Food and drink in Catalan
241 words Catalan words on the topic “food and drink”: el cafè — coffee, el te — tea, l'aigua — water, el pa — bread. 241 words can be played from recordings.
241 words on the topic
- el cafècoffeeThe drink and the place in one. The el is the masculine article — and a gender hint
- el teteaEl te with the accent is 'tea'; te without it is 'to you'. The pair works like sí and si
- l'aiguawaterA 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 pabreadThe bakery is a fleca — a word Spanish does not have. Pa amb tomàquet, bread with tomato, is the country's signature snack
- el formatgecheeseA cousin of French fromage and it sounds like it: fur-MAH-juh. The final t is faint
- la carnmeatMeat of any kind. The cuts are described: carn de vedella is beef, carn de porc is pork
- el peixfishThe x is a sh here: pesh. The fish in the sea is peix too — unlike Spanish, which keeps a separate word for it
- la fruitafruitA collective, so it stays singular: m'agrada la fruita — I like fruit. One piece is una fruita
- la pomaappleHence pomar, an apple orchard. In Catalan New York stays la Gran Poma — the Big Apple
- la taronjaorangeBoth the fruit and the color: una samarreta taronja — an orange T-shirt. Valencia, which sent the word across Europe, is orange country
- el tomàquettomatoIn Valencia they say la tomaca — the same word, feminine: one of the markers of where a person is from
- l'amanidasaladFrom amanir, to dress. In Catalonia it is vegetables with oil and vinegar, not anything under mayonnaise
- la sopasoupAnd 'to have dinner' is sopar: the Catalan evening meal is named after a spoonful of soup
- la salsaltFeminine even though it ends in a consonant. One letter away is the command from sortir: sal d'aquí! — get out of here!
- botastyFull 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 lletmilkThe final t is soft. Cafè amb llet is the morning classic: half the cup is milk
- menjarto eatBoth '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
- beureto drinkTo drink in the plain sense. Softer and broader is prendre: prenguem alguna cosa? — shall we get something to drink?
- l'esmorzarbreakfastBoth noun and verb: esmorzar — to have breakfast. The Catalan breakfast is pa amb tomàquet eaten standing
- el dinarlunchThe 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 sopardinnerBoth the dinner and "to have dinner": sopem a les nou. In Valencia dinner comes later than you are used to
- mastegarto chewmu-stuh-GAH. Hence mastegar xiclet — to chew gum: the same word
- empassarto swallowNo puc empassar — I cannot swallow: said of a sore throat and of unpleasant news alike
- l'apetitappetiteMasculine, with l'. Bon profit! — enjoy your meal, said before eating
- el trospieceA piece of bread, of cake, of land: un tros de pa. A colloquial word of the first month
- l'olorsmellFeminine. Fer olor — to smell: la cuina fa bona olor — the kitchen smells good
- l'olioil (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 patatapotatoAn international word. Fried potatoes are patates fregides: the second side dish of the country. The plural is patates
- la farinaflourNo plural: flour is measured, not counted. Farina de blat — wheat flour, literally "flour of wheat"
- la melhoneyOne syllable, with a soft l. Counted by the jar: un pot de mel. Rosemary honey from the Albufera is a local pride
- els fruits secsnutsLiterally "dry fruits": nuts here are fruit. The allergy phrase is back: tinc al·lèrgia als fruits secs
- la cebaonionSEH-buh. The base of the sofrit — the slow frying half of local dishes start with. It makes people cry, and plorar fits right here
- la pastanagacarrotpuh-tuh-NAH-juh — a soft j, as in platja. The plural is pastanagues: before u the g sounds softer
- el pebrotpepper (bell)The vegetable is pebrot, the spice in the mortar is pebre: two words of one root. Pebrot vermell — a bell pepper
- la mongetabeanmoon-ZHEH-tuh. Mongeta verda — green bean, mongeta blanca — white bean: color splits one bean in two
- les espèciesspicesWith 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
- cuinarto cookThe same nest as la cuina and el cuiner: kitchen, cook and cooking — one word. Cuinar bé — to cook well
- rentarto washYou 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 ganivetknifeguh-nee-VET with a stressed é and a t at the end. El ganivet i la forquilla — knife and fork: a pair you already know
- bullirto boilboo-LYEER: the double ll is ly. Water "boils": l'aigua bull — the same word. Potatoes bull in the pot
- fregirto fryfruh-ZHEER. Hence patates fregides — fried potatoes: the same participle. Ous fregits — fried eggs, literally "fried eggs"
- coureto bakeTo 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
- tallarto cuttuh-LYAHR: the double ll is ly. Tallar el cabell — to cut hair: the same word. La talla — the size, also from here
- l'ollapotO-lya: the double ll is ly. Olla a pressió — a pressure cooker, literally "pot under pressure". A big cauldron is an olla too
- la paellafrying panThe 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 fogóstoveFrom foc, fire: the stove here is a burner. El fogó té quatre focs — four burners, literally "fires": counted by fire
- el platplatePLAHT. The same word means "dish": un plat de peix — a plate of fish and a fish dish. In a restaurant the word returns
- la tassacupA relative of tasse. Una tassa de cafè — a cup of coffee: the word is a measure at once. The plural is tasses
- el gotglassOne 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 culleraspoonku-LYEH-ruh: the double ll is ly. A little spoon is cullereta, also the teaspoon: the diminutive works
- la forquillaforkA diminutive of forca, a pitchfork: a "little pitchfork". The double ll is ly. The whole set: ganivet, forquilla i cullera
- l'ampollabottleWith l'. El coll de l'ampolla — the neck of the bottle, literally: you saw it. Una ampolla d'aigua — water in a bottle
- la neverafridgeFrom la neu, snow: the fridge here is a "snowbox". What makes snow stands in the kitchen. Ice is el gel
- la servilletanapkinA relative of service: the napkin "serves" the table. A paper one is servilleta de paper
- la teterateapotFrom te, tea: a "tea-cooker". La tetera xiula — the teapot whistles: the signal that the water is ready
- la safatatraysuh-FAH-tuh. Safata d'entrada — the inbox tray on a desk: a tray here too. The waiter carries exactly this
- calenthotA relative of calent-2. Feminine calenta. About weather they say it otherwise — fa calor: a different construction
- fredcold (adjective)You know fa fred — it's cold: here the same word as an adjective. Feminine freda. Aigua freda — the request of every bar
- afamathungry (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 gusttasteThe taste of food and of a person: bon gust works both ways. The taster's question: quin gust té? — what does it taste like?
- salatsaltedFrom la sal, salt: "salted". Feminine salada. The classic question about the soup: és massa salat? — is it too salty?
- agresourOne syllable. Feminine agra. Llet agra — sour milk: the same word about what has gone off
- amargbitterThe final g sounds like k: uh-MARK. Feminine amarga. Coffee without sugar and dark chocolate are both amarg
- picanthot (spicy)From picar, to sting: spicy here is "stinging". It does not change by gender: salsa picant. Chili peppers are described with it too
- plefull (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
- provarto 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 menúset menuWith 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
- el cambrerwaiterFrom 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 comandaorder (restaurant)From comandar, to command: an order here is a command. Fer la comanda — to place the order. The verb partner is demanar
- demanarto orderBoth to order, to ask and to request: demanar el menú, demanar l'hora. The waiter waits for exactly this word
- el platdishThe same word as the plate: the dish is what is on the plate. El plat del dia — the dish of the day
- la racióportionFrom 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 dostable for twoLiterally "table for two": no special little table. The request of the first minute: una taula per a dos, si us plau
- les postresdessertOnly plural: de postres — for dessert. The classic of the country is fruit: de postres, fruita is what waiters hear most
- sense carnmeat-freeSense — without: the same word as in sense sucre. La carn you know from the basics: the phrase assembles from familiar halves
- la propinatipA familiar word: deixar propina — to leave a tip. Tips here are small: coins and rounding up the bill
- la pastapastaFeminine 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 iogurtyogurtSpelled with io-, not yo-: the Catalan orthography is its own. For breakfast — with honey: un iogurt amb mel
- la natacream (dairy)Feminine. Nata muntada — whipped cream: it is "carried up the mountain". Coffee with cream is cafè amb nata
- el gelatice creamThe participle of gelar — to freeze: ice cream here is "frozen". The flavor is specified after: gelat de xocolata
- la xocolatachocolateFeminine, with four syllables: xo-co-la-ta. The classic afternoon snack: pa amb xocolata — bread with chocolate
- la galetacookieFeminine. One cookie is una galeta, a pack is un paquet de galetes: hence cookies "in a crowd"
- la vedellabeefFrom 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 xailambLiterally "the lamb": as everywhere, the word slid from the animal to the meat. On the grill — xai a la brasa
- les gambesshrimp (plural)Only plural — a whole shoal of them. Feminine: una gamba — one shrimp, but who is counting?
- el raïmgrapesMasculine, collective: el raïm — both grapes and the bunch. On New Year's night twelve berries are eaten — dotze raïms
- el cogombrecucumberMasculine, a long and honest word — simply a cucumber. Into the salad — with tomato
- la colcabbageFeminine and as short as can be. Do not mix it up with el coll — the neck: one letter, a big difference
- l'allgarlic (clove)Two cloves — dos alls: the plural on -s. Catalan cooking begins with it: all i oli — garlic with oil
- la carbassapumpkinFeminine. A big and hollow one is also called carbassa — a windbag. Pumpkin soup is sopa de carbassa
- l'albergíniaeggplantA word of Arabic origin, feminine. On the grill with oil and salt — albergínia a la brasa — the simplest and the tastiest
- la llimonalemonFeminine. Com una llimona — sour as a lemon: said of faces too. Tea with lemon is te amb llimona
- la síndriawatermelonA word of Arabic origin, feminine. The watermelon is the summer fruit number one: a l'estiu, síndria a la nevera
- la maduixastrawberryFeminine. Cream with strawberries — the standing desserts: maduixes amb nata. A cute word, red like the berry itself
- la perapearFeminine 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 préssecpeachWith the stress on the é: prés-sec. Do not mix it up with el pèsol — the pea: the stress divides them
- la recepta del platrecipe (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 verduresto peel the vegetablesPelar — to peel: potatoes, carrots, apples — all are peled. The first action of any recipe: primer, pela les verdures
- posar a bullirto bring to a boilLiterally "to set to boil": you knew bullir — to boil. Water does not boil by itself — it is "set": posa a bullir l'aigua
- remenarto stirIts own word, not international. Soup, sauce and coffee are stirred with the same verb: remena el cafè
- posar salto add saltLiterally "to put salt": the same sal from the basics. The standing advice: prova-ho abans de posar sal — taste before salting
- escalfarto heat upFrom calent — hot: to heat here is to 'make warm'. Do not mix it up with escalar — to climb: one letter, different summits
- refredarto coolA 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 ousto whisk the eggsBatre — to beat: eggs are "beaten" here, as everywhere. Whisked with a fork or a mixer: amb una forquilla o amb la batedora
- afegir aiguato add waterAfegir — to add: the preposition a means "to what". The soup went thick? Afegir aigua poc a poc — little by little
- fer a la brasato 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 caducitatexpiration dateLiterally "the date of falling": from caducar — to expire. Yogurt lives until this date; after — throw it out, honestly
- s'ha espatllatit has gone offYou 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 potjarMasculine, a glass jar: pot de mel — a jar of honey. The tin one is already la llauna — a soda can
- el paquetpackA 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'extraextra (charge)An international feminine word: l'extra. At the café an extra always costs money: és un extra — for a separate price
- per emportarto 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 sucresugar-freeLiterally "without sugar": el sucre — sugar, masculine. The request that makes the coffee more honest: un cafè sense sucre
- sóc vegetariàI am a vegetarianFor 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 secsI am allergic to nutsYou know both words: l'al·lèrgia and els fruits secs. The mid-dot in al·lèrgia is heard as a double l-l
- bon profitenjoy your mealLiterally "good profit": the meal is expected to bring profit — benefit. The Catalan answer to the wish: i a tu també
- repartir el compteto split the billLiterally "to share out the bill": repartir — to distribute. At the restaurant we split it among everyone
- la dietadietA Greek word — "a way of life": not only weight-loss. The Mediterranean diet is rich in oil and vegetables
- el menjar grefatty foodLiterally "fatty food": greixós — full of grease. After the holidays — a month without it
- posar la taulato set the tableLiterally "to put the table": posar — to put, the table too. Before the guests come, it must be set
- el sopar de festafestive dinnerLiterally "a holiday supper": the sopar of the basics, dressed for the occasion. At Christmas it lasts until midnight
- la llaminaduracandyFrom llaminar — to lick one's lips: a sweet worth licking. The children choose a candy from the jar
- oferirto offer (food)A Latin relative of offer: to hold out. I want to offer you a glass of homemade wine
- el plat típicnational dishLiterally "a typical dish": típic — of the type of the place. Every region has its own, and it is defended with pride
- el menjar de carrerstreet foodLiterally "the food of the street": eaten standing, in the middle of the square. At the big city festival it smells of everything at once
- immadurunripeLiterally 'not ripe': im-muh-DOOR. Feminine immadura. Ripe is madur: one minus changes everything
- podritrottenFrom the Latin "to rot": poo-DREET. Feminine podrida: una poma podrida — a rotten apple
- salatsaltyFrom la sal, salt: suh-LAT. You know the noun — this is it "to the taste"; sea water counts too
- sense salblandLiterally 'without salt': blandness described honestly. For tasteless they also say pla — flat: a neighbor word
- picantspicyFrom picar, to sting: pi-KANT — it stings the tongue. You know the word — same pepper, same taste
- greixósfattyFrom el greix, fat: gruh-shohss. Feminine greixosa. About a person they say gras — fat: you know it
- magreleanSkinny and lean in one word: MA-gruh. Carn magra — lean meat: how the label reads
- el porcporkMasculine: the same word as the pig — animal and meat in one. Un entrepà de porc
- el pollastrechicken (meat)Masculine: po-YAS-truh, from the Latin "rooster". The live bird is la gallina — do not mix them up at the market
- l'ànecduck (meat)Masculine, with the apostrophe: AH-nek. Catalan has its own quack, but at the market the meat is still l'ànec
- la carn picadaminced meatLiterally 'chopped meat': an honest description — carn pi-KA-duh. Picar is 'to chop': the verb comes attached
- el pernilhamMasculine: pur-NEEL — a whole pig's leg. Pernil dolç is the cooked kind: here dolç means 'not salted', not 'sweet'
- la salsitxasausageFeminine: sal-SEE-chuh. On the grill — a la brasa: it tastes better that way
- la tonyinatunaFeminine: too-NEE-nuh — a fish with a lady's name. La tonyina amb oli — tuna in oil: a can on every table
- el salmósalmonMasculine, stress at the end: sal-MOH. El salmó fumat — smoked: on toast and at holidays
- la gambashrimpFeminine: GAM-buh — colloquially a 'leg': that is how it got its name. Gambes a la planxa — grilled
- el mariscseafoodMasculine, literally 'of the sea': mu-RISK, a collective word. Crayfish, mussels and shrimp all fit in
- la prunaplumFeminine: PROO-nuh. The tree is el pruner: fruit and its family share a root
- el gerdraspberryMasculine: ZHERT — a final d sounds like a soft t. Els gerds — a handful of berries: they grow by the forest
- el melómelonMasculine: mu-LOH, an international word. In summer it is eaten in slices: una llesca de meló — you know llesca
- la magranapomegranateFeminine: mu-GRA-nuh — Latin 'grainy apple'. The crown on top is the giveaway
- la pinyapineappleFeminine: PEEN-nyuh — Catalan for 'pine cone': the looks are honest. El suc de pinya — pineapple juice
- la mandarinamandarinFeminine: man-duh-REE-nuh — named for the mandarins who wore its robes. In winter, crate after crate
- el kiwikiwi (fruit)Masculine, like at the neighbors': KEE-wee — a traveler's word. Furry outside, green inside
- l'alvocatavocadoMasculine, with the apostrophe: al-voo-KAT. A tropical guest that is a local: it grows on the coast. Madur — soft to the touch
- les pansesraisinsFeminine plural: raisins are 'dried grapes' — les panses. Les panses són raïm sec — the formula is honest
- la figafigFeminine: FEE-guh — a word older than Rome. At the end of summer: les figues, sweet to the point of dizziness
- el pebrotpepper (vegetable)Masculine: pur-BROT. You know pebre, the spice: one letter divides the vegetable from it
- el carbassózucchiniMasculine, a diminutive of la carbassa, the pumpkin: a 'little pumpkin'. Els carbassons — there are always plenty
- la remolatxabeetFeminine: rruh-moo-LA-chuh. It stains whatever it touches: hands and tablecloths remember
- el raveradishMasculine, short: RRA-vuh — from the Latin 'root'. Els raves — a bunch: with salt, as ever
- les herbesherbsFeminine plural: herbs here come as 'the grasses' — les herbes. Herbes fresques — fresh herbs: a bunch from the market
- l'anetdillMasculine, with the apostrophe: uh-NET, an international word. L'anet amb el peix — dill with fish: a classic pair
- el julivertparsleyMasculine: zhoo-li-VERT — from the word for 'stone': it grows between stones and in every pot
- el gingebregingerMasculine: zhin-ZHEB-ruh — a soft zh, as in juny. Te amb gingebre — tea with ginger: it warms
- el blat de morocornLiterally 'wheat of the Moors': blahd duh MOH-roo — the foreign grain that took root. Popcorn is made from it too
- els espinacsspinachMasculine plural: us-pee-NAKS — like at the neighbors'. Frescs: they wilt in a day, so take a small bunch
- l'engrossabread rollFeminine, with the apostrophe: un-GROO-suh — round, of white flour. Una engrossa amb tomàquet — the neighbors' breakfast
- la cocapastryFeminine: KOH-kuh — flat baking for everyone, cut in squares. Sweet and salty kinds both exist
- el pastissetsmall cakeMasculine, a diminutive: a 'little pastís'. You know el pastís, the cake — this is its child
- el bunyoldoughnutMasculine: boon-NYOL — dough in oil. A cousin of Spanish buñuelo: one frying shared by both languages
- la rebosteriapastriesFeminine: rruh-boos-tru-REE-uh — everything sweet from the confectioner's at once. La botiga de rebosteria — the sweet shop
- la melmeladajamFeminine, from la mel, honey: mel-moo-LA-duh, a "honey mass". Plum and apricot are the classics
- el xaropsyrupMasculine: SHA-roop, an international word. Xarop de llimona — lemon: for children and cocktails
- les crispetespopcornFeminine plural: 'crunchies' — les crispetes, from cruixir, to crunch. No cinema without them
- les patatinespotato chipsFeminine plural: 'little potatoes' — les patatines, from les patates. The diminutive lies: they crunch loudly
- la xicrachewing gumFeminine: SEE-kruh — from the sapodilla sap people chewed before the sugar age. Mastegar xicra — to chew gum
- la limonadalemonadeFeminine: lee-moo-NA-duh, from la llimona, the lemon. In summer everyone drinks it: una limonada freda
- l'aigua mineralmineral waterFeminine, with the apostrophe, literally 'mineral water'. Amb gas or sense gas — the choice is on the label
- l'aigua amb gassparkling waterLiterally 'water with gas': an international word. The bubbles are bombolles — they tickle the nose
- el còctelcocktailMasculine, stress on the ó: KOHK-tel, an international word. Un còctel de fruita — there is a fruit one too
- el cacaucocoaMasculine: kuh-KOW — a word from America via the Spanish. Un cacau calent — hot cocoa: the winter drink of children
- la bossa de tétea bagLiterally 'a bag of tea': BOH-suh duh TEH. La bossa is a bag — a tea bag is its little job
- l'aigua bullentboiling waterFeminine, literally 'boiling water': BUH-yen. Bullir is 'to boil' — you know the verb
- l'alcoholalcoholMasculine, with the apostrophe, stress at the end: al-koo-OHL. Sense alcohol — alcohol-free: the label on every bottle
- la begudadrinkFeminine, from beure, to drink: buh-GOO-duh — "the thing drunk". Les begudes fredes — cold drinks: the menu starts with them
- esmorzarto have breakfastBreakfast 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
- dinarto have lunchdee-NAH. El dinar — lunch: the main meal of the day, around two o'clock. The weekday name is related: el dilluns
- soparto have dinnersoo-PAH. El sopar — dinner: late and unhurried, often in company
- l'aperitiusnackMasculine, with the apostrophe: uh-puh-ree-TEE-oo — what opens the appetite. Olives and chips are all aperitiu
- la famhungerFeminine, short: fam. Here you do not suffer it, you hold it: tinc fam — I'm hungry, literally 'I have hunger'
- la setthirstFeminine, short: set. Tinc set — I'm thirsty: possession instead of suffering
- l'hora de dinarlunch breakLiterally 'the hour of lunching': the break is honestly an 'hour'. From two to three: the shops sleep
- tinc famI'm hungryLiterally 'I have hunger': TINK fam. Not estic but tinc: hunger here is property
- tinc setI'm thirstyLiterally 'I have thirst': TINK set. The partner of tinc fam — I'm hungry: both phrases about possession
- ja n'he tingut prouI'm fullLiterally 'I have already had enough of it': counted and polite. Prou — enough: you know it
- el congeladorfreezerYou knew the freezer compartment; the freezer is the same el congelador, said domestically: it freezes and hides pizza. La nevera lives nearby
- la cafeteracoffee makerkuh-fuh-TEH-ruh — from el cafè, you knew it; the morning starts with its sound. La cafetera italiana — the moka pot
- el recipient hermèticairtight containerLiterally "a hermetic vessel": it closes tight, the soup will not escape. El recipient with food you knew — here is its strict brother
- el bolmixing bowlBOLL — the word flew in from English, like the dish itself. One whisks, kneads and has breakfast in it
- el platetsaucerA "little plate": el platet — the diminutive of el plat, you knew it. Under the cup and under the sweets
- la tassamugYou knew the cup; the mug is the same la tassa, only big and thick-walled. Just right for the morning café amb llet
- la copawine glassKOH-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'esponjaspongeoon-SPON-zhuh — yellow, rough on one side; washes plates and drinks water. Lives by the sink
- la pinça de robaclothespinLiterally "a grip of clothes": it holds laundry on the line, and in the kitchen it clips bags of cookies
- posar la tetera al focto put the kettle onHonestly "to put the teapot on the fire": la tetera you knew, el foc too. Gas or induction — foc stays
- els fideusnoodlesfee-DEH-oos — thin pasta strands, they cook in three minutes. La fideuà — a paella with noodles, the pride of the coast
- la mantegabuttermoo-NTUH-guh — made of milk, melts on warm bread. Margarine is la margarina; mantega is the honest butter
- l'oli de gira-solsunflower oilLiterally "oil of the sunflower": el gira-sol — the sunflower. You knew l'oli; for frying they often take gira-sol here
- la massadoughMAH-suh — flour, water and hands. Pizza, bread, empanada — each has its own massa
- les farinetesporridgefoo-ree-NEH-tuhs — the breakfast of small children and big hikes. Farinetes de civada — oatmeal
- els flocsflakesFLOKS — flattened grains; flocs de civada — oat flakes. The same word as a snowflake
- les llentieslentilsNYEN-tee-uhs — little "coins". The capital dish is llenties estofades — stewed lentils with sausage
- el cigróchickpeasee-GROH — round, yellow, soaked overnight. Els cigrons amb espinacs — a classic of the tapas bar
- l'ametllaalmondoon-MEH-lya — the Christmas nut of these latitudes. El torró d'ametlla — nougat; the plural is ametlles
- el cacauetpeanutkoo-koo-WET — a little cacau, cocoa; it grows underground. Cacauets salats — salted peanuts
- l'espèciaspiceoon-SPEH-see-uh — a dried seed or powder from faraway lands. Les espècies canvien una sopa — spices change a soup
- el condimentseasoningkoon-dee-MENT — what is added to food to decorate the taste: salt, pepper, herbs. Condimentar — to season
- el vinagrevinegarvee-NAH-gruh — wine that has gone sour: it reads just so, vi agre. Obligatory in the salad dressing
- la salsasauceSAL-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 ketchupketchupKET-chap — masculine, a Chinese word via England. Children spread it on everything that does not ask permission
- la maionesamayonnaisemoo-yoo-NEH-zoo — named after Mahón, a town on Menorca. Eggs and olive oil whipped by patience
- la mostassamustardmoos-TAH-suh — yellow and sharp; it comes alive with sausage. Mostassa de Dijon — the French guest
- la canyellacinnamonkuh-NYEH-lya — bark in a stick; smells of Christmas and crema catalana. Into dough it goes ground
- el pebre negreblack pepperHonestly "black pepper": el pebre — pepper in general. It is best ground at the last moment
- el broubrothBROO — what something was cooked in. El brou de gallina — grandma's cure for every ailment
- la gerrapitcherZHEH-rruh — with a handle and a spout. Una gerra d'aigua fresca stands at the center of every summer table
- el termothermosTEHR-moo — keeps things hot until evening. El termo de cafè — the companion of all excursions
- el sucretersugar bowlsoo-kru-TEH — from el sucre, you knew it; masculine. It stands on the table next to the teapot
- els cobertscutleryLiterally "the covered ones": from cobrir, to cover; knife, fork and spoon at once. Un joc de coberts — a setting for one
- la culleretateaspoonA "little spoon": the diminutive of la cullera, you knew it. It stirs the coffee and the medicine
- el cullerótablespoonThe big spoon: it ladles soup and measures recipes. Un culleró d'oli — a tablespoon of oil
- la canyetadrinking strawA "little reed": from la canya, the cane; a thin tube for juice. Beure amb canyeta — to drink through a straw
- la graellagrillgroo-EH-lya — a grid of bars; fish and vegetables are cooked on it. A la graella — on the grill
- l'aperitiuappetizerYou 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 guarnicióside dishgoo-rruh-nee-SOH — the "clothing" of the dish: potatoes, vegetables, salad. On the menu it lives after the fish and meat
- fritfried (adjective)From the pan with hot oil; feminine frita. Patates fregides — the same family of words
- bullitboiledFrom the pot with boiling water; bullir — to boil, you knew it. The boiled has its own truth: softer and more honest
- assecatdriedFrom assecar, to dry. Tomatoes assecats al sol — sun-dried: a concentrate of summer
- congelatfrozenIt sleeps in the freezer until needed. Pèsols congelats — the rescue of every cook
- a puntready (dish)Literally "at the point": the dish is ready right now. El dinar és a punt! — the call to the table
- naturalnot made by people; as found in natureWithout tricks, as from the garden; it does not change by gender. Suc natural — juice without added sugar
- carregatstrong (tea)Literally "loaded": tea or coffee with a double dose of leaf; feminine carregada. Un cafè ben carregat wakes better than an alarm clock
- casolàhomemadekuh-soo-LAH — from casa; el menjar casolà — made at home, with hands. Feminine casolana
- la pellpeel (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 pinyolfruit pitpeen-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 plauOne coffee, please
- Un te amb llimona, si us plauTea with lemon, please
- Em poseu un got d'aigua?Could I have a glass of water?
- Compro pa cada matíI buy bread every morning
- Aquest formatge és molt boThis cheese is very tasty
- No menjo carn, sóc vegetarianaI 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
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is el cafè — coffee.
- What is this word?
It is la fruita — fruit.
- What is this word?
It is bo — tasty.
- What is this word?
It is mastegar — to chew.
- What is this word?
It is la farina — flour.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “coffee” in Catalan?
The drink and the place in one. The el is the masculine article — and a gender hint
- How do you say “fruit” in Catalan?
A collective, so it stays singular: m'agrada la fruita — I like fruit. One piece is una fruita
- How do you say “tasty” in Catalan?
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
- How do you say “to chew” in Catalan?
mu-stuh-GAH. Hence mastegar xiclet — to chew gum: the same word
- How do you say “flour” in Catalan?
No plural: flour is measured, not counted. Farina de blat — wheat flour, literally "flour of wheat"
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 timesAdesope, 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 timesMawson & 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.
Frequently asked
How do you say “coffee” in Catalan?
«el cafè». The drink and the place in one. The el is the masculine article — and a gender hint. It is one of 241 words in the set “food and drink” — the rest are in the table above.
How many food words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 241 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 241 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.