Catalan language

[tnr]

We will be in Barcelona at the end of May post-cruise. Does anyone know of a good English to Catalan translation book?

[riffatsea]

Most Barcelona city guides have Catalan/Spanish/English in them. You can manage fine with Spanish and even just English will do.

You can say good morning--Bon dia and hola for hello like in Spanish. Thankyou is just like spanish too--gracias(grah/si/ahs

without the 'th" sound used in Castellano Spanish.

You can try this web site:

http://www.easycatalan.com/easycatalan/Useful_Phrases.html

There are others like it online.

[catllar]

Can't help you with your request, cos all my Catalan books are from french, but I applaud you for making an effort. It is much appreciated.

[UKBayern]

Barcelona is an official part of Spain, and all the locals speak Castilian Spanish too. We have actually never experienced any problems in that department. The locals might prefer to speak Catalan, but they are realistic what they can expect from a tourist. Barcelona is very touristy, and English is widely spoken.

[riffatsea]

It is always nice to learn a few words in the local language to be polite. I love doing that myself!! You will often find menus in Catalan but can ask to see if they also have one in English or Spanish. IF you get away from Las Ramblas you will find less touristy areas.

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

You will have no problems using Spanish as a tourist in Barcelona. Spanish is just as official a language as Catalán, and when spending extensive time in Barcelona, I happen to find it rude and arrogant when they try giving menus in Catalán and speaking Catalán to someone that is obvious to them is not from there (such as visiting Latin Americans, etc.). Most of the locals are very nice and will go out of their way to speak to you in Spanish (just as native a language to them as Catalán) or English, but there are a few who give a bad name to the rest (such as insisting on answering in Catalán when someone speaks Spanish to them).

 

Before some of you jump all over me by saying that they have a right to speak their own language, I will tell you in advance that I agree -- yes they do. However, the laws are written in such a way that make both languages -- Spanish and Catalán -- official languages that must co-exist. The Constitutional Court recently struck down several provisions of local Catalán laws which tried to give preference to Catalán versus Spanish.

 

These are small rivalries which tend to exist between the locals in Barcelona against the central authority in Madrid, and become more popularized and exaggerated by the co-existing football rivalries between Real Madrid and Barça teams. As a foreign tourist in Barcelona, you won't experience any of this and the local people will be very gracious and will be happy to speak to you in Spanish, Catalán or English, if they are able.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[tnr]

Thank you all. I think I will just try to learn a few key words/phrases, and brush up on my Spanish.

[CruisinGerman]

Often times you will hear the Catalán people say merci for thank you (although that word is not in the Catalán language, and the correct word for thank you in Catalán is gracies, as opposed to gracias in Spanish).

 

It's actually very interesting to listen to Catalán, which although it is a separate language unto its own right, does mesh together a lot from Spanish, French and Italian.

 

Happy cruising whatever you speak ........

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta