puntuazioa (published by the Education Department of the Basque Government). Don’t just mimic source-text punctuation.

Colon¶

Use lowercase for the word after a colon.

Dashes and hyphens¶

ASCII codes for Basque:

Hyphen. Divide words between syllables, link parts of compound words, connect parts of inverted/imperative verb forms. In Basque specifically: in compounds; attaching declension marks to unlexicalized nouns (especially product/component names and units of measure); in number ranges. When each part of a range is just a number, no spaces. When each part has a number plus referent, spaces around the hyphen.

En dash. Minus sign (no space before number); subtraction sign (spaces before/after).

Em dash. Should be used only to emphasize an isolated element or introduce non-essential content. In Basque, em dashes aren’t as common as in English — usually replace with colons, commas, or brackets.

Ellipsis¶

No space after ellipsis at the beginning of a phrase. If source has the space, omit it in target.

Slash¶

Capitalization and spacing differ from English. Use the same capitalization before and after the slash — both capitalized or both lowercase. If just one word on each side, no spaces. If either side has more than one word, space before and after the slash.

Quotation marks¶

ASCII codes:

Quotation marks highlight references to menus, buttons, options, messages, folders, usernames, addresses, and other UI text. Even when source doesn’t use them, add them in Basque to avoid ambiguity. Always use double quotation marks — replace source single quotes with doubles.

Parentheses¶

Pay special attention to punctuation at end of parenthetical comments. Unlike English, punctuation always goes after the closing parenthesis. Exception: when a complete sentence appears in parentheses, the period goes inside.

Symbols and nonbreaking spaces¶

Measurement units are written in international format with no ending period. Units of measure and the percent sign (%) must be separated from the number by a space, ideally a nonbreaking space. Exceptions: degree symbols (°, ‘, “).

Ampersand¶

Always translate & as eta in running text. Don’t keep & in target unless it’s part of a tag, placeholder, shortcut, or other code.

Error messages and status messages¶

Error messages inform the user of an error needing correction. Apply Microsoft voice principles — natural sounding, empathetic, not robot-like.

Standard error phrases¶

Status bar messages¶

For style consistency, always place the verb at the beginning when translating instructions, at the end for questions. Negative sentences start with the negation clause.

Why this matters: Standardized error phrasing matters across medical software (clinicians need predictable error patterns), legal document processing (consistent error vocabulary supports audit trails), and enterprise IT (helpdesk troubleshooting depends on users describing errors consistently).

Buttons, menu items, and keys¶

Buttons and menu items¶

Labels are usually short. Place the verb at the beginning in infinitive form. For character limits, prefer omission and rewording over abbreviation.

Arrow keys¶

Called Gora gezia, Behera gezia, Eskuinera gezia, Ezkerrera gezia. The directional word is capitalized; the generic gezia (arrow) is lowercase. For readability, quotation marks can highlight: “Ezkerrera” gezia.

Key names¶

First term (the function-specific one) is capitalized; second term (generic, like tekla or gezia) is lowercase. No hyphen between the two elements. Exception: zuriune-barra (space bar) is lowercase and hyphenated because it’s a descriptive common noun, not a proper noun.

Numeric keypad¶

Avoid distinguishing numeric keypad keys from others unless software requires it. When not obvious which keys to press, add zenbakizko teklatuko before the key name:

Sakatu zenbakizko teklatuko XXX tekla.

Keyboard shortcuts and access keys¶

When a keyboard shortcut appears in translation, keep the same letter as English when possible. If that letter doesn’t appear in the Basque version, assign to another letter using these criteria:

• Replacement letter ideally the first letter of the string or first letter of a word for visibility.
• Avoid “slim characters” (I, l, t, r, f) for aesthetics.
• Avoid characters with downstrokes (g, j, y, p, q).
• Same letter can’t be used as keyboard shortcut for two items in the same menu/UI level.

Shortcuts may be made consistent with Spanish keyboard shortcuts so users have the same key combinations across languages.

Terminology distinctions:

• access key — letter or number for UI controls with text labels (usually Alt+letter). Example: F in Alt+F.
• key tip — letter/number appearing in the ribbon when Alt is pressed.
• shortcut key — key combination for a common action without going through UI. Usually Ctrl+letter or function keys F1-F12.

Shortcut keys¶

When shortcut keys appear in translation, keep the US English text. Like access keys, may be adapted to Spanish for market consistency.

Placeholders in error messages and UI text¶

When localizing messages with placeholders, identify what will replace each placeholder. Sometimes placeholder represents a product/application/feature name (%s, [ProductName], ). The content can usually be inferred from instructions or resource ID. When in doubt, raise a query.

In some cases the placeholder is a unique word or name — the appropriate declension mark can attach directly. When the placeholder is replaced by a trademarked product name, the declension mark should always attach with a hyphen.

When a placeholder might be replaced by multiple words, a file name, username, or time stamp, the workaround is to add the applicable generic term after the placeholder.

Pronunciation of English terms¶

English terms and product names left unlocalized are generally pronounced as English words. If Basque has an established pronunciation for a common term (server), use the local pronunciation. Pronunciation can be adapted to the Basque phonetic system if the original sounds awkward.

Acronym pronunciation¶

Acronyms pronounced like real words when possible: RADIUS, RAS, ISA, LAN, WAN, WAP, MAPI, POP, URL.

Other abbreviations pronounced letter by letter: ICMP, IP, TCP/IP, XML.

URL pronunciation¶

Drop the http:// prefix. Pronounce www as “ube bikoitza, ube bikoitza, ube bikoitza”. The “dot” can be omitted or read aloud — if read, pronounced as Basque puntu.

Reference materials: authoritative Basque dictionaries and grammars¶

Use these references for orthography, grammar, and terminology when this guide doesn’t specify. Standard authorities consulted by professional Basque translators across spheres.

Normative sources (must be followed):

1. Euskaltzaindiaren arauak — Rules from the Basque Language Academy on oral and written language. euskaltzaindia.eus
2. Euskal Gramatika Lehen Urratsak (EGLU) — Basque Grammar series published by Euskaltzaindia.
3. Hiztegi Batua — Standard Basque Dictionary published by Euskaltzaindia.
4. Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia. Adierak eta adibideak. (Euskaltzaindia, Elhuyar, Elkar, 2012). ISBN 978-84-9027-023-3.
5. Euskal Gramatika Laburra: Perpaus Bakuna (Euskaltzaindiko Gramatika Batzordea, UPV-Euskaltzaindia, 1993). ISBN 84-85479-70-X.
6. Onomastika — Exonomastika (Euskaltzaindia).

Supplementary sources (informative):

1. Euskalterm — Basque Public Term Bank. euskadi.eus/euskalterm
2. Elhuyar Hiztegia. ISBN 978-84-92457-91-5.
3. Zientzia eta teknologiaren hiztegi entziklopedikoa (Elhuyar).
4. Sareko Euskal Gramatika. ehu.eus/seg
5. Euskal Hiztegia. ISBN 978-84-9783-258-8.
6. Zehazki ISBN 84-96310-66-3.
7. Egungo Euskararen Hiztegia.
8. Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia — Basque General Dictionary. ISBN 84-271-1493-X / 84-330-0722-X.
9. EIMAren estilo-liburuko Ortotipografia (Education Department of the Basque Government). ISBN 84-457-2127-5.
10. EIMAren estilo-liburuko Letra larriak (Education Department of the Basque Government). ISBN 978-84-457-2738-6.
11. EIMAren estilo-liburuko Onomastika eta Izen-zerrendak (Education Department of the Basque Government). ISBN 84-457-2297-2.
12. EIMAren estilo-liburuko Morfosintaxia, Zientzia eta teknikarako euskara, Puntuazioa, Ahoskera (Education Department of the Basque Government).
13. Informatika eta internet hiztegia (UZEI, Elkarlanean, 2001). ISBN 84-8331-801-6.
14. Euskal Gramatika Osoa. ISBN 84-88411-34-0.
15. Berria estilo liburua. ISBN 978-84-934179-5-6.
16. Euskal Estilo Libururantz (Towards a Basque Style Guide). ISBN 84-8373-348-X.
17. Zientzia eta Teknikarako Euskara. ISBN 84-8438-030-0.
18. Laburtzapenen gidaliburua. ISBN 84-7529-654-8.
19. Harluxet hiztegi entziklopedikoa. euskadi.net/harluxet
20. Ereduzko prosa gaur. ehu.es/euskara-orria
21. Euskal Herriko toponimia. euskadi.net/euskara_toponimia
22. 3000 Hiztegia.
23. Inguma — Database of the Basque Scientific Community. inguma.eus

FAQ¶

What’s the modern register for Basque translation across professional contexts?¶

Clear, friendly, concise, resembling everyday conversation rather than formal technical language. This applies to medical patient materials, marketing copy, software UI, and consumer-facing legal documents. Pure technical and legal contexts retain more formality, but readability still matters.

How do I create short forms in Basque when source uses abbreviations like ‘app’ or ‘info’?¶

Use omission rather than letter truncation. mezu elektroniko → mezu; helbide elektroniko → helbide. Don’t write Aplik. or Infor.; use the full form Aplikazio, Informazio. For drive use the long form (USB unitatea, disko gogorra) rather than a short PC-style abbreviation.

When do I hyphenate compounds in Basque?¶

Most noun+noun compounds take a hyphen (kontrol-panel, erabiltzaile-izen). Exceptions: never hyphenate after erdal, euskal, itsas, giza, or when one element is an acronym/foreign word (Word dokumentu, SIM txartel, proxy zerbitzari). For Microsoft products, terms in the sorta/multzo/modu group are hyphenated for readability.

How should product names be handled in Basque?¶

Trademarked names remain in original form, treated as proper nouns. Declension marks attach with a hyphen (Windows-eko, Word-eko, Microsoft Edge-n, Power BI-ren). For unlocalized features no article; for localized features, use definite/indefinite articles normally.

How does Basque handle gender-neutral language?¶

Basque has no grammatical gender, so male/female stereotypes aren’t inherent in the language. Avoid compounds with gizonak, andreak, mutilak, neskak. Use collective terms: senideak instead of anai-arrebak, gurasoak instead of aitak, bikotekide instead of mutil-lagun/neska-lagun, haurrak/umeak instead of seme-alabak.

What authoritative Basque language references should I use?¶

Normative: Euskaltzaindiaren arauak, Euskal Gramatika (EGLU), Hiztegi Batua, Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia (2012). Supplementary: Euskalterm (term bank), Elhuyar Hiztegia, Zientzia eta teknologiaren hiztegi entziklopedikoa, Sareko Euskal Gramatika, and EIMA’s style books on orthotypography, capitalization, onomastics, morphosyntax, scientific Basque, punctuation, and pronunciation.

Sources¶

• Microsoft Globalization Style Guides hub
• Euskaltzaindia — Basque Language Academy
• Euskalterm — Basque Public Term Bank
• Hiztegi Batua — Standard Basque Dictionary
• Sareko Euskal Gramatika