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Language Tips
In the Catalan region locals may speak only Catalan, only Spanish, or be bilingual or trilingual. For the most part you'll get along just fine without knowing any of these words. But, if you want to practice speaking the local language this is a good place to start. The most common phrases to know, in my opinion, are bon dia (good morning) and adeu (goodbye), gracies (thanks), perdo (pardon), la bossa (grocery bag), and knowing your coins and bills.
English | Catalan | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
Hello | Hola | Hola | oh-lah |
Goodbye | Adéu! | Adiós! | ah-dew / ah-dee-os |
Thank you | Gràcies / Merci | Gracias | grah-syis / mer-see / grah-thyas |
Please | Si us plau | Por favor | see-oos-plau / por-fa-vor |
Sorry / Excuse me | Perdó! | ¡Perdón! | per-doh |
Do you speak English? | Parles anglès? | ¿Hablas inglés? | par-les an-gless / ah-blas een-gless |
I don’t understand | No ho entenc | No entiendo | noh oo en-tenk / no en-tee-en-doh |
Can you help me? | Em pots ajudar? | ¿Puedes ayudarme? | em pots ah-joo-dar / poo-eh-des ah-yoo-dar-meh |
Where is…? | On és…? | ¿Dónde está…? | on es / don-day es-tah |
How much does this cost? | Quant costa això? | ¿Cuánto cuesta esto? | kwan kos-tah ah-show / kwan-to kwes-tah es-toh |
A beer please | Una cervesa si us plau | Una cerveza por favor | oo-na ser-vay-zah see oos plau / oo-na ser-vay-zah por fa-vor |
I would like… | Voldria… | Quisiera… | vol-dree-ah / kee-see-eh-rah |
The bill, please | El compte, si us plau | La cuenta, por favor | el komp-teh see oos plau / la kwen-tah por fa-vor |
I am going to… | Vaig a… | Voy a… | vahge ah / voy ah |
Where is the bathroom? | On és el lavabo? | ¿Dónde está el baño? | on es el la-bah-boo / don-day es-tah el ban-yo |
Help! | Ajuda! | ¡Ayuda! | ah-joo-dah / ah-yoo-dah |
My name is… | Em dic… | Me llamo… | em deek / meh yah-moh |
more | mes (mehs) | mas | |
less | menys | menos | |
shopping bag | la bossa or la bossa de la compra | bolsa |
Money | Amount | Catalan | Spanish |
|---|---|---|---|
coins | 1 cent | un/una | uno/una |
coins | 2 cent | dos/dues | dos |
coins | 5 cent | cinc | cinco |
coins | 10 cent | deu (deoo) | diez |
coins | 20 cent | vint | viente |
coins | 50 cent | cinquanta | cincuenta |
coins | 1 euro coin | un | uno |
coins | 2 euro coin | dos | dos |
bills | 5 euro | cinc | cinco |
bills | 10 euro | deu | diez |
bills | 20 euro | vint | veinte |
bills | 50 euro | cinquanta | cincuenta |
bills | 100 euro | cent (sent) | cien |
bills | 200 euro | dos-cents | doscientos |
bills | 500 euro | cinc-cents | quientos |
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