Travelling can be full of surprises. You may have packed everything you think you need for your Barcelona trip — swimsuits, towels, sandals, and your handy Spanish-English dictionary from high school. Unfortunately for you — while Spanish is one of the official languages, the first official language — and the one all the signs are in and the one people use — is Catalan. After all, you don’t want to be like Bart Simpson when he learned Spanish only to find out they speak Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro!
Don’t worry — we’ve got your back with this special Catalan phrasebook for your latest adventure!
Help With Language
I can’t speak Catalan [well]. — No parlo [bé] el català. (noh PAHR-loo [BEH] uhl kuh-tuH-LAH)
Do you speak English? — Que parla anglès? (kuh PAHR-luh uhn-GLEHS?)
Is there someone here who speaks English? — Que hi ha algú que parli anglès? (kuh yah uhl-GOO kuh PAHR-lee uhn-GLEHS?)
Please speak more slowly. — Si us plau, parli més a poc a poc. (see oos plow, par-lee mess a poke a poke)
Please repeat. — Si us plau repeteix. (see oos plow re-peh-taysh)
I don’t understand. — No ho entenc. (NOH oo UHN-tehng)
I understand. — Entenc. (UHN-tehng)
Common Words
Yes — Sí. (see)
No — No. (noh)
Excuse me (getting attention) — Dispensi./Disculpi. (dees-PEHN-see/dees-KOOL-pee)
Excuse me (begging pardon) — Perdoni. (puhr-THOH-nee)
I’m sorry — Ho sento. (oo SEHN-too) OR Em sap greu. (uhm sahp greh-oo)
Please — Si us plau. (see oos PLOW)
Thank you — Gràcies. (GRAH-syuhs) OR Mercès. (muhr-SEHS)
You’re welcome — De res. (duh rrehs)
How? — Com? (comb)
Where? — On? (ohn)
What? — Què? (kay?)
When? — Quan? (kwan?)
Who? — Qui? (kwee)
Why? — Per què? (per kay)
How much, how many? — Quant? (kwant)
What is this? — Què és això? (kay ess eye-show)
Really? — De debò? (day deb-BO)
It’s fine. — Està bé. (es-TA bay)
O.K./All right. — Tot bé. (tote bay)
I don’t know. — No ho sé. (no oh say)
I agree — Estic dacord (esteek da-code)
Basic Descriptions
It’s dangerous. — És perillós. (ess per-eee-yos)
beautiful — bonica (bo-NEE-ka)
delicious — deliciós (deh-lee-SYOHS)
wonderful — meravellós (mer-ra-vel-YOS)
hungry — famolenc (fam-oo-lenk)
thirsty — assedegat (ass-suh-de-gaht)
tired — cansat (can-saht)
Days Of The Week
today — avui (uh-BWEE)
yesterday — ahir (uh-EE)
tomorrow — demà (duh-MAH)
this week — aquesta setmana (uh-KEH-stuh saht-MAH-nuh)
last week — la setmana passada (luh saht-MAH-nuh pah-SAH-thuh)
next week — la setmana que ve (luh saht-MAH-nuh kuh beh)
Monday — Dilluns (dee-LYOONS)
Tuesday — Dimarts (dee-MAHRS)
Wednesday — Dimecres (dee-MEH-kruhs)
Thursday — Dijous (dee-ZHOH-oos)
Friday — Divendres (dee-BEHN-druhs)
Saturday — Dissabte (dee-SSAHP-tuh)
Sunday — Diumenge (dee-oo-MEHN-zhuh)
Greetings
Hello — Hola. (OH-lah).
Good morning. — Bon dia. (BOHN DEE-uh)
Good afternoon. — Bona tarda. (BOH-nuh TAHR-thuh)
Good evening (when it’s dark) — Bon vespre. (BOHM BEHS-pruh)
Good night. — Bona nit. (BOH-nuh neet)
How are you? — Com està? (kohm uhs-TAH?)
Fine, thank you. — Molt bé, gràcies. (mohl behh, GRAH-syuhs)
What is your name? — Com es diu? (kohm uhs THEE-oo?)
My name is ______ . — Em dic ______ . (uhm theek…)
Nice to meet you. — Molt de gust. (mohl thuh goos)
Goodbye — Adéu. (uh-THEH-oo) OR Adéu-siau. (uh-THEH-oo-syah-oo)
Requests
Where is the toilet? — On és el lavabo? (OHN ehhs uhl luh-BAH-boo?)
Can I use your phone? — Puc utilitzar el seu telèfon? (pook oo-tee-leet-ZAH uhl seh-oo tuh-LEH-foon?)
I need help. — Necessito la teva ajuda. (nuh-suh-SSEE-too luh TEH-buh uh-ZHOO-thuh)
It’s an emergency. — És una emergència. (Ehs OO-nuh uh-muhr-ZHEHN-syuh)
I’m lost. — Estic perdut/perduda. (man/woman). (EHS-teek puhr-THOOT/EHS-teek puhr-THOO-thuh)
Crime
Help! — Ajuda! Auxili! (uh-ZHOO-thuh! ow-KSEE-lee!)
Look out! — Estar atent! (es-STAR a-TENT)
Be careful! — Ves amb compte! (ves amb COMPT-tuh)
Fire! — Foc! (foh-k)
Leave me alone. — Deixa’m en pau! (DAY-shuhm uhn POW!)
Don’t touch me! — No em toquis! (nom-TOH-kees)
I’ll call the police. — Trucaré a la policia. (troo-kuh-REH luh poo-lee-SEE-uh)
Go away! — Desapareixerà! (des-sah-pah-ree-sher-RAH)
Don’t touch me! — No em toquis! (no em toh-kwees!)
I’ll call the police! — Vaig a trucar a la policia! (Va-ch a tru-CAR a la poo-lee-SEE-uh)
Police! — Policia! (poo-lee-SEE-uh)
Stop! Thief! — Al lladre! (ahl LLYAH-druh!)
I lost my bag. — He perdut la meva bossa. (eh puhr-THOOT luh MEH-buh BOH-ssuh)
I lost my wallet. — He perdut la meva cartera. (eh puhr-THOOT luh MEH-buh kuhr-TEH-ruh)
Medical
I’m sick. — Estic malalt/malalta (man/woman) (ehs-TEEK muh-LAHL/ehs-TEEK muh-LAHL-tuh)
I’ve been injured. — Estic ferit/ferida. (man/woman) (ehs-TEEK fuh-REET/fuh-REE-thuh)
I need a doctor. — Necessito un metge. (nuh-ssuh-SSEE-too oon MEHT-zhuh)
Directions
How much is a ticket to _____? — Quant val el bitllet per anar a _____? (kwahnt buhl uhl bee-LYEHT puhr uh-NAHR uh____?)
A single ticket to _____, please. — Un bitllet senzill a _____, si us plau. (oon bee-LYEHT suhn-ZEELY uh____, see oos PLOW)
A return ticket to _____, please. — Un bitllet d’anada i tornada a ____, si us plau. (oon bee-LYEHT duh-NAH-duh ee toor-NAH-duh uh_____, see oos PLOW)
Where does this train/bus go? — A on va, aquest tren/autobus? (uh ohn bah, uh-KEHST trehn/ow-too-BOOS?)
Where is the train/bus to _____? — On és el tren/autobus que va a _____? (ohn EHS uhl trehn/ow-too-BOOS kuh bah uh_____?)
Does this train/bus stop in _____? — Aquest tren/autobus para a _____? (uh-KEHST trehn/ow-too-BOOS PAH-ruh uh_____?)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave? — Quan marxa, el tren/autobus que va a _____? (kwahn MAHR-shuh, uhl trehn/ow-too-BOOS kuh bah uh_____?)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____? — Quan arribarà aquest tren/autobus a _____? (kwahn uh-rree-buh-RAH uh-KEHST trehn/ow-too-BOOS uh____?)
How do I get to _____ ? — Com ho faig per arribar a_____ ? (kohm oo FAHCH puhr ah-rree-BAHR uh____?)
…the train station? — …a l’estació de tren? (ah lehs-tah-SYOH theh trehn? )
…the bus station? — …a l’estació d’autobusos? (ah lehs-tah-SYOH dow-too-BOOS?)
…the closest bus stop? — …la parada més pròxima? (luh pah-RAH-duh mehs PROH-ksee-muh?)
…the airport? — …a l’aeroport? (ah luh-eh-ROH-pohrt?)
…downtown? — …al centre? (uhl THEHN-treh?)
…the _____ hotel? — …a l’hotel _____? (uh LOH-tehl____?)
Can you show me on the map? — Pots indicar-me al mapa? (pohts een-DEE-kahr-me uhl MAH-puh?)
street — carrer (KAHR-reh)
road — carretera (kahr-REH-teh-ruh)
avenue — avinguda (ah-been-GOO-duh)
highway — autopista (ow-toh-PEES-tuh)
boulevard — bulevard (boo-LEH-vahrd)
Turn left. — Tomba a l’esquerra. (TOHM-bah uh lehs-KEHR-ruh)
Turn right. — Tomba a la dreta. (TOHM-bah uh lah DREH-tah)
left — esquerra (ehs-KEH-rruh)
right — dreta (DREH-tuh)
straight ahead — endavant (ehn-DAH-bahnt)
towards the_____ — cap a_____ (cuhp ah_____)
past the_____ — després de_____ (dehs-PREHS deh____)
before the_____ — abans de_____ (uh-BAHNS deh____)
Watch for the_____. — Vigila el/la/els/les _____. (bee-ZHEE-luh ehl/luh/ehls/lehs____.)
intersection — intersecció (een-tehr-sehk-THYOH)
north — nord (nohrd)
south — sud (sood)
east — est (ehst)
west — oest (OH-ehst)
Flirting
Can I have a cigarette? – Puc tenir una cigarreta? (pook ten-ear un-a sig-ah-RET-ta)
Can I buy you a drink? – Puc comprar un glop? (pook com-PRAR un glohp)
Can I have your telephone number? — Puc tenir el seu número de telèfon? (pook ten-ear el su-ay noo-meh-ro dey tel-LEH-fohn?)
Let’s go eat together. — Anem a dinar junts. (a-NEM a dee-NAR shoonts)
You are handsome. – Ets guapo. (ets gwah-po)
You look sexy. – Veure sexy. (VAY-ruh sexy)
You have beautiful eyes. – Tens uns ulls preciosos. (tens uns ools preh-SHE-oh-sohs)
You have a nice smile. — Té un bonic somriure. (tay un boh-neek SOHM-REE-ur-eh)
What’s your HIV status? – Quin és el seu estat de VIH? (kwin ess el su-ay es-TAT de vay eye ee-shay-ach)
We must use a condom. — Cal fer servir un condó. (cal fer SER-veer un COHN-do)
We should use a condom. — Hem de fer servir un condó. (hem de fer SER-veer un COHN-do)
Can I see you again? – Puc veure’t de nou? (pook vair-et de noh)
(Featured image via Don McCullough/Flickr)
