Learn Catalan (1) | Slow Catalan phrases for beginners
Catalan is an important language in the European Union, with more speakers than Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Greek, Czech and Hungarian. Unfortunately, it still does not have the institutional support it deserves, and in spite of the difficulties, today it is alive and kicking thanks to the people that love it. Since there is an increasing number of people all over the world who start studying this beautiful and interesting Latin language, here is a Youtube channel by Laura Homs we strongly recommend: Couch Polyglot (click here to visit the channel)
Couch Polyglots
Catalan evolved from Vulgar Latin in the Middle Ages around the eastern Pyrenees. Nineteenth-century Spain saw a Catalan literary revival,culminating in the early 1900s.
Since the Spanish transition to democracy (1975–1982), Catalan has been institutionalized as an official language, language of education, and language of mass media; all of which have contributed to its increased prestige. In Catalonia, there is an unparalleled large bilingual European non-state linguistic community.
As the channel information reads: Welcome, Willkommen, Bienvenu, Bienvenido, benvingut, benvenuto, Добро пожаловать! This channel is all about language learning. You will find useful tips and challenges, as well as learning material for Spanish, Catalan and German. The videos are in different languages and all non-English videos include subtitles. The Spanish and Catalan videos also include a transcription so that you can read along if needed. Have fun and hope to see you around. Do you want to know more about me? You can find me on Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/user/laura-homs-2/
Today, 02-02-2020, is a palyndrome day. A palindromic number is a number that remains the same when its digits are reversed. Catalans have a special name for this type of number: capicua (pronunced [ka.piˈku.a], it means literally, “headandtail” written together).
Capicua in English, French and Spanish
Capicua in English is a Palindromic number and in French a Nombre palindrome .
Finally, the word of Catalan origin Capicua became popular in Spanish, just by adding an accent on the letter u, that is to say, Capicúa, and then the word was added to the RAE dictionary. Now capicúa is widely used in Spanish, too.
Top Catalan Sayings and Proverbs translated to English
Here is a list of the most important and widespread Catalan Sayings and proverbs, which are sentences that convey the collective wisdom of our forefathers and have been passed down to successive generations over the years. While a saying is a familiar expression that is often repeated, a proverb is a type of saying that contains a piece of advice or simply contains truth or a value. We will provide a literal, word-by-word, translation as well as the closest equivalent saying and proverb in English and French. There is an audio recording of every expression too, so that you can learn how to pronounce them.
✪ Qui no s’arrisca, no pisca ✪
Nothing ventured, nothing lost pronunciation in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: He who doesn’t take risks, doesn’t grab (anything).
English closest equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
✪ Com més serem, més riurem ✪
The more the merrier in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: The more we will be, the more we will laugh.
English equivalent: The more, the merrier.
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏿🧑🤝🧑🧑🏻🤝🧑🏽 🧑🏿🤝🧑🏿🧑🤝🧑🧑🏻🤝🧑🏽
✪ A poc a poc i bona lletra ✪
The more haste, the less speed in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: slowly and neat handwriting.
English equivalent: The more haste, the worse speed / More haste, less speed.
✍✍✍✍✍ ✍
✪ De mica en mica, s’omple la pica ✪
Many a little, makes a little in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: Bit by bit, one fills the sink.
English equivalents (depending on the context): Many a little makes a mickle, Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves or Constant dripping wears away the stone. In French: Petit à petit, loiseau fait son nid (literally, little by little the bird makes its nest).
🚰🚰🚰🚰🚰🚰
✪ Si vols estar ben servit, fes-te tu mateix el llit ✪
If you want something done right, do it yourself pronunciation in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: If you want to be well served, make the bed yourself.
English equivalent: If you want something done right, do it yourself.
🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️ 🛏️
✪ Els catalans, de les pedres en fem pans ✪
Catalans make bread out of stones pronunciation
Literal translation: Catalans make bread out of stones.
Meaning: Catalan people get ahead in spite of difficulties because they are productive and can make a virtue out of necessity.
🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞
✪ Hi ha més dies que llonganisses ✪
There’s plenty of time in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: there are more days than sausages. (llonganisa is a speciality cold sausage with spiced pork filling and intestine skins).
English equivalent: There’s plenty of time.
🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖🥖
✪ Al pot petit hi ha la bona confitura ✪
Good things come in small packages in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: In the small jar there is the good jam.
English equivalent: Good things come in small packages.
🏺🏺🏺🏺🏺🏺
✪ Tal faràs, tal trobaràs ✪
What goes around comes around in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: Such you will do, such you will find.
English equivalent: What goes around, comes around.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
✪ No diguis blat fins que no el tinguis al sac i ben lligat ✪
Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched in Catalan, English and French
Literal meaning: Don’t say wheat until you have it in the bag and well tied up.
English equivalent: Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.
🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾
Honorific mentions
✪ Qui de jove no treballa, de vell dorm a la palla ✪
If you lie upon roses when young, you will lie upon thorns when old in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: He who doesn’t work when young, will sleep on the straw when old.
English equivalent: If you lie upon roses when young, you will lie upon thorns when old.
👷👩💼🧑🏿🏭 👷👩💼🧑🏿🏭
✪ Cel rogent, pluja o vent ✪
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning closest equivalents in Catalan, English and French
English closest equivalent: Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.
Literal meaning: Reddish sky, rain or wind.
French closest equivalent: Ciel rouge le soir laisse bon espoir. Ciel rouge le matin, pluie en chemin.
🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥
✪ A l’estiu, tota cuca viu ✪
Sayings about summer in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: In summertime, every bug comes alive.
We haven’t found any equivalent for this saying, but here is this one: Friends, sun, sand, and sea, that sounds like a summer to me. It also conveys the liveliness inherent in summertime.
🐛🐞🦗🦟 🐛🐞🦗🦟
✪ Qui no vulgui pols, que no vagi a l’era ✪
If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen in Catalan, English and French
Literal meaning: If you don’t want dust, don’t go to the threshing floor.
English closest equivalent: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. French closest equivalent: Qui craint le danger ne doit pas aller en mer (literally, He who is afraid of danger, shouldn’t go to the sea)
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
✪ Per Nadal, cada ovella al seu corral ✪
All hearts come home for Christmas in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: At Christmas, every sheep to its yard.
English closest equivalent: All hearts come home for Christmas
French closest equivalent: Tout le monde devrait être à la maison pour Noël (Everybody should be at home for Christmas)
🐑🐏 🐑🐏 🐑🐏
✪ Qui dia passa, any empeny ✪
Tomorrow is another day in Catalan, English and French
Literal translation: He who a day passes by, pushes a year. Closest equivalent in English: Tomorrow is another day . Closest equivalent in French: Demain est un autre jour.
🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️
✪ Qui no té memòria, ha de tenir cames ✪
One would forget one’s head if it weren’t screwed on in Catalan
Literal meaning: He who doesn’t have (a good) memory, needs legs. Closest equivalent in English: One would forget one’s head if it weren’t screwed on.
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
✪ Pagant Sant Pere canta ✪
Maney talks in Catalan, English and French
Literal meaning: If you pay, Saint Peter sings. English closest equivalent: Money talks. French closest equivalent: L’argent a le dernier mot (literally, money has the last word).
💰💰💰💰💰💰
✪ De més verdes en maduren ✪
Stranger things have happened in Catalan, English and French
Literally: Even greener ones have ripened Closest equivalent in English: Stranger things have happened. Closest equivalent in French: De drôles de choses se sont passées (literally, stranger things have happened)
👽👽👽👽👽👽
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