You’re probably looking for the best online Basque course to help you learn this unique isolate of the Basque Country.
Basque (Euskara) is a blast to study, with its complex grammar, no known relation to any other living language and deep roots spanning northern Spain and southwestern France.
Fortunately, more online course options are becoming available for learners who want to go beyond tourist phrasebooks.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Bilbao or San Sebastián, connecting with Basque family and heritage, or simply taking on one of Europe’s most distinctive language challenges, the benefits of speaking Basque can’t be overstated.
Today I’m going to give you my rundown of the best - and worst - online Basque courses.
Below, you’ll find the pros and cons of each Basque course, along with pricing information and a brief summary.
Where applicable, I’ll also link to a full review of the course.
Table of contents
IMPORTANT: Some of the items listed below are probably only loosely defined as “courses” for Basque.
The reason I’ve included them is that they’re popular enough Basque tools and therefore should be included.
DISCLAIMER: The comments below are personal opinions and some affiliate links are used.
The best Basque courses online (most popular Basque resources)
1. Talk In Basque
Cost: $97 (one-time purchase)
Summary: Talk In Basque is definitely one of the best online courses for learning Basque, with hundreds of lessons designed to take you from zero knowledge through to a B1 equivalent competency.
It’s a linear course that will walk you through every aspect of the language in an easy-to-understand format.
What I like:
- Very comprehensive, detailed course that covers all aspects of Basque
- Inexpensive and no subscriptions necessary
What I don’t like:
- Linear course may not be for everyone
Use the code MEZZOGUILD20 to save 20% on their Basque course.
2. Loecsen
Cost: Free
Summary: Loecsen is a free phrasebook-style course aimed at travelers and absolute beginners.
It teaches essential Basque survival phrases with simple illustrations, native speaker audio and interactive quizzes.
You can jump straight in without creating an account, which makes it a useful first stop before committing to a fuller Basque course.
What I like:
- Completely free with no signup required
- Clear native audio paired with visual illustrations
- Practical phrases for travel and everyday situations
- Quick, low-pressure way to start Basque from zero
What I don’t like:
- Very limited in scope and depth
- Zero grammar instruction
- Won’t take you beyond basic tourist-level phrases
3. Drops
Cost: Freemium (5 mins free/day) / Subscription model
Summary: Drops is a highly visual vocabulary app that pairs Basque words with custom illustrations.
Its fast-paced, game-like methodology focuses entirely on building a foundational lexicon without the stress of grammar rules.
It’s an engaging tool for absolute beginners who want to build up their basic word recognition.
What I like:
- Beautiful, intuitive visual interface
- Fast-paced micro-learning sessions
- Excellent for building foundational vocabulary
What I don’t like:
- Zero grammar instruction
- Free version is strictly limited in time
4. uTalk
Cost: Subscription model ($11.99/month) or one-time fee per language
Summary: uTalk focuses heavily on vocabulary building and pronunciation using interactive games and picture-matching quizzes.
It helps learners memorize practical Basque words and conversational phrases through authentic native speaker audio.
This tool is especially useful for travelers who need to learn basic greetings and standard vocabulary quickly.
What I like:
- Features real native speaker audio
- Playful memory games and quizzes
- Works fully offline
What I don’t like:
- Only covers vocabulary and basic phrases
- Doesn’t provide grammar explanations
5. Clozemaster
Cost: Free core features, Pro subscription available ($8.00/month)
Summary: Clozemaster utilizes fill-in-the-blank exercises to teach Basque vocabulary in the context of full sentences.
It’s designed to bridge the gap between beginner and intermediate stages by exposing learners to thousands of realistic sentence structures.
The retro video game aesthetic makes working through the mass amount of text quite engaging.
What I like:
- Contextual learning via sentences
- Fun, gamified retro interface
- Exposes learners to a massive amount of text
What I don’t like:
- Text-to-speech audio quality varies
- Assumes prior basic knowledge of the language
6. Ikasten (Ikasbil)
Cost: Free
Summary: Created by HABE, the Basque Government’s adult literacy organization, this portal offers free introductory courses like AISA.
It provides structured modules covering everyday situations, basic grammar, and Basque culture.
This is a great starting point for serious learners who want an official academic foundation.
What I like:
- Official Basque Government resource
- Comprehensive modules covering reading and listening
- Completely free to use
What I don’t like:
- Interface feels outdated
- Navigation can be confusing for non-Spanish/Basque speakers
7. italki
Cost: Pay per lesson (varies, typically $10-$25/hour)
Summary: italki connects learners with native Basque teachers and community tutors for personalized online video lessons.
The methodology is entirely customizable to the student’s needs, focusing on conversational fluency, specific grammar hurdles, or general practice.
Because you choose your tutor, the quality of instruction usually remains very high based on community reviews.
What I like:
- Personalized 1-on-1 tutoring
- Flexible scheduling to fit your routine
- Immediate conversational practice and feedback
What I don’t like:
- Cost varies heavily by tutor
- Requires booking and scheduling in advance
Check out this italki review.
8. BOGA
Cost: Course fee (depends on the affiliated Euskaltegi/Academy)
Summary: BOGA is a comprehensive, multimedia online Basque course designed for autonomous learning under the supervision of a tutor from a Basque language school.
It covers reading, writing, listening, and grammar thoroughly from A1 to C1 levels.
This option is suited for students seeking a formal, structured education path to mastery.
What I like:
- Follows the official European Framework curriculum
- Guided by certified tutors
- Progresses all the way to advanced levels (C1)
What I don’t like:
- Strict pacing and traditional academic structure
9. Memrise
Cost: Free (community courses), Premium subscription available
Summary: While Memrise doesn’t have an official Basque path, its vast library of user-created community courses offers excellent vocabulary decks.
The platform uses mnemonic flashcards and spaced repetition to help cement new words into long-term memory.
You can find courses tailored to specific textbooks or general thematic vocabulary lists.
What I like:
- Effective spaced repetition system
- Wide variety of user-generated content
- Great for rote memorization of vocabulary
What I don’t like:
- Quality varies widely by course
- No official, standardized Basque path available
Read this review of Memrise.
Summary: best online Basque courses
This pretty much sums up every decent online Basque course option currently available.
Basque is still a lesser-taught language isolate, so the best results usually come from combining a structured course with free official resources (like Ikasbil) and real conversation practice.
In addition to a Basque course, make sure you’re getting regular Basque practice with native speakers.
For that, italki is still the easiest way to find really inexpensive practice partners and tutors.
Just remember that even if you have all the courses on this list, you’ll still fail at Basque without the right motivation.
Even a poor Basque course can be effective in the hands of someone with the right amount of determination to succeed.
For tips on how to learn Basque and overcome various language learning struggles, subscribe below by ‘Joining the Guild’ (select Basque as your target language).
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