Basque dialects are linguistic varieties which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar from each other and from Standard Basque

Batua

Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...

. Between 6 and 9 Basque dialects have been historically distinguished:

• Biscayan
• Gipuzkoan
• Upper Navarrese (Northern and Southern)
• Lower Navarrese (Eastern and Western)
• Lapurdian
• Souletin (Souletin and Roncalese)

In modern times, though, both Upper Navarrese and Lapurdian are considered part of the Navarrese-Lapurdian dialect, so the dialects would be five, divided in 11 sub-dialects, their minor varieties being 24.

The boundaries of all these dialects do not coincide directly with current political or administrative boundaries. It was believed that the dialect boundaries between Bizkaian, Gipuzkoan and Upper Navarrese did show some relation to some pre-Roman tribal boundaries between the Caristii

Caristii

The Caristii were a tribe reported by Roman historians in Northern Hispania west of the Deba and east of the Nervion rivers, in modern Biscay and Alava...

, Varduli

Varduli

The Varduli were a tribe that Roman historians reported in Northern Hispania, west of the Vascones and east of the Caristii and the Deba river, comprising the main part of the current Basque province of Gipuzkoa and parts of Alava and Navarre. Their main city was Ara-Caeli...

 and Vascones. But, nowadays, the main Basque dialectologists deny any direct relation between those tribes and Basque dialects. Looking at historical evidences, it seems that these dialects were created in the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

 from a previously quite unified Basque language, and that the dialects diverged from each other since then due to the administrative and political division that happened in the Basque Country.

History of Basque dialectology

One of the first scientific studies of Basque dialects, regarding the auxiliary verb

Auxiliary verb

In linguistics, an auxiliary verb is a verb that gives further semantic or syntactic information about a main or full verb. In English, the extra meaning provided by an auxiliary verb alters the basic meaning of the main verb to make it have one or more of the following functions: passive voice,...

 forms, was made by Louis-Lucien Bonaparte, a nephew of Napoleon

Napoleon I

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...

. His original dialect map Carte des Sept Provinces Basques which was published in 1869 along with his Le Verbe Basque en Tableaux was regarded as the authoritative guide in Basque dialectology for a century. He collected his data in fieldwork between 1856 and 1869 in five visits to the Basque Country. By then, the Basque language was much in retreat in the whole territory where it had been commonly spoken. In Alava

Álava

Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...

, Basque had all but vanished from the Plains and the Highlands, just remaining in the stronghold of Aramaio and bordering fringes of Biscay

Biscay

Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...

 and Gipuzkoa, while in Navarre

Navarre

Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...

 the scholar collected the last live evidence in areas extending as far south as Tafalla

Tafalla

Tafalla is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:**...

.

In 1998, Koldo Zuazo

Koldo Zuazo

Koldo Zuazo is a Basque linguist, professor at the University of the Basque Country, specialist in Basque language dialectology and sociolinguistics....

, Professor of Basque Philology at the University of the Basque Country

University of the Basque Country

The University of the Basque Country is the only public university in the Basque Country, in Northern Spain...

, redefined the dialect classifications slightly, amongst other things changing the name of Biscayan dialect to Western, Gipuzkoan to Central, Upper Navarrese to Navarrese, grouping Lapurdian with Lower Navarrese, distinguishing Eastern Navarrese as an independent dialect and recognising several mixed areas:

• Western (Biscayan)
  Biscayan
  Biscayan, sometimes Bizkaian , is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country of Spain....
  
  
• Central (Gipuzkoan)
  Gipuzkoan
  Gipuzkoan is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in the province of Gipuzkoa in Basque Country but also in a small part of Navarre. It is a central dialect, spoken in the central and eastern part of Gipuzkoa...
  
  
• (Upper) Navarrese
  Upper Navarrese
  Upper Navarrese is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Navarre community of Spain, as established by linguist Louis Lucien Bonaparte in his famous 1869 map. He actually distinguished two dialects: Meridional and Septentrional...
  
  
• Eastern Navarrese  (including Salazarese
  Salazarese
  Salazarese is the Basque dialect own to the Salazar Valley of Navarre, Spain.In English it is also known as Zaraitzu Basque, the Zaraitzu dialect or Salazar dialect; in Spanish as Salacenco and in Basque as Zaraitzuko euskara.Basque in the Salazar valley was spoken until the first half of the 20th...
  
   and the extinct Roncalese)
• Navarrese-Lapurdian
  Lapurdian
  Lapurdian or Labourdin is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lapurdi region of the Basque Country in France...
  
  
• Souletin

Much has been studied too on the Basque dialect spoken formerly in Alava. In 1997, Koldo Zuazo released research carried out on the issue based on dispersed recorded evidence (Landuchio's glossary,...) and papers drawn up especially by Koldo Mitxelena

Koldo Mitxelena

Koldo Mitxelena Elissalt was an eminent Basque linguist...

. The pundit outlines three main linguistic areas running north to south, where features related to Western and Navarrese dialects mix up to different degrees according to their geographical position. He focuses mainly on relevant lexico-morphological differences, such as instrumental declension marks -gaz/rekin, ablative -rean/tik, barria/berria (= 'new'), elexea/elizea (= 'church'), padura/madura (= 'swamp'), to mention but a few.

Some key distinguishing features in Basque dialect phonology are:

• loss of /h/ and aspirated stops in Southern Basque dialects
• strong divergence of historic /j/ into /j/ /ɟ/ /ʒ/ /ʃ/ /x/ /χ/
• Souletin development of the vowel /y/

Morphological variation

The modern Basque dialects show a high degree of dialectal divergence. However, cross-dialectal communication without prior knowledge of either Standard Basque

Batua

Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...

 or the other dialect is normally possible to a reasonable extent with the notable of exception of Zuberoan (Souletin) which is regarded as the most divergent Basque dialect.

The names for the language in the dialects of Basque (Euskara in Standard Basque) for example exemplify to some degree the dialectal fragmentation of the Basque speaking area. The most divergent forms are generally found in the Eastern dialects.

Dialect variant	Dialect group	Areas documented in
Auskera	Upper Navarrese Upper Navarrese Upper Navarrese is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Navarre community of Spain, as established by linguist Louis Lucien Bonaparte in his famous 1869 map. He actually distinguished two dialects: Meridional and Septentrional...	Arakil Arakil Arakil is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
Eskara	Upper Navarrese Lapurdian	Irun St-Jean-de-Luz
Eskoara	Biscayan	Orozko
Eskuara	Lapurdian Lapurdian Lapurdian or Labourdin is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lapurdi region of the Basque Country in France... Biscayan Lower Navarrese Lower Navarrese Lower Navarrese is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lower Navarre region of France. It differs somewhat from Upper Navarrese, which is more generally spoken in the Spanish Basque Country....	Labourd Labourd Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country.... Biscay Biscay Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao... Lower Navarre Lower Navarre Lower Navarre is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département of France. Along with Navarre of Spain, it was once ruled by the Kings of Navarre. Lower Navarre was historically one of the kingdoms of Navarre. Its capital were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais...
Eskuera	Biscayan Guipuscoan	Gernika, Bermeo Bermeo Bermeo is a town and municipality in the sub-region of Busturialdea and the wider province of Biscay, part of the autonomous region of the Basque Country, in Northern Spain. Bermeo has 17,026 inhabitants and is the most important fishing port of the Basque Country. The town was founded in 1236 and... , Bergara, Leintz-Gatzaga Goierri Goierri Goierri is one of the eight regions in Gipuzkoa, formed by 18 municipalities, Beasain, Lazkao and Ordizia being the main towns.-External links:* ////.... , Burunda Ataun Ataun is a town located at the foot of the Aralar Range in the Goierri region of the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* *... , Etxarri-Aranaz
Euskala	Biscayan	Bergara, Leintz-Gatzaga Leintz-Gatzaga Leintz-Gatzaga is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-Etymology:...
Euskara	Upper Navarrese Aezcoan	Irun Irun Irun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain... , Larraun Larraun Larraun is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*... , Erro Erro Erro may refer to:* Erro, Navarre, a municipality in the autonomous community of Navarre, Spain* Erro , a river in north-west Italy* Erro , a lunar crater named after the astronomer...
Euskera	Biscayan Biscayan Biscayan, sometimes Bizkaian , is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country of Spain.... Guipuscoan Upper Navarrese
Euskiera	Biscayan	Orozko
Euzkera	Biscayan	Arrigorriaga Arrigorriaga Arrigorriaga is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. Arrigorriaga is located 7 km south of Bilbao and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area... , Orozko Orozko Orozko is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country in northern Spain.-External links:*... , Marquina, Bergara Bergara Bergara is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the north of Spain.An Enlightened center of education operated by the Real Sociedad Bascongada de Amigos del País , it was the place where Faustino Elhuyar discovered wolfram.During the Carlist... , Leintz-Gatzaga
Oskara	Upper Navarrese	Arakil
Uskara	Upper Navarrese Aezcoan Salazarese Salazarese Salazarese is the Basque dialect own to the Salazar Valley of Navarre, Spain.In English it is also known as Zaraitzu Basque, the Zaraitzu dialect or Salazar dialect; in Spanish as Salacenco and in Basque as Zaraitzuko euskara.Basque in the Salazar valley was spoken until the first half of the 20th...	Irun, Bortziriak, Ultzama Ultzama Ultzama is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. Ultzama is also the name of the river from which the valley takes its name...
Üskara	Souletin
Uskaa	Upper Navarrese Souletin	Ultzama
Üskaa	Souletin
Üska	Souletin
Uskera	Biscayan Upper Navarrese	Arratia, Orozko Ultzama, Erro, Olza, Gulina Gulina Gulina is one of the 29 woredas in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Administrative Zone 4, Gulina is located near the base of the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian highlands, and bordered on the south by Ewa, on the west by the Amhara Region, on the north by Yalo, and on the east by Aura...

The following map shows the approximate areas where each word is used. The smaller-type instances are cases of the name being recorded for a particular area, the larger-type instances show over-regional forms common throughout the dialect area in question:

Comparison of sample verb forms

Comparing the forms of the Basque verb

Basque verbs

The verb is one of the most complex parts of Basque grammar. It is sometimes represented as a difficult challenge for learners of the language, and many Basque grammars devote most of their pages to lists or tables of verb paradigms...

 used in the different Basque dialects also gives a good overview over some of the differences and common features.

Standard Basque Batua Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...	Biscayan Biscayan Biscayan, sometimes Bizkaian , is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country of Spain....	Gipuzkoan Gipuzkoan Gipuzkoan is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in the province of Gipuzkoa in Basque Country but also in a small part of Navarre. It is a central dialect, spoken in the central and eastern part of Gipuzkoa...	Upper Navarrese Upper Navarrese Upper Navarrese is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Navarre community of Spain, as established by linguist Louis Lucien Bonaparte in his famous 1869 map. He actually distinguished two dialects: Meridional and Septentrional...	Roncalese	Lapurdian Lapurdian Lapurdian or Labourdin is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lapurdi region of the Basque Country in France...	Lower Navarrese Lower Navarrese Lower Navarrese is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lower Navarre region of France. It differs somewhat from Upper Navarrese, which is more generally spoken in the Spanish Basque Country....	Souletin
naiz haiz da gara zara zarete dira	naz az da gara zara zaree dira	naiz aiz da gera zera zerate dira	naiz (y)aiz da ga(r)a za(r)a za(r)ate di(r)e	naz yaz da gra zra zrei dra	naiz haiz da gare zare zaizte di(r)e	n(a)iz h(a)iz da gira zira zirezte dira	niz hiz da gira zira zirae dira
dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute	dot dok/don dau dogu dozu dozue dabe	det dek/den du degu dezu dezute dute	dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute	dur,dud duk/dun du digu tzu tzei dei	dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute	dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue (d)ute	düt dük/dün dü dügü düzü düzüe düe
nion hion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten	neutsan euntsan eutsan geuntsan zeuntsan zeuntsoen eutsoen	nion ion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten	nio(n) (y)io(n) zio(n) ginio(n) zinio(n) ziniote(n) ziote(n)	naun yaun zaun ginaun zinaun zinabein zabein	nion hion zion ginion zinion zinioten zioten	nakon hakon zakon ginakon zinakon zinakoten zakoten	neion heion zeion geneion zeneion zeneioen zeioen
nindoakion hindoakion zihoakion gindoazkion zindoazkion zindoazkioten zihoazkion	niñoiakion iñoakion joiakion giñoiakiozan ziñoiakiozan ziñoiakiozen joiakiozan	ninjoakion injoakion zijoakion ginjoazkion zinjoazkion zinjoazkioten zijoazkion			nindoakion hindoakion zoakion ginoazkion zinoazkion zinoazkioten zoazkion		nindoakion hindoakion zoakion gindoazkion zindoakion zindoakioen zoazkion

Key to verb forms:

Standard Basque Batua Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...	English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
naiz haiz da gara zara zarete dira	I am you (familiar) are he/she/it is we are you (formal) are you (plural) are they are
dut duk/dun du dugu duzu duzue dute	I have it you (familiar, allocutive Allocutive agreement In linguistics, allocutive agreement refers to a morphological feature in which the gender of an addressee is marked overtly in an utterance.-Basque:In Basque, allocutive forms are required in the verb forms of a main clause when the speaker uses the familiar pronoun hi "thou"...  form for male addressee Addressee In linguistics, an addressee is an intended direct recipient of the speaker's communication. A listener is either an addressee or a bystander.Second-person pronouns refer to an addressee or a group including an addressee... ) are/you (familiar, allocutive form for female addressee) have it he/she/it has it we have it you (formal) have it you (plural) have it they have it
nion hion zion genion zenion zenioten zioten	I to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ); for example eman nion "I gave it to him" you (familiar) to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ) he/she/it to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ) we to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ) you (formal) to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ) you (plural) to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... ) they to him/her/it (trans. Transitive verb In syntax, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.-Examples:Some examples of sentences with transitive verbs:... )
nindoakion hindoakion zihoakion gindoazkion zindoazkion zindoazkioten zihoazkion	I went to him/her/it you (familiar) went to him/her/it he/she/it went to him/her/it we went to him/her/it you (formal) went to him/her/it you (plural) went to him/her/it they went to him/her/it

Phonological variation

Standard Basque

Batua

Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...

 consonants

		Labial Labial consonant Labial consonants are consonants in which one or both lips are the active articulator. This precludes linguolabials, in which the tip of the tongue reaches for the posterior side of the upper lip and which are considered coronals...	Dental/ Alveolar Alveolar consonant Alveolar consonants are articulated with the tongue against or close to the superior alveolar ridge, which is called that because it contains the alveoli of the superior teeth...	Postalveolar /Palatal Palatal consonant Palatal consonants are consonants articulated with the body of the tongue raised against the hard palate...	Velar Velar consonant Velars are consonants articulated with the back part of the tongue against the soft palate, the back part of the roof of the mouth, known also as the velum)....
Nasal Nasal consonant A nasal consonant is a type of consonant produced with a lowered velum in the mouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. Examples of nasal consonants in English are and , in words such as nose and mouth.- Definition :...		m	n	ɲ
Plosive	voiceless	p	t	c	k
	voiced	b	d	ɟ	ɡ
Affricate Affricate consonant Affricates are consonants that begin as stops but release as a fricative rather than directly into the following vowel.- Samples :...	voiceless		ts̺ ts̻	tʃ
Fricative Fricative consonant Fricatives are consonants produced by forcing air through a narrow channel made by placing two articulators close together. These may be the lower lip against the upper teeth, in the case of ; the back of the tongue against the soft palate, in the case of German , the final consonant of Bach; or...	voiceless	f	s̺ s̻	ʃ	x
Trill Trill consonant In phonetics, a trill is a consonantal sound produced by vibrations between the articulator and the place of articulation. Standard Spanish <rr> as in perro is an alveolar trill, while in Parisian French it is almost always uvular....			r
Tap			ɾ
Lateral Lateral consonant A lateral is an el-like consonant, in which airstream proceeds along the sides of the tongue, but is blocked by the tongue from going through the middle of the mouth....			l	ʎ

Standard Basque

Batua

Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...

 vowels

	Front Front vowel A front vowel is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a front vowel is that the tongue is positioned as far in front as possible in the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant. Front vowels are sometimes also...	Central Central vowel A central vowel is a type of vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a central vowel is that the tongue is positioned halfway between a front vowel and a back vowel...	Back Back vowel A back vowel is a type of vowel sound used in spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a back vowel is that the tongue is positioned as far back as possible in the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant. Back vowels are sometimes also called dark...
Close Close vowel A close vowel is a type of vowel sound used in many spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a close vowel is that the tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.This term is prescribed by the...	i		u
Mid Mid vowel A mid vowel is a vowel sound used in some spoken languages. The defining characteristic of a mid vowel is that the tongue is positioned mid-way between an open vowel and a close vowel...	e		o
Open Open vowel An open vowel is defined as a vowel sound in which the tongue is positioned as far as possible from the roof of the mouth. Open vowels are sometimes also called low vowels in reference to the low position of the tongue...		a

Basque dialects diverge from this standard inventory to a larger or lesser extent. The grapheme j (historically /j/) displays by far the most extreme divergence, followed by the fricatives and affricates. Hualde (1991) describes the following:

• Baztan
  Baztan
  Baztan is a municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. It is located from Pamplona, the capital of Navarre. It is the largest municipality in Navarre, with some 376.8 km2 and just over 8,000 inhabitants....
  
  , an Eastern Navarrese dialect: lack of /x/
• Arbizu
  Arbizu
  Arbizu is a village and municipality in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain, neighbouring Etxarri-Aranatz. Its traditional "fiesta" falls on June 24, St. John's day, and is noted for the feast held in the main square....
  
  , a dialect in a mixed Gipuzkoan
  Gipuzkoan
  Gipuzkoan is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in the province of Gipuzkoa in Basque Country but also in a small part of Navarre. It is a central dialect, spoken in the central and eastern part of Gipuzkoa...
  
  /Western Navarrese dialect area: geminate vowels /i/~/ii/, /e/~/ee/, /a/~/aa/, /o/~/oo/, /u/~/uu/
• Gernika, a Biscayan
  Biscayan
  Biscayan, sometimes Bizkaian , is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country of Spain....
  
   dialect: merger of /s̻/ with /s̺/ and /ts̻/ with /ts̺/. Additional phonemes: /ʒ/. Lack of /c/ and /ɟ/.
• Ondarroa
  Ondarroa
  Ondarroa is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain.-Main sights:*Church of St. Mary, in late Gothic style *Likona Tower, a typical Basque tower-house....
  
  , a Biscayan
  Biscayan
  Biscayan, sometimes Bizkaian , is a dialect of the Basque language spoken mainly in Biscay, one of the provinces of the Basque Country of Spain....
  
   dialect: merger of /s̻/ with /s̺/ and /ts̻/ with /ts̺/. Additional phonemes: /dz/. Lack of /c/ and /ɟ/.

Standardized dialects

There have been various attempts throughout history to promote standardised forms of Basque dialects to the level of a common standard Basque.

• A standardised form of Lower Navarrese was the dialect used the influential 16th century author Joanes Leizarraga
  Joanes Leizarraga
  Joanes Leizarraga was a 16th century Basque priest. He is most famous for being the first to attempt the standardisation of the Basque language and for the translation of religious works into Basque, in particular the first Basque translation of the New Testament.-Early years:Leizarraga was born...
  
  

• Azkue
  Resurrección María de Azkue
  Resurrección María de Azkue was an influential Basque priest, musician, poet, writer, sailor and academic. He made several made several major contributions to the study of the Basque language and was the first head of the Euskaltzaindia, the Academy of the Basque Language...
  
  's Gipuzkera Osotua ("Complemented Gipuzkoan"), dating to 1935, attempted to create a standardized Basque based on Gipuzkoan, complemented with elements from other dialects — a largely unsuccessful attempt.

• In the 1940s, a group (Jakintza Baitha, "Wisdom House") gathered around the academian Federico Krutwig
  Federico Krutwig
  Federico Krutwig Sagredo was a Spanish Basque writer and politician, author of several books.Along with Felix Likiniano, he tried to create some resistance to the Francoist regime after the Spanish Civil War...
  
  , who preferred to base the standard on the Lapurdian
  Lapurdian
  Lapurdian or Labourdin is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lapurdi region of the Basque Country in France...
  
   of Joanes Leizarraga
  Joanes Leizarraga
  Joanes Leizarraga was a 16th century Basque priest. He is most famous for being the first to attempt the standardisation of the Basque language and for the translation of religious works into Basque, in particular the first Basque translation of the New Testament.-Early years:Leizarraga was born...
  
  's Protestant Bible and the first printed books in Basque. However they did not receive official or popular support.

• In 1944, Pierre Lafitte
  Pierre Lafitte Ithurralde
  Pierre Lafitte Ithurralde was a French Basque priest and author.-Biography:Lafitte was born in Louhossoa on 21 May 1901; orphaned at the age of seven, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in Ithorots, where he went to the local school. From 1914 he continued his education at the seminary in Urt...
  
   published his Navarro-Labourdin Littéraire, based on Classical Lapurdian
  Lapurdian
  Lapurdian or Labourdin is a dialect of the Basque language spoken in the Lapurdi region of the Basque Country in France...
  
  , which has become the de facto
  De facto
  De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
  
   standard form of Lapurdian. It is taught in some schools of Lapurdi and used on radio, in church, and by the newspaper Herria.

• Since the 1970s, Euskaltzaindia has promulgated a Unified (or Standard) Basque (Euskara batua) that has successfully spread as the formal-usage dialect of the language. Batua is found in official texts, schools, TV, newspapers and in common parlance by new speakers, especially in the cities, whereas in the countryside, with more elderly speakers, people remain attached to the natural dialects to a higher degree, especially in informal situations.

• More recently the distinct dialects of Bizkaian and Zuberoan have also been standardised.