Zenbat balio du? Prices and quantities

To ask for prices in Basque and understand what they tell you when you pay, you need two things: the formula Zenbat balio du? and the numbers up to 100. The Basque number system is vigesimal (based on groups of 20), so it takes a little getting used to.

The key question

Basque	English
Zenbat balio du?	How much does it cost?
Zenbat da?	How much is it?
Zenbat dira denera?	How much is it in total?
Pagatu daiteke?	Can I pay? (asking for the bill)

Zenbat is “how much / how many” — you already saw it in Zenbat urte dituzu? (“How old are you?”). Balio = “is worth / costs”.

Numbers up to 20 (reminder)

You already saw numbers 1 to 10 in the family unit. Here are numbers 11 to 20:

Number	Basque
11	hamaika
12	hamabi (hamar + bi)
13	hamahiru
14	hamalau
15	hamabost
16	hamasei
17	hamazazpi
18	hemezortzi
19	hemeretzi
20	hogei

From 12 to 17, notice how it’s hamar (“ten”) + the digit: hamabi = “ten-two” = twelve. Hamaika (11) and hemezortzi/hemeretzi (18, 19) are irregular.

The tens: the vigesimal system

Here’s the surprise in Basque. The tens are counted in groups of 20:

Number	Basque	Logic
20	hogei	base
30	hogeita hamar	”20 and 10”
40	berrogei	”double 20” (ber- = double)
50	berrogeita hamar	”double 20 and 10”
60	hirurogei	”three 20s” (hiru = three)
70	hirurogeita hamar	”three 20s and 10”
80	laurogei	”four 20s”
90	laurogeita hamar	”four 20s and 10”
100	ehun	base

For the numbers in between, you follow the same logic: 25 = hogeita bost (“20 and 5”), 67 = hirurogeita zazpi (“three 20s and 7”). It’s tough at first; with practice at the bar and with prices, it’ll come naturally.

Stating a price

Price	Basque
1 €	euro bat
2 €	bi euro
1.50 €	euro bat eta berrogeita hamar / euro eta erdi
3 €	hiru euro
25 €	hogeita bost euro

Notice that euro doesn’t take the -a when preceded by a number (just like in bi anaia, “two brothers”). Exact amounts in cents are stated as follows: hiru euro eta berrogeita hamar zentimo (3.50 €).

Buying multiple items

When you ask for more than one item, remember to use ditut or ditugu instead of dut/dugu:

• Bi kafe hartuko ditut. — I’ll have two coffees.
• Hiru ogitarteko hartuko ditugu. — We’ll have three sandwiches.

Adjectives for talking about prices

• garesti — expensive (also garestia with the article)
• merke — cheap (merkea with the article)
• doan — free

Hau oso garestia da! — This is very expensive! Bilbon kafea merkea da. — In Bilbao, coffee is cheap.

Mini-dialogue

— Kafe hutsa eta ogitarteko bat. Zenbat balio du denera?

A black coffee and a sandwich. How much is that in total?

— Lau euro eta berrogeita hamar.

Four fifty.

— Tori, bost euro.

Here you go, five euros.

— Eskerrik asko, eta hementxe duzu bueltakoa.

Thank you, and here’s your change.