Basic guide to Catalan for foreigners

In northeastern Spain you will find the region that for many people represents modern and artistic Spain and this is a basic guide to Catalan for foreigners.

Catalonia is a special region with its own language, culture and identity.

Catalan for foreigners

Castilian and Catalan are co-official languages in Catalonia, but many of its inhabitants speak Catalan.

If you are going to travel to this region and want to learn some basic phrases or words of this language, here we offer you this basic guide of Catalan for foreigners. A couple of phrases you might want to know are:

Greetings day, evening and night

Yes, hello, as in Spanish, means "hello." That's the basic all-purpose greeting, but you can also be more specific if you wish.

"Bon dia" is used as a good morning. After that, you will hear: "Bona tarda o bon vespre", which means good afternoon. And finally, "Bona nit," which means good night.

And to say goodbye, "Adéu" means goodbye. The phrase: "Com estàs?" means how are you? and to answer you will say: "Molt bé", which means very well. To be even more polite, you can add: "I tu? ", which means what about you?".

When it comes to being grateful, answering "Moltes gràcies" means manythanks.

"Un cafè amb llet, si us plau" means "A latte, please." "Si usplau" is "please". In summer people like to order "amb gel" means "with ice".

You can also want "sucre", which means sugar, or the coffee to be "Decaf", decaffeinated. Another drink you could ask for is "Aigua", which means water.

Other phrases are:

• Ho sento - I'm sorry.
• Tinc al-lèrgia a... - I'm allergic to...
• Parles castellà? - Do you speak Spanish?
• How is diu in Catalan...? - How do you say it in Catalan...?
• Salut! - Cheers!

Enjoy the culture of Catalonia

Catalonia has some beautiful mountainous regions and the coastal mountains are particularly impressive.

Why not go to the village of Cadaqués and take a walk along Cape Creus? You will enjoy a challenging coastline with cliffs, coves and islets.

With the local cuisine you can experience the cultural richness of the region. Not for nothing was El Bulli named the best restaurant in the world for many years before it closed.

So surprise yourself with delicious combinations of fish, meat, tomato, olive oil and garlic.

A variety of cultural highlights can be seen with the help of this basic guide to Catalan for foreigners, the archaeological treasures of Tarraco, the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres and not forgetting the incredible historic city of Girona.

From football fans to lovers of Antoni Gaudí, everyone wants Catalonia at least once in their lives.

Visit the Pedrera-Casa Milà and the Basilica of the Holy Family and immerse yourself in the omnipresent Catalan modernism. Staying in a house or apartment in Spain makes everything possible. If you come to Barcelona, you can contact us and we will help you settle in the city.

Places to visit in Catalonia

Renting a country house or apartment in Spain gives you the opportunity to get to know this special region, as well as the basic guide to Catalan for foreigners.

The coast of Catalonia is 600 km long and the Costa Brava is perhaps the most famous part of it. The coast is known for its rocks and rugged appearance.

At the same time, you can also explore famous and beautiful coastal resorts such as Blanes and Lloret de Mar.

These focus on a combination of sun, sea, beach and entertainment, but the Costa Brava also has many smaller bays that offer a sample of peace, tranquility and space.

South of Barcelona is the Costa del Garraf, with the quiet Sitges as the best known tourist reference and the Costa Dorada, with iconic sites such as Ampolla and Salou.

Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric of Pexels

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