Basic Words and Phrases in Catalan
About Catalan
Catalan is a Romance language spoken mainly in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain, as well as parts of France, the Balearic Islands and Valencia. It is also used by Catalan-speaking communities around the world. Catalan is of Vulgar Latin origin and shares similarities with other Romance languages such as Spanish, French and Italian. It has its own unique grammar and vocabulary. Catalan uses the Latin alphabet with some additional characters and diacritics. It has a rich literary tradition that is an integral part of Catalan culture and identity and strives to preserve and promote the language.
Basic Words and Phrases
Learning a foreign language opens up a world of opportunities, allowing you to connect with people from different cultures and expand your horizons. Whether you're planning a trip or simply curious about a new language, mastering some basic words and phrases is a great place to start.
| Yes | Sí |
|---|---|
| No | No |
| Please | Per favor |
| Yes, please | Si, si us plau |
| No, thank you | No, gràcies |
| Thanks | Gràcies |
| Thank you | Gràcies |
| Thank you very much | Moltes gràcies |
| You're welcome | Benvingut |
| No problem | Cap problema |
| Excuse me | Perdó |
| I’m sorry | Ho sento |
| Sorry | Ho sento |
| Cheers! | Salut! |
| Okay | D'acord |
Greetings
Greetings are an essential part of any language. Saying "hello" and "goodbye" can create an instant connection with native speakers. In many languages, "hello" is a universal term, but learning the specific greeting for the language you're interested in can show respect and appreciation. Similarly, learning how to say "goodbye" will help you leave a positive impression.
| Hi | Hola |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hola |
| Good morning | Bon dia |
| Good afternoon | Bona tarda |
| Good evening | Bona tarda |
| Good night | Bona nit |
| Goodbye | Adéu |
| See you later! | Fins després! |
| Have a nice day! | Que tinguis un bon dia! |
| Bye | Adéu |
Conversations
Next, let's explore basic conversation starters. Asking "how are you?" or "what's your name?" in another language is a friendly way to engage with others. These simple phrases can pave the way for more meaningful conversations and help you build rapport.
| How are you? | Com està (vostè)? (frm) Com estàs? (inf) |
|---|---|
| I'm fine | Estic bé |
| Good, thank you! | Bé, gràcies! |
| And you? | I tu? |
| Nice to meet you! | Encantada de coneixe't! (f) Encantat de conèixer-te! (m) |
| Pleased to meet you! | Plaer de coneixe't! |
| What is your name? | Com es diu (vostè)? (frm) Com et dius? (inf) |
| My name is … | Em dic ... |
| Where are you from? | D'on ets? |
| I am from … | Jo sóc de... |
| I don't speak Catalan | No parlo català |
| Do you speak English? | Parles anglès? (frm) Parles anglès? (inf) |
| I understand | Entenc |
| I do not understand | No ho entenc |
| I like it | M'agrada |
| I don't like it | No m'agrada |
| How is the weather today? | Com és el temps avui? |
| Can you recommend any local attractions? | Pots recomanar algunes atraccions locals? |
Hotel
When staying at a hotel in a foreign country, it's helpful to be familiar with some phrases that can assist you during your stay. Here are a few key phrases you can use in a hotel.
| Hotel | Hotel |
|---|---|
| Reception | Recepció |
| Reservation | Reserva |
| Hotel room | Habitació d'hotel |
| Key | Clau |
| Breakfast | Esmorzar |
| I have a reservation | Tinc una reserva |
| I would like to book a room | Voldria reservar una habitació |
| Do you have any rooms available? | Teniu habitacions disponibles? |
Restaurant
When dining at restaurants in a foreign country, it's helpful to know phrases that can assist you during your meal. Being able to request a table, order food and drinks, and ask for the bill are important for a pleasant dining experience.
| Restaurant | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Menu | Menú |
| A table for one, please | Una taula per a una persona, si us plau |
| A table for two, please | Una taula per a dues persones, si us plau |
| I would like a coffee, please | Voldria un cafè, si us plau |
| Enjoy your meal! | Bon profit! |
| Can I have the bill, please? | Em pot portar el compte, si us plau? |
| Can you bring me the bill, please? | Em pot portar el compte, si us plau? |
| I would like to pay, please | Voldria pagar, si us plau |
| The bill, please | El compte, si us plau |
| Can I pay with cash? | Puc pagar en efectiu? |
| Can I pay with card? | Puc pagar amb targeta? |
| Can I pay with credit card? | Puc pagar amb targeta de crèdit? |
| Could you suggest something for me? | Em podríeu suggerir alguna cosa? |
| Can I have a glass of water, please? | Em pots posar un got d'aigua, si us plau? |
| Do you have any local specialties? | Teniu alguna especialitat local? |
Food and drinks
Being able to order food and drinks, ask for recommendations, and express preferences or dietary restrictions will enhance your dining experience and allow you to explore the local cuisine.
| Breakfast | Esmorzar |
|---|---|
| Lunch | Dinar |
| Dinner | Sopar |
| Food | Menjar |
| Drinks | Begudes |
| Bread | Pa |
| Sandwich | Entrepà |
| Cheese | Formatge |
| Meat | Carn |
| Fish | Peix |
| Vegetables | Verdures |
| Fruit | Fruita |
| Vegetarian | Vegetarià |
| I am a vegetarian | Sóc vegetarian |
| Coffee | Cafè |
| Tea | Tè |
| Beer | Cervesa |
| Wine | Vi |
| Juice | Suc |
| Water | Aigua |
| Milk | Llet |
| Dessert | Postres |
| Salad | Amanida |
| Soup | Sopa |
Places and Services
Just like how saying hello helps you connect with others, exploring phrases related to locations and services can greatly enhance your travel experience. Whether you're looking for important places like banks or post offices, these expressions can open up doors to immersing yourself in the local culture.
| ATM | Caixer automàtic |
|---|---|
| Bank | Banc |
| Beach | Platja |
| Library | Biblioteca |
| Museum | Museu |
| Park | Parc |
| Pharmacy | Farmàcia |
| Post Office | Oficina de correus |
| School | Escola |
| Tourist Information | Informació turística |
Shopping
Knowing how to ask for the price, request a different size or color, or simply say "I'm just looking" can be useful when shopping in local markets or stores.
| Store | Botiga |
|---|---|
| Supermarket | Supermercat |
| Grocery store | Botiga d'aliments |
| Market | Mercat |
| Bakery | Fleca |
| Bookstore | Llibreria |
| How much does this cost? | Quant costa això? |
| Can I get a receipt? | Puc tenir un rebut? |
| I'm just looking | Només estic mirant |
| Sunglasses | Ulleres de sol |
| Umbrella | Paraigua |
Directions
Learning phrases related to asking for directions, understanding common landmarks, and getting around the city will help you navigate unfamiliar places with ease.
| Where is the toilet? | On és el lavabo? |
|---|---|
| Where is the beach? | On és la platja? |
| How do I get to the airport? | Com puc arribar a l'aeroport? |
| Left | Esquerra |
| Right | Dreta |
| Straight ahead | Tot recte |
| Is it far from here? | És lluny d'aquí? |
| Can you show it on the map? | Pots mostrar-ho al mapa? |
| How long does it take to walk there? | Quánt temps es tarda a peu? |
Transport
Familiarizing yourself with phrases for using public transportation, such as asking for a ticket, stating your destination, or inquiring about schedules, will make your travel experience smoother and more efficient.
| Airport | Aeroport |
|---|---|
| Plane | Avió |
| Train station | Estació de tren |
| Train | Tren |
| Bus station | Parada d'autobús |
| Bus | Autobús |
| Taxi | Taxi |
| Ticket | Bitllet |
| Can I get a ticket to Barcelona? | Puc comprar un bitllet per a Barcelona? |
| I would like a ticket to Barcelona | Voldria un bitllet a Barcelona |
| I need a ticket to Barcelona | Necessito un bitllet per a Barcelona |
| A ticket to Barcelona, please | Un bitllet per a Barcelona, si us plau |
| What time is the next train to Barcelona? | A quina hora és el pròxim tren cap a Barcelona? |
| When is the next train to Barcelona? | Quan és el pròxim tren cap a Barcelona? |
| When does the next train to Barcelona leave? | Quan surt el proper tren cap a Barcelona |
Emergencies
When you're in a different country, it's really important to be aware of emergency phrases such as 'help,' 'hospital,' and 'police.' Using expressions like 'emergency' and 'I need help' can help you overcome language barriers and make sure you're ready for any unexpected situations that might occur. Having a good grasp of these phrases will help keep you safe and give you peace of mind while traveling.
| Help! | Ajuda! |
|---|---|
| Help me! | Ajuda'm! |
| I need help | Necessito ajuda |
| I need assistance | Necessito assistència |
| I need a doctor | Necessito un metge |
| Police | Policia |
| Police Station | Comissaria de policia |
| Hospital | Hospital |
| Ambulance | Ambulància |
| Doctor | Metge |
| Fire department | Bombers |
| Fire! | Foc! |
Time
Effortlessly asking and telling the time enhances your travel experience, from coordinating schedules to catching transportation, adding a valuable layer to your linguistic toolkit for effective communication during your stay.
| What time is it? | Quina hora és? |
|---|---|
| It is one o'clock | És la una |
| It is half past two | Són les dues i mitja |
| Morning | Matí |
| Afternoon | Tarda |
| Evening | Vespre |
| Night | Nit |
| Today | Avui |
| Tomorrow | Demà |
| Yesterday | Ahir |
Numbers
Learning numbers is essential for tasks like counting, ordering quantities, or understanding prices.
| Zero | Zero |
|---|---|
| One | Un |
| Two | Dos |
| Three | Tres |
| Four | Quatre |
| Five | Cinc |
| Six | Sis |
| Seven | Set |
| Eight | Vuit |
| Nine | Nou |
| Ten | Deu |
| Eleven | Onze |
| Twelve | Dotze |
| Thirteen | Tretze |
| Fourteen | Catorze |
| Fifteen | Quinze |
| Sixteen | Setze |
| Seventeen | Disset |
| Eighteen | Divuit anys |
| Nineteen | Dinou |
| Twenty | Vint |
| Twenty-one | Vint-i-u |
| Twenty-two | Vint-i-dos |
| Twenty-three | Vint-i-tres |
| Twenty-four | Vint-i-quatre |
| Twenty-five | Vint-i-cinc |
| Twenty-six | Vint-i-sis |
| Twenty-seven | Vint-i-set |
| Twenty-eight | Vint-i-vuit |
| Twenty-nine | Vint-i-nou |
| Thirty | Trenta |
| Forty | Quaranta |
| Fifty | Cinquanta |
| Sixty | Seixanta |
| Seventy | Setanta |
| Eighty | Vuitanta |
| Ninety | Noranta |
| Hundred | Cent |
| Two hundred | Dos-cents |
| One thousand | Mil |
| Two thousand | Dos mil |
| Three thousand | Tres mil |
| Hundred thousand | Cent mil |
| Million | Mil·lió |
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers play a crucial role in conveying sequence and order. Whether you're navigating travel itineraries, selecting seats, or exploring historical sites, understanding expressions like 'first,' 'second,' and so on is essential.
| First | Primer |
|---|---|
| Second | Segon |
| Third | Tercer |
| Fourth | Quart |
| Fifth | Cinquè |
| Sixth | Sisè |
| Seventh | Setè |
| Eighth | Vuitè |
| Ninth | Novè |
| Tenth | Desè |
| Eleventh | Onzè |
| Twelfth | Dotzè |
| Thirteenth | Tretzè |
| Fourteenth | Catorzè |
| Fifteenth | Quinzè |
| Sixteenth | Setzè |
| Seventeenth | Dissetè |
| Eighteenth | Divuitè |
| Nineteenth | Dinouè |
| Twentieth | Vintè |
Days of the week
Knowing the names of the days of the week will help you schedule activities, make appointments, or plan your itinerary.
| Monday | Dilluns |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Dimarts |
| Wednesday | Dimecres |
| Thursday | Dijous |
| Friday | Divendres |
| Saturday | Dissabte |
| Sunday | Diumenge |
Months
Being familiar with the names of the months will allow you to discuss dates, make reservations, or talk about specific time frames.
| January | Gener |
|---|---|
| February | Febrer |
| March | Març |
| April | Abril |
| May | Maig |
| June | Juny |
| July | Juliol |
| August | Agost |
| September | Setembre |
| Oktober | Octubre |
| November | Novembre |
| December | Desembre |
Question Words
Understanding basic question words like who, what, where, when, why, and how will enable you to ask for information or clarification in various situations.
| What? | Què? |
|---|---|
| What do you need? | Què necessites? |
| What do you like? | Què t'agrada? |
| Where? | On? |
| Where is the toilet? | On és el lavabo? |
| When? | Quan? |
| When is the next train? | Quan és el pròxim tren? |
| When can we meet? | Quan podem quedar-nos? |
| Why? | Per què? |
| Why is it expensive? | Per què és car? |
| How? | Com? |
| How would you like to pay? | Com voldries pagar? |
| Which? | Quin? (m) Quina? (f) |
| Which museum did you visit? | Quin museu has visitat? |
| Which museums did you visit? | Quins museus has visitat? |
| Which one of these is your car? | Quin d'aquests és el teu cotxe? |
| Who? | Qui? |
| Who is that? | Qui és aquest |
| Who is your travel companion? | Qui és el teu company de viatge? |
| Whose? | De qui? |
| Whose phone is ringing? | De qui és el telèfon que sona? |
| Whose bag is this? | De qui és aquesta bossa? |
| How many? | Quant/es? |
| How many people were at the concert? | Quantes persones hi havia al concert? |
| How much? | Quant? |
| How much does this cost? | Quant costa això? |
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Hey there! I'm Rainier and I'm the person behind Roaming with Rainier. I've always been really into traveling and photography. I've been fortunate enough to visit incredible destinations and there are still so many more on my bucket list. My plan is to explore breathtaking places around the world and share my experiences through articles and reviews.
Abdulaziz
I am Abdulaziz from Saudi Arabia. I want to learn the Catalan language