Learn Catalan

The 5 questions you are probably asking yourself before starting to learn Catalan

1. Is Catalan similar to Spanish or completely different?

Catalan is an independent language, but it does share similarities with Spanish as they both belong to the Romance language family. However, it is not a dialect of Spanish and has distinct characteristics:

• Similarities: Catalan and Spanish share some vocabulary and grammatical structures due to their Latin roots. For example, basic words like casa (house) or sol (sun) are identical in both languages.
• Differences: Catalan has its own phonetics, vocabulary, and syntax that distinguish it from Spanish. It also shares features with French and Italian, making it somewhat of a bridge between these languages. For instance, the Catalan word nit (night) is closer to French (nuit) than to Spanish (noche).

Conclusion: If you know Spanish, learning Catalan might feel easier, but you’ll quickly notice the unique identity of Catalan as a language. It is neither a dialect of Spanish nor completely different, but rather a distinct language with its own history and cultural significance.

2. Is Catalan closer to Spanish or French?

Catalan is an independent language, but it lies somewhere between Spanish and French. It shares sounds and grammatical constructions with Spanish, but many words and expressions are closer to French.

3. Do I need to speak Catalan to live in Catalonia?

Although Spanish is widely spoken in Catalonia, knowing Catalan can greatly enrich your experience. It shows respect for the local culture and helps with integration, especially in schools, public services, and cultural events.

If you have children who go to school, you won't even have much of a choice: in most public schools (except in Barcelona), classes are in Catalan. So if you don't learn this language, you won't be able to keep up with your children's schooling.

4. Where can I learn Catalan?

You can learn Catalan at language schools, universities. Apps like Duolingo or Memrise also offer Catalan courses, although their content might be limited. But the best course by far is the one we offer: How to learn Catalan in 6 months. It gives far better results than any other course, because it's both concrete in its content, rich in information (grammar, culture, etc.) and fun in its method.

5. Is Catalan useful outside Catalonia?

Yes, Catalan is spoken in several regions: Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community (as Valencian), Andorra (where it is the official language), parts of southern France (Roussillon), and Italy (Sardinia, Alghero). If you travel or work in these areas, Catalan is definitely an asset.

How to learn Catalan by yourself? Start with an easy and free online course!

We have adopted an objective and efficient approach to learn how to speak a language easily and quickly: we suggest you to start by memorizing words, phrases and practical expressions that you can use in everyday life and that will be useful when traveling.
Getting used to pronounce words out loud, numbers for instance, is an easy exercise that you can often practice and at anytime throughout the day.

It will help you to get used to the sounds of your chosen language and thus make it more familiar.
And once your holidays have begun in Catalonia, Andorra or elsewhere, you will be surprised how familiar and easy to understand it will seem.

Furthermore, using a pocket dictionary is always useful, particularly during a trip. It enables you to find the translation of new words and enrich your vocabulary.

Why speak Catalan while traveling?

Your next destination must fulfill your desires for culture, gastronomy and... Celebration? Discover the "Catalan Countries", their language and culture! Sublime beaches, artistic riches and gourmet gastronomy
Spoken by more than 10 million people, Catalan is one of the languages of the European Union. 

One of the regions where the language is spoken is Catalonia, which has been one of the regions which make up the "Four Motors for Europe" since 1988, and is Spain's number one tourist destination thanks to the attractions of Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona, to name but a few.

Visiting the region, art lovers will discover the works of important figures from the art world, including Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Antoni Gaudí. Important masterpieces of the latter can be visited in the area, such as Park Güell, Palazzo Güell, Casa Milà, the façade of the Nativity and the crypt of the Sagrada Família. 

The language will be an asset for those who want to enjoy the architectural splendor of Valencia or the charm of the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca and Ibiza, with their famous beaches, caves and festivals. 

Make a success of your stay in Catalonia

Whether you are going to spend a few days with friends for a leisure trip or if you are on a business trip, nothing will be more useful to you than to be able to slip a few words in the language of your interlocutors, who will appreciate your effort and will be certainly more willing to help.

How to succeed in having good pronunciation within a week to a month?

Coming from Vulgar Latin, Catalan is spoken in the regions of the ancient territories of Aragon, today between Spain, France, Andorra and Italy. 
Among the most remarkable phonetic features: 
The H is always silent
The M and N do not lead to a nasalization of the preceding vowel
The NY is a palatal N that is pronounced like the French GN, the Portuguese or Occitan NH, or the Castilian Ñ.
We invite you to listen to the pronunciation of the letters by clicking on the following link: Catalan alphabet with audio.

How do you quickly identify whether a text is in Catalan or Castilian (Spanish)?

When you live in Catalonia and speak neither Spanish nor Catalan, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two languages.

Here are some key points to look for:

• Definite Articles
  • Catalan: el, la, els, les
  • Castilian: el, la, los, las
  • If you see els or les, it’s Catalan.
• Personal Pronouns
  • Catalan: jo, tu, ell, nosaltres, vosaltres, ells
  • Castilian: yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos
  • For example, jo instead of yo indicates Catalan.
• Verb Conjugations
  • Catalan Present Tense Endings: -o, -es, -a, -em, -eu, -en (e.g., parlo, parles, parlem)
  • Castilian Present Tense Endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an (e.g., hablo, hablas, hablamos)
  • If you see parlem, it’s Catalan; hablamos is Castilian.
• Accents and Special Characters
  • Catalan:
    • Grave accents: à, è, ò (e.g., mà, finestra, poble).
    • The ç (cedilla): façana, cançons.
  • Castilian:
    • Uses ñ (e.g., señor, cañón).
    • Only acute accents: á, é, í, ó, ú.
• Vocabulary Differences
  • Certain words are distinct:
  • Catalan: adéu (goodbye), plaça (square), molt (a lot).
  • Castilian: adiós, plaza, mucho.
• Sentence Structure
  • Catalan often has structures or words closer to French or Italian, while Castilian follows its own specific patterns.

By combining these clues, you can quickly determine whether a text is in Catalan or Castilian.