Food and drink in Catalan

241 words on the topic

• el cafè

  coffee

  The drink and the place in one. The el is the masculine article — and a gender hint
• el te

  tea

  El te with the accent is 'tea'; te without it is 'to you'. The pair works like sí and si
• l'aigua

  water

  A feminine word, yet the article is el, which shrinks to l' before a vowel: l'aigua. The apostrophe is not decoration — it is obligatory spelling
• el pa

  bread

  The bakery is a fleca — a word Spanish does not have. Pa amb tomàquet, bread with tomato, is the country's signature snack
• el formatge

  cheese

  A cousin of French fromage and it sounds like it: fur-MAH-juh. The final t is faint
• la carn

  meat

  Meat of any kind. The cuts are described: carn de vedella is beef, carn de porc is pork
• el peix

  fish

  The x is a sh here: pesh. The fish in the sea is peix too — unlike Spanish, which keeps a separate word for it
• la fruita

  fruit

  A collective, so it stays singular: m'agrada la fruita — I like fruit. One piece is una fruita
• la poma

  apple

  Hence pomar, an apple orchard. In Catalan New York stays la Gran Poma — the Big Apple
• la taronja

  orange

  Both the fruit and the color: una samarreta taronja — an orange T-shirt. Valencia, which sent the word across Europe, is orange country
• el tomàquet

  tomato

  In Valencia they say la tomaca — the same word, feminine: one of the markers of where a person is from
• l'amanida

  salad

  From amanir, to dress. In Catalonia it is vegetables with oil and vinegar, not anything under mayonnaise
• la sopa

  soup

  And 'to have dinner' is sopar: the Catalan evening meal is named after a spoonful of soup
• la sal

  salt

  Feminine even though it ends in a consonant. One letter away is the command from sortir: sal d'aquí! — get out of here!
• bo

  tasty

  Full forms: bo about a man or a thing, bona about a woman or a feminine thing. About food they speak through estar: està bo — tasty right now
• la llet

  milk

  The final t is soft. Cafè amb llet is the morning classic: half the cup is milk
• menjar

  to eat

  Both 'to eat' and 'to have lunch': menjem a les dos? — shall we have lunch at two? The noun 'food' is the same word: el menjar
• beure

  to drink

  To drink in the plain sense. Softer and broader is prendre: prenguem alguna cosa? — shall we get something to drink?
• l'esmorzar

  breakfast

  Both noun and verb: esmorzar — to have breakfast. The Catalan breakfast is pa amb tomàquet eaten standing
• el dinar

  lunch

  The main meal of the day, at two o'clock. Dinar is also the verb "to have lunch": dinem a les dues? from the basics
• el sopar

  dinner

  Both the dinner and "to have dinner": sopem a les nou. In Valencia dinner comes later than you are used to
• mastegar

  to chew

  mu-stuh-GAH. Hence mastegar xiclet — to chew gum: the same word
• empassar

  to swallow

  No puc empassar — I cannot swallow: said of a sore throat and of unpleasant news alike
• l'apetit

  appetite

  Masculine, with l'. Bon profit! — enjoy your meal, said before eating
• el tros

  piece

  A piece of bread, of cake, of land: un tros de pa. A colloquial word of the first month
• l'olor

  smell

  Feminine. Fer olor — to smell: la cuina fa bona olor — the kitchen smells good
• l'oli

  oil (olive)

  Always with l'. Oli d'oliva — olive oil: the base of the local kitchen, they pour it on bread. Butter is another word: la mantega
• la patata

  potato

  An international word. Fried potatoes are patates fregides: the second side dish of the country. The plural is patates
• la farina

  flour

  No plural: flour is measured, not counted. Farina de blat — wheat flour, literally "flour of wheat"
• la mel

  honey

  One syllable, with a soft l. Counted by the jar: un pot de mel. Rosemary honey from the Albufera is a local pride
• els fruits secs

  nuts

  Literally "dry fruits": nuts here are fruit. The allergy-lesson phrase is back: tinc al·lèrgia als fruits secs
• la ceba

  onion

  SEH-buh. The base of the sofrit — the slow frying half of local dishes start with. It makes people cry, and plorar from the feelings lesson fits right here
• la pastanaga

  carrot

  puh-tuh-NAH-juh — a soft j, as in platja. The plural is pastanagues: before u the g sounds softer
• el pebrot

  pepper (bell)

  The vegetable is pebrot, the spice in the mortar is pebre: two words of one root. Pebrot vermell — a bell pepper
• la mongeta

  bean

  moon-ZHEH-tuh. Mongeta verda — green bean, mongeta blanca — white bean: color splits one bean in two
• les espècies

  spices

  With the accent on the é. The same word as espècie, a species in biology: spices here are "kinds". Valencian saffron is the priciest of them
• cuinar

  to cook

  The same nest as la cuina and el cuiner: kitchen, cook and cooking — one word. Cuinar bé — to cook well
• rentar

  to wash

  You have seen rentadora and el rentat: the washing machine and the wash come from this verb. Rentar-se les mans — to wash one's hands
• el ganivet

  knife

  guh-nee-VET with a stressed é and a t at the end. El ganivet i la forquilla — knife and fork: the pair from the neighboring tableware lesson
• bullir

  to boil

  boo-LYEER: the double ll is ly. Water "boils": l'aigua bull — the same word. Potatoes bull in the pot
• fregir

  to fry

  fruh-ZHEER. Hence patates fregides — fried potatoes: the same participle. Ous fregits — fried eggs, literally "fried eggs"
• coure

  to bake

  To bake is "to cook in the oven": el forn is the oven and the stove-mouth at once. Coure pa — to bake bread, coure al forn — in the oven: the method is often added
• tallar

  to cut

  tuh-LYAHR: the double ll is ly. Tallar el cabell — to cut hair: the same word. La talla — the size, also from here
• l'olla

  pot

  O-lya: the double ll is ly. Olla a pressió — a pressure cooker, literally "pot under pressure". A big cauldron is an olla too
• la paella

  frying pan

  The famous dish is named after the pan: paella is the pan first and only then the rice with seafood. Valencia is the homeland of both
• el fogó

  stove

  From foc, fire: the stove here is a burner. El fogó té quatre focs — four burners, literally "fires": counted by fire
• el plat

  plate

  PLAHT. The same word means "dish": un plat de peix — a plate of fish and a fish dish. The word returns in the restaurant lesson
• la tassa

  cup

  A relative of tasse. Una tassa de cafè — a cup of coffee: the word is a measure at once. The plural is tasses
• el got

  glass

  One syllable. The main measure of liquid: un got d'aigua — a glass of water. The pair: la tassa — with a handle, el got — without
• la cullera

  spoon

  ku-LYEH-ruh: the double ll is ly. A little spoon is cullereta, also the teaspoon: the diminutive works
• la forquilla

  fork

  A diminutive of forca, a pitchfork: a "little pitchfork". The double ll is ly. The whole set: ganivet, forquilla i cullera
• l'ampolla

  bottle

  With l'. El coll de l'ampolla — the neck of the bottle, literally: you saw it in the body lesson. Una ampolla d'aigua — water in a bottle
• la nevera

  fridge

  From la neu, snow: the fridge here is a "snowbox". What makes snow stands in the kitchen. Ice is el gel
• la servilleta

  napkin

  A relative of service: the napkin "serves" the table. A paper one is servilleta de paper
• la tetera

  teapot

  From te, tea: a "tea-cooker". La tetera xiula — the teapot whistles: the signal that the water is ready
• la safata

  tray

  suh-FAH-tuh. Safata d'entrada — the inbox tray on a desk: a tray here too. The waiter carries exactly this
• calent

  hot

  A relative of calent-2. Feminine calenta. About weather they say it otherwise — fa calor: a different construction
• fred

  cold (adjective)

  You know fa fred — it's cold: here the same word as an adjective. Feminine freda. Aigua freda — the request of every bar
• afamat

  hungry (adjective)

  From la fam, hunger: "full of hunger". In life they say tinc fam — "I hold hunger", like tinc por; the adjective is bookish
• el gust

  taste

  The taste of food and of a person: bon gust works both ways. The taster's question: quin gust té? — what does it taste like?
• salat

  salted

  From la sal, salt: "salted". Feminine salada. The classic question about the soup: és massa salat? — is it too salty?
• agre

  sour

  One syllable. Feminine agra. Llet agra — sour milk: the same word about what has gone off
• amarg

  bitter

  The final g sounds like k: uh-MARK. Feminine amarga. Coffee without sugar and dark chocolate are both amarg
• picant

  hot (spicy)

  From picar, to sting: spicy here is "stinging". It does not change by gender: salsa picant. Chili peppers are described with it too
• ple

  full (fed)

  Literally "full": estic ple — I have eaten enough. The same word about a wardrobe and a bus: el bus va ple. The politer way is ja estic bé
• provar

  to try (food)

  You have seen el provador and emprovar: the fitting room and the trying-on come from this verb. Provar is also tasting food: one word for shop and kitchen
• el menú

  set menu

  With the accent on the ú. El menú del dia — a fixed three-course lunch at one price, the pride of local bars. The list of dishes is also la carta — you saw it in the letters unit
• el cambrer

  waiter

  From la cambra, the room: the one who walks the rooms. Feminine la cambrera. Its own word, not the Spanish camarero: one letter, but noticeable
• la comanda

  order (restaurant)

  From comandar, to command: an order here is a command. Fer la comanda — to place the order. The verb partner is demanar
• demanar

  to order

  Both to order, to ask and to request: demanar el menú, demanar l'hora. The waiter waits for exactly this word
• el plat

  dish

  The same word as the plate from the tableware lesson: the dish is what is on the plate. El plat del dia — the dish of the day
• la ració

  portion

  From Latin ratio, a share: a portion here is a share. Una ració de pa — a portion of bread: half or whole, that is how they ask
• la taula per a dos

  table for two

  Literally "table for two": no special little table. The request of the first minute: una taula per a dos, si us plau
• les postres

  dessert

  Only plural: de postres — for dessert. The classic of the country is fruit: de postres, fruita is what waiters hear most
• sense carn

  meat-free

  Sense — without: the same word as in sense sucre. La carn you know from the basics: the phrase assembles from familiar halves
• la propina

  tip

  A familiar word: deixar propina — to leave a tip. Tips here are small: coins and rounding up the bill
• la pasta

  pasta

  Feminine and most often singular: menjo pasta tres cops per setmana. Do not mix it up with la pasta de dents — that paste cleans teeth
• el iogurt

  yogurt

  Spelled with io-, not yo-: the Catalan orthography is its own. For breakfast — with honey: un iogurt amb mel
• la nata

  cream (dairy)

  Feminine. Nata muntada — whipped cream: it is "carried up the mountain". Coffee with cream is cafè amb nata
• el gelat

  ice cream

  The participle of gelar — to freeze: ice cream here is "frozen". The flavor is specified after: gelat de xocolata
• la xocolata

  chocolate

  Feminine, with four syllables: xo-co-la-ta. The classic afternoon snack: pa amb xocolata — bread with chocolate
• la galeta

  cookie

  Feminine. One cookie is una galeta, a pack is un paquet de galetes: hence cookies "in a crowd"
• la vedella

  beef

  From la vaca — the cow of the basics: beef here is 'cow-meat'. At the market it is asked by the piece: un quilo de vedella
• el xai

  lamb

  Literally "the lamb": as everywhere, the word slid from the animal to the meat. On the grill — xai a la brasa
• les gambes

  shrimp (plural)

  Only plural — a whole shoal of them. Feminine: una gamba — one shrimp, but who is counting?
• el raïm

  grapes

  Masculine, collective: el raïm — both grapes and the bunch. On New Year's night twelve berries are eaten — dotze raïms
• el cogombre

  cucumber

  Masculine, a long and honest word — simply a cucumber. Into the salad — with tomato
• la col

  cabbage

  Feminine and as short as can be. Do not mix it up with el coll — the neck: one letter, a big difference
• l'all

  garlic (clove)

  Two cloves — dos alls: the plural on -s. Catalan cooking begins with it: all i oli — garlic with oil
• la carbassa

  pumpkin

  Feminine. A big and hollow one is also called carbassa — a windbag. Pumpkin soup is sopa de carbassa
• l'albergínia

  eggplant

  A word of Arabic origin, feminine. On the grill with oil and salt — albergínia a la brasa — the simplest and the tastiest
• la llimona

  lemon

  Feminine. Com una llimona — sour as a lemon: said of faces too. Tea with lemon is te amb llimona
• la síndria

  watermelon

  A word of Arabic origin, feminine. The watermelon is the summer fruit number one: a l'estiu, síndria a la nevera
• la maduixa

  strawberry

  Feminine. Cream with strawberries — the standing desserts: maduixes amb nata. A cute word, red like the berry itself
• la pera

  pear

  Feminine and short, like the berry itself. Do not mix it up with la pedra — the stone: one letter, and only one of them can be bitten
• el préssec

  peach

  With the stress on the é: prés-sec. Do not mix it up with el pèsol — the pea: the stress divides them
• la recepta del plat

  recipe (dish)

  Literally "the recipe of the dish": la recepta — you knew it as the medical prescription. The cooking one lives on the internet and at grandmas
• pelar les verdures

  to peel the vegetables

  Pelar — to peel: potatoes, carrots, apples — all are peled. The first action of any recipe: primer, pela les verdures
• posar a bullir

  to bring to a boil

  Literally "to set to boil": you knew bullir — to boil. Water does not boil by itself — it is "set": posa a bullir l'aigua
• remenar

  to stir

  Its own word, not international. Soup, sauce and coffee are stirred with the same verb: remena el cafè
• posar sal

  to add salt

  Literally "to put salt": the same sal from the basics. The standing advice: prova-ho abans de posar sal — taste before salting
• escalfar

  to heat up

  From calent — hot: to heat here is to 'make warm'. Do not mix it up with escalar — to climb: one letter, different summits
• refredar

  to cool

  A relative of the head cold — el refredat: to cool and to catch cold — one nest. A cake is cooled before cutting: deixa refredar el pastís
• batre els ous

  to whisk the eggs

  Batre — to beat: eggs are "beaten" here, as everywhere. Whisked with a fork or a mixer: amb una forquilla o amb la batedora
• afegir aigua

  to add water

  Afegir — to add: the preposition a means "to what". The soup went thick? Afegir aigua poc a poc — little by little
• fer a la brasa

  to grill (over coals)

  Literally "to do on embers": la brasa — a glowing coal. The Catalan grill is embers, not a grate: calamars a la brasa — the classic
• la data de caducitat

  expiration date

  Literally "the date of falling": from caducar — to expire. Yogurt lives until this date; after — throw it out, honestly
• s'ha espatllat

  it has gone off

  You saw s'ha espatllat about broken things — about food the same word: the milk "spoiled" by itself, without fault. The reflexive s' is "by itself"
• el pot

  jar

  Masculine, a glass jar: pot de mel — a jar of honey. The tin one is already la llauna — a soda can
• el paquet

  pack

  A twin word: you knew it as a package — and it is also a pack. Un paquet de galetes — a pack of cookies; package and pack are one paquet
• l'extra

  extra (charge)

  An international feminine word: l'extra. At the café an extra always costs money: és un extra — for a separate price
• per emportar

  to take away (food)

  Literally "for carrying": from emportar-se — to take with oneself. The question at the till: per menjar aquí o per emportar?
• sense sucre

  sugar-free

  Literally "without sugar": el sucre — sugar, masculine. The request that makes the coffee more honest: un cafè sense sucre
• sóc vegetarià

  I am a vegetarian

  For a woman — sóc vegetariana: gender in the ending. The explanation is simple: no menjo carn — I do not eat meat
• tinc al·lèrgia als fruits secs

  I am allergic to nuts

  You know both words: l'al·lèrgia and els fruits secs. The mid-dot in al·lèrgia is heard as a double l-l
• bon profit

  enjoy your meal

  Literally "good profit": the meal is expected to bring profit — benefit. The Catalan answer to the wish: i a tu també
• repartir el compte

  to split the bill

  Literally "to share out the bill": repartir — to distribute. At the restaurant we split it among everyone
• la dieta

  diet

  A Greek word — "a way of life": not only weight-loss. The Mediterranean diet is rich in oil and vegetables
• el menjar gre

  fatty food

  Literally "fatty food": greixós — full of grease. After the holidays — a month without it
• posar la taula

  to set the table

  Literally "to put the table": posar — to put, the table too. Before the guests come, it must be set
• el sopar de festa

  festive dinner

  Literally "a holiday supper": the sopar of the basics, dressed for the occasion. At Christmas it lasts until midnight
• la llaminadura

  candy

  From llaminar — to lick one's lips: a sweet worth licking. The children choose a candy from the jar
• oferir

  to offer (food)

  A Latin relative of offer: to hold out. I want to offer you a glass of homemade wine
• el plat típic

  national dish

  Literally "a typical dish": típic — of the type of the place. Every region has its own, and it is defended with pride
• el menjar de carrer

  street food

  Literally "the food of the street": eaten standing, in the middle of the square. At the big city festival it smells of everything at once
• immadur

  unripe

  Literally 'not ripe': im-muh-DOOR. Feminine immadura. Ripe is madur: one minus changes everything
• podrit

  rotten

  From the Latin "to rot": poo-DREET. Feminine podrida: una poma podrida — a rotten apple
• salat

  salty

  From la sal, salt: suh-LAT. You know the noun — this is it "to the taste"; sea water counts too
• sense sal

  bland

  Literally 'without salt': blandness described honestly. For tasteless they also say pla — flat: a neighbor word
• picant

  spicy

  From picar, to sting: pi-KANT — it stings the tongue. You know the word — same pepper, same taste
• greixós

  fatty

  From el greix, fat: gruh-shohss. Feminine greixosa. About a person they say gras — fat: you know it
• magre

  lean

  Skinny and lean in one word: MA-gruh. Carn magra — lean meat: how the label reads
• el porc

  pork

  Masculine: the same word as the pig — animal and meat in one. Un entrepà de porc
• el pollastre

  chicken (meat)

  Masculine: po-YAS-truh, from the Latin "rooster". The live bird is la gallina — do not mix them up at the market
• l'ànec

  duck (meat)

  Masculine, with the apostrophe: AH-nek. Catalan has its own quack, but at the market the meat is still l'ànec
• la carn picada

  minced meat

  Literally 'chopped meat': an honest description — carn pi-KA-duh. Picar is 'to chop': the verb comes attached
• el pernil

  ham

  Masculine: pur-NEEL — a whole pig's leg. Pernil dolç is the cooked kind: here dolç means 'not salted', not 'sweet'
• la salsitxa

  sausage

  Feminine: sal-SEE-chuh. On the grill — a la brasa: it tastes better that way
• la tonyina

  tuna

  Feminine: too-NEE-nuh — a fish with a lady's name. La tonyina amb oli — tuna in oil: a can on every table
• el salmó

  salmon

  Masculine, stress at the end: sal-MOH. El salmó fumat — smoked: on toast and at holidays
• la gamba

  shrimp

  Feminine: GAM-buh — colloquially a 'leg': that is how it got its name. Gambes a la planxa — grilled
• el marisc

  seafood

  Masculine, literally 'of the sea': mu-RISK, a collective word. Crayfish, mussels and shrimp all fit in
• la pruna

  plum

  Feminine: PROO-nuh. The tree is el pruner: fruit and its family share a root
• el gerd

  raspberry

  Masculine: ZHERT — a final d sounds like a soft t. Els gerds — a handful of berries: they grow by the forest
• el meló

  melon

  Masculine: mu-LOH, an international word. In summer it is eaten in slices: una llesca de meló — you know llesca
• la magrana

  pomegranate

  Feminine: mu-GRA-nuh — Latin 'grainy apple'. The crown on top is the giveaway
• la pinya

  pineapple

  Feminine: PEEN-nyuh — Catalan for 'pine cone': the looks are honest. El suc de pinya — pineapple juice
• la mandarina

  mandarin

  Feminine: man-duh-REE-nuh — named for the mandarins who wore its robes. In winter, crate after crate
• el kiwi

  kiwi (fruit)

  Masculine, like at the neighbors': KEE-wee — a traveler's word. Furry outside, green inside
• l'alvocat

  avocado

  Masculine, with the apostrophe: al-voo-KAT. A tropical guest that is a local: it grows on the coast. Madur — soft to the touch
• les panses

  raisins

  Feminine plural: raisins are 'dried grapes' — les panses. Les panses són raïm sec — the formula is honest
• la figa

  fig

  Feminine: FEE-guh — a word older than Rome. At the end of summer: les figues, sweet to the point of dizziness
• el pebrot

  pepper (vegetable)

  Masculine: pur-BROT. You know pebre, the spice: one letter divides the vegetable from it
• el carbassó

  zucchini

  Masculine, a diminutive of la carbassa, the pumpkin: a 'little pumpkin'. Els carbassons — there are always plenty
• la remolatxa

  beet

  Feminine: rruh-moo-LA-chuh. It stains whatever it touches: hands and tablecloths remember
• el rave

  radish

  Masculine, short: RRA-vuh — from the Latin 'root'. Els raves — a bunch: with salt, as ever
• les herbes

  herbs

  Feminine plural: herbs here come as 'the grasses' — les herbes. Herbes fresques — fresh herbs: a bunch from the market
• l'anet

  dill

  Masculine, with the apostrophe: uh-NET, an international word. L'anet amb el peix — dill with fish: a classic pair
• el julivert

  parsley

  Masculine: zhoo-li-VERT — from the word for 'stone': it grows between stones and in every pot
• el gingebre

  ginger

  Masculine: zhin-ZHEB-ruh — a soft zh, as in juny. Te amb gingebre — tea with ginger: it warms
• el blat de moro

  corn

  Literally 'wheat of the Moors': blahd duh MOH-roo — the foreign grain that took root. Popcorn is made from it too
• els espinacs

  spinach

  Masculine plural: us-pee-NAKS — like at the neighbors'. Frescs: they wilt in a day, so take a small bunch
• l'engrossa

  bread roll

  Feminine, with the apostrophe: un-GROO-suh — round, of white flour. Una engrossa amb tomàquet — the neighbors' breakfast
• la coca

  pastry

  Feminine: KOH-kuh — flat baking for everyone, cut in squares. Sweet and salty kinds both exist
• el pastisset

  small cake

  Masculine, a diminutive: a 'little pastís'. You know el pastís, the cake — this is its child
• el bunyol

  doughnut

  Masculine: boon-NYOL — dough in oil. A cousin of Spanish buñuelo: one frying shared by both languages
• la rebosteria

  pastries

  Feminine: rruh-boos-tru-REE-uh — everything sweet from the confectioner's at once. La botiga de rebosteria — the sweet shop
• la melmelada

  jam

  Feminine, from la mel, honey: mel-moo-LA-duh, a "honey mass". Plum and apricot are the classics
• el xarop

  syrup

  Masculine: SHA-roop, an international word. Xarop de llimona — lemon: for children and cocktails
• les crispetes

  popcorn

  Feminine plural: 'crunchies' — les crispetes, from cruixir, to crunch. No cinema without them
• les patatines

  potato chips

  Feminine plural: 'little potatoes' — les patatines, from les patates. The diminutive lies: they crunch loudly
• la xicra

  chewing gum

  Feminine: SEE-kruh — from the sapodilla sap people chewed before the sugar age. Mastegar xicra — to chew gum
• la limonada

  lemonade

  Feminine: lee-moo-NA-duh, from la llimona, the lemon. In summer everyone drinks it: una limonada freda
• l'aigua mineral

  mineral water

  Feminine, with the apostrophe, literally 'mineral water'. Amb gas or sense gas — the choice is on the label
• l'aigua amb gas

  sparkling water

  Literally 'water with gas': an international word. The bubbles are bombolles — they tickle the nose
• el còctel

  cocktail

  Masculine, stress on the ó: KOHK-tel, an international word. Un còctel de fruita — there is a fruit one too
• el cacau

  cocoa

  Masculine: kuh-KOW — a word from America via the Spanish. Un cacau calent — hot cocoa: the winter drink of children
• la bossa de té

  tea bag

  Literally 'a bag of tea': BOH-suh duh TEH. La bossa is a bag — a tea bag is its little job
• l'aigua bullent

  boiling water

  Feminine, literally 'boiling water': BUH-yen. Bullir is 'to boil' — you know the verb
• l'alcohol

  alcohol

  Masculine, with the apostrophe, stress at the end: al-koo-OHL. Sense alcohol — alcohol-free: the label on every bottle
• la beguda

  drink

  Feminine, from beure, to drink: buh-GOO-duh — "the thing drunk". Les begudes fredes — cold drinks: the menu starts with them
• esmorzar

  to have breakfast

  Breakfast here is both verb and noun: esmorzar. Esmorzo a les set — I have breakfast at seven. L'esmorzar — the breakfast: a two-in-one word
• dinar

  to have lunch

  dee-NAH. El dinar — lunch: the main meal of the day, around two o'clock. The weekday name is related: el dilluns
• sopar

  to have dinner

  soo-PAH. El sopar — dinner: late and unhurried, often in company
• l'aperitiu

  snack

  Masculine, with the apostrophe: uh-puh-ree-TEE-oo — what opens the appetite. Olives and chips are all aperitiu
• la fam

  hunger

  Feminine, short: fam. Here you do not suffer it, you hold it: tinc fam — I'm hungry, literally 'I have hunger'
• la set

  thirst

  Feminine, short: set. Tinc set — I'm thirsty: possession instead of suffering
• l'hora de dinar

  lunch break

  Literally 'the hour of lunching': the break is honestly an 'hour'. From two to three: the shops sleep
• tinc fam

  I'm hungry

  Literally 'I have hunger': TINK fam. Not estic but tinc: hunger here is property
• tinc set

  I'm thirsty

  Literally 'I have thirst': TINK set. The partner of tinc fam — I'm hungry: both phrases about possession
• ja n'he tingut prou

  I'm full

  Literally 'I have already had enough of it': counted and polite. Prou — enough: you know it
• el congelador

  freezer

  You knew the freezer compartment; the freezer is the same el congelador, said domestically: it freezes and hides pizza. La nevera lives nearby
• la cafetera

  coffee maker

  kuh-fuh-TEH-ruh — from el cafè, you knew it; the morning starts with its sound. La cafetera italiana — the moka pot
• el recipient hermètic

  airtight container

  Literally "a hermetic vessel": it closes tight, the soup will not escape. El recipient with food you knew — here is its strict brother
• el bol

  mixing bowl

  BOLL — the word flew in from English, like the dish itself. One whisks, kneads and has breakfast in it
• el platet

  saucer

  A "little plate": el platet — the diminutive of el plat, you knew it. Under the cup and under the sweets
• la tassa

  mug

  You knew the cup; the mug is the same la tassa, only big and thick-walled. Just right for the morning café amb llet
• la copa

  wine glass

  KOH-puh — on a thin stem, for vi i cava. Do not mix it up with el got, the glass: a copa has a stem
• l'esponja

  sponge

  oon-SPON-zhuh — yellow, rough on one side; washes plates and drinks water. Lives by the sink
• la pinça de roba

  clothespin

  Literally "a grip of clothes": it holds laundry on the line, and in the kitchen it clips bags of cookies
• posar la tetera al foc

  to put the kettle on

  Honestly "to put the teapot on the fire": la tetera you knew, el foc too. Gas or induction — foc stays
• els fideus

  noodles

  fee-DEH-oos — thin pasta strands, they cook in three minutes. La fideuà — a paella with noodles, the pride of the coast
• la mantega

  butter

  moo-NTUH-guh — made of milk, melts on warm bread. Margarine is la margarina; mantega is the honest butter
• l'oli de gira-sol

  sunflower oil

  Literally "oil of the sunflower": el gira-sol — the sunflower. You knew l'oli; for frying they often take gira-sol here
• la massa

  dough

  MAH-suh — flour, water and hands. Pizza, bread, empanada — each has its own massa
• les farinetes

  porridge

  foo-ree-NEH-tuhs — the breakfast of small children and big hikes. Farinetes de civada — oatmeal
• els flocs

  flakes

  FLOKS — flattened grains; flocs de civada — oat flakes. The same word as a snowflake
• les llenties

  lentils

  NYEN-tee-uhs — little "coins". The capital dish is llenties estofades — stewed lentils with sausage
• el cigró

  chickpea

  see-GROH — round, yellow, soaked overnight. Els cigrons amb espinacs — a classic of the tapas bar
• l'ametlla

  almond

  oon-MEH-lya — the Christmas nut of these latitudes. El torró d'ametlla — nougat; the plural is ametlles
• el cacauet

  peanut

  koo-koo-WET — a little cacau, cocoa; it grows underground. Cacauets salats — salted peanuts
• l'espècia

  spice

  oon-SPEH-see-uh — a dried seed or powder from faraway lands. Les espècies canvien una sopa — spices change a soup
• el condiment

  seasoning

  koon-dee-MENT — what is added to food to decorate the taste: salt, pepper, herbs. Condimentar — to season
• el vinagre

  vinegar

  vee-NAH-gruh — wine that has gone sour: it reads just so, vi agre. Obligatory in the salad dressing
• la salsa

  sauce

  SAL-soo — the liquid soul of a dish. La salsa de tomàquet you knew; és una altra salsa — "that's another story", says the language too
• el ketchup

  ketchup

  KET-chap — masculine, a Chinese word via England. Children spread it on everything that does not ask permission
• la maionesa

  mayonnaise

  moo-yoo-NEH-zoo — named after Mahón, a town on Menorca. Eggs and olive oil whipped by patience
• la mostassa

  mustard

  moos-TAH-suh — yellow and sharp; it comes alive with sausage. Mostassa de Dijon — the French guest
• la canyella

  cinnamon

  kuh-NYEH-lya — bark in a stick; smells of Christmas and crema catalana. Into dough it goes ground
• el pebre negre

  black pepper

  Honestly "black pepper": el pebre — pepper in general. It is best ground at the last moment
• el brou

  broth

  BROO — what something was cooked in. El brou de gallina — grandma's cure for every ailment
• la gerra

  pitcher

  ZHEH-rruh — with a handle and a spout. Una gerra d'aigua fresca stands at the center of every summer table
• el termo

  thermos

  TEHR-moo — keeps things hot until evening. El termo de cafè — the companion of all excursions
• el sucreter

  sugar bowl

  soo-kru-TEH — from el sucre, you knew it; masculine. It stands on the table next to the teapot
• els coberts

  cutlery

  Literally "the covered ones": from cobrir, to cover; knife, fork and spoon at once. Un joc de coberts — a setting for one
• la cullereta

  teaspoon

  A "little spoon": the diminutive of la cullera, you knew it. It stirs the coffee and the medicine
• el culleró

  tablespoon

  The big spoon: it ladles soup and measures recipes. Un culleró d'oli — a tablespoon of oil
• la canyeta

  drinking straw

  A "little reed": from la canya, the cane; a thin tube for juice. Beure amb canyeta — to drink through a straw
• la graella

  grill

  groo-EH-lya — a grid of bars; fish and vegetables are cooked on it. A la graella — on the grill
• l'aperitiu

  appetizer

  You knew the snack; the appetizer is the same l'aperitiu: what is served before lunch, with vermouth. Fer l'aperitiu — to have a pre-meal bite
• la guarnició

  side dish

  goo-rruh-nee-SOH — the "clothing" of the dish: potatoes, vegetables, salad. On the menu it lives after the fish and meat
• frit

  fried (adjective)

  From the pan with hot oil; feminine frita. Patates fregides — the same family of words
• bullit

  boiled

  From the pot with boiling water; bullir — to boil, you knew it. The boiled has its own truth: softer and more honest
• assecat

  dried

  From assecar, to dry. Tomatoes assecats al sol — sun-dried: a concentrate of summer
• congelat

  frozen

  It sleeps in the freezer until needed. Pèsols congelats — the rescue of every cook
• a punt

  ready (dish)

  Literally "at the point": the dish is ready right now. El dinar és a punt! — the call to the table
• natural

  not made by people; as found in nature

  Without tricks, as from the garden; it does not change by gender. Suc natural — juice without added sugar
• carregat

  strong (tea)

  Literally "loaded": tea or coffee with a double dose of leaf; feminine carregada. Un cafè ben carregat wakes better than an alarm clock
• casolà

  homemade

  kuh-soo-LAH — from casa; el menjar casolà — made at home, with hands. Feminine casolana
• la pell

  peel (fruit)

  You knew human skin; the peel is the same la pell: the fruit has its own. Pell de llimona ratllada — grated zest: half the smell of baking
• el pinyol

  fruit pit

  peen-YOL — the seed inside the fruit; in a peach it is big — l'ós. It sleeps inside and waits for the garden

How it sounds in a sentence

A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.

• Un cafè, si us plau

  One coffee, please
• Un te amb llimona, si us plau

  Tea with lemon, please
• Em poseu un got d'aigua?

  Could I have a glass of water?
• Compro pa cada matí

  I buy bread every morning
• Aquest formatge és molt bo

  This cheese is very tasty
• No menjo carn, sóc vegetariana

  I don't eat meat, I'm a vegetarian

What is worth knowing about these words

el cafè — coffee. The drink and the place in one. The el is the masculine article — and a gender hint

el te — tea. El te with the accent is 'tea'; te without it is 'to you'. The pair works like sí and si

l'aigua — water. A feminine word, yet the article is el, which shrinks to l' before a vowel: l'aigua. The apostrophe is not decoration — it is obligatory spelling

el pa — bread. The bakery is a fleca — a word Spanish does not have. Pa amb tomàquet, bread with tomato, is the country's signature snack

Test yourself

Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than recognizing a familiar word — and therefore more useful.

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

A menu, a market, a shop sign, the question “what is this?”. Food is the most frequent subject of the first weeks and the safest excuse to start talking.

A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.

• Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many times
  Adesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
• This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many times
  Mawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.

Next

• All topics of the Catalan language3960 words by topic and letter
• Greetings and goodbyes8 words
• Numbers and counting56 words
• At a café and a restaurant18 words
• Shopping and money85 words
• Asking the way28 words