Spanish word

catalán

Pronunciation

IPA/kataˈlan/

Meaning

  • masculine nounCatalan language

Example

¿Hablas catalán?

Do you speak Catalan?

Illustration for catalán (Catalan language)

More examples

En Barcelona muchas personas hablan catalán en la calle.

In Barcelona many people speak Catalan in the street.

Core concept

Regional Iberian Romance language with distinct phonetic and lexical features in northeastern Spain.

Common phrases

  • hablar catalán

    speak Catalan

  • clases de catalán

    Catalan classes

  • saber catalán

    know Catalan

Similar words

idioma: Language spoken in a country or geographical region.
lengua: Language shared and used within a particular community or social group.

Definition in Spanish

Idioma usado por los catalanes, perteneciente al grupo de las lenguas romances ibéricas y con rasgos léxicos y fonéticos propios.

Word origin

Derived from medieval Latin catalānus meaning 'from Catalonia', a demonym that gradually extended to designate the language.

Usage tips

  • Common Spanish collocations are 'hablar catalán' and 'saber catalán' to say someone speaks the language, often without a preposition.

Other meanings

  • Catalanadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word