Fewer and fewer Euskera users in the Northern Basque Country, according to the recent socio-linguistic survey. In 2016, 8.1% of Spanish speakers were more or less, while in 2021 they were less. The vast majority always do so in Spanish (78.5%) and the smallest group is those who do less in Basque than in Spanish, as only one in a hundred do so.

However, there is some hope in the age range. In fact, the only age group that has increased since 2011 in cases where the Basque country has become more or less Spanish is 16 to 24 hours. The one that falls the most is those over 65, which goes from 16.6 to 9.4.

The proportion of Euskaldunes has decreased, but not too much. 20.5% in 2016, compared to 20.1% today.

In the most Euskaldunes, Lower Navarra and Zuberoa, they are less Euskaldunes than before. In recent years the decline has not been significant, but from 2001 to 2021 has dropped by 13.4 points. However, more and more young people know Euskera. Linguistic competence has increased by 2.6 points over the last five years.

Trend

Those who have Euskera as the first language are less and less; in the last five years the figure has dropped almost two points, from 15.9 to 13. There are many who, together with the Basque Country, have another as the first language. For example, ten years ago between 16 and 24, 5.7% had as first language Basque and Spanish, and 7.7% only Basque. According to the latest data, 11.1% have two languages as the first, and only 3.7.

There are also significant changes in the knowledge of Euskera. Between 2001 and 2021, Euskaldunzaharras fell from 82% to 60%. Original bilingual subjects 11% to 22% and Euskaldunberris 7% to 17%.

Among those who have both Basque parents, fewer and fewer are receiving Euskera and more Euskera and Castilian. This trend is remarkable in younger generations, with 63% of the age groups that have received only the Basque of these parents, but most of them over 50 years of age. Among people aged 16 to 34, only 49% and those who have received both languages 27%, 11 points above the average. The two Basque parents who have only received Spanish are one in five.

In education, there have also been fewer people who have prioritized Euskera in recent years. In 2011 it was 18.6% and 10 years later 16.5%. On the contrary, the number of students in schools using Basque and French has increased, while those who only study in French are less.

Territory

The most worrying area of use is the BAM area, comprising Baiona, Anglet and Biarritz (Lapurdi). In this area, nine out of ten do so in Spanish. In Baja Navarra and Zuberoa almost half of the population does it always in Spanish, but the other half uses Euskera more or less frequently.