The city and its places in Catalan

157 words in Catalan on the topic “the city and its places”: el restaurant — restaurant, la ciutat — city, el carrer — street, la botiga — shop. 157 words can be played from recordings.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

157 words on the topic

el restaurant
restaurant
Masculine. As in Spain, people more often go to el bar: morning coffee, lunch and an evening beer all happen there
la ciutat
city
Feminine, like everything in -tat. Stress at the end: seeyoo-TAT. The mid-dot in tranquil·la nearby is that same dot
el carrer
street
With two r's: the first is short, between vowels it trills. Addresses abbreviate it: c/ Major, 12
la botiga
shop
Catalonia's own word: the Spanish tienda is not used here. Botiga de tot — a shop of a little bit of everything
el mercat
market
The covered city market is el mercat; the street market on certain days is el mercadillo — a word that arrived from Spanish
la farmàcia
pharmacy
Look for the green cross on the sign. The night duty one is farmàcia de guàrdia — the list hangs on every door
el banc
bank
The same word means 'bench', as in Spanish. Both come from the Germanic bench: money changers worked behind one
l'estació
station
Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'
el semàfor
traffic light
The same Greek root as semaphore: "carrying a sign". Green is verd, red is vermell
la bicicleta
bicycle
In speech pressed to la bici. Pista de bicicletes — a bike lane: in Valencia there are more of them than car lanes
la parada d'autobús
bus stop
Literally "the stop of the bus": la parada — from parar, to halt. Taxis wait at the parada de taxis
l'abonament
transit pass
From abonar, to pay for: a pass here is a "payer". The same abonament is a pool membership
la ruta
route
Feminine. «Ruta turística» — a tourist route: hundreds are marked out here
el pas de vianants
crosswalk
Literally "the passage of pedestrians": el vianant — the pedestrian. The zebra is striped just the same
l'embús
traffic jam
Literally "a jamming": hi ha embús — there is a jam. Not the Spanish atasco — its own word
l'aparcament
parking lot
From «aparcar», to park. «Aparcament gratuït» — free parking
la benzinera
gas station
From benzina, gasoline: a "gas-house", feminine. On the way out of town — every ten kilometers
el permís de conduir
driving licence
Literally "a permit to drive": conduir — to drive. The exam is taken reluctantly here, and not on the first try
el parc
park
One syllable, as in all these languages. The favorite park of Valencians is the old bed of the Turia: nine kilometers of gardens
la biblioteca
library
An international word. Do not mix it up with la llibreria — the bookshop: a false friend
el museu
museum
With the diphthong eu at the end: moo-ZEH-oo. Entrada gratuita — free entry: the sign at many museums on Sundays
el teatre
theater
A relative of theater with an e instead of an a. The main stage of Valencia is the Teatre Principal, the oldest in the city
el cinema
cinema
Not cine, as in Spanish: the Catalan word is longer. Cinema a l'aire lliure — open-air cinema
l'església
church
Written with an accent: «església». A church bell tower is «el campanar» — the silhouette of every town
l'estadi
stadium
An international word. The Valencian Mestalla is one of the oldest stadiums in Spain
l'ambaixada
embassy
An ambassador is «l'ambaixador». «x» after «ai» sounds like «sh»: am-ba-SHA-da
la comissaria
police station
From comissari, the commissioner: the station here is a 'commissariat'. Every city has its own Policia Local
l'ajuntament
town hall
From ajuntar, to join: the town hall here is the "joining" of townsfolk. A flag always hangs on the facade — local or Catalan
la perruqueria
hair salon
From perruquer, the hairdresser. The salon's mistress is la perruquera: gender lives in the ending
el tall de cabell
haircut
Literally "a cut of hair": el tall — the cut. The request in the chair: només una mica — just a tiny bit
la bugaderia
laundromat
From bugada, the wash: a "washing house". Self-service ones are bugaderia automàtica
reparar
to repair
«Reparar el cotxe» — to repair the car: an all-purpose verb. A repair is «la reparació»
canviar
to replace
Both to change and to replace: canviar de roba — to change clothes. Money is changed with the same verb: canviar diners
l'eina
tool
With the diphthong: EH-yuh. The plural eines — tools: the repairperson's kit is a maletí d'eines
el martell
hammer
The double ll is a soft ly at the end: muh-TEL. Hence martellejar — to hammer without stopping
quant de temps trigarà?
how long will it take?
Literally "how much time will it pull?": trigar — to drag out time. The repairperson's answer is short: dos o tres dies
el taller
workshop
A relative of atelier: a workshop is an atelier. Taller mecànic — a car workshop: the sign at every road
el clau
nail (in wall)
With el — a nail, with la — the key: the article decides everything. The partner of el martell, the hammer
la policia
police
One word for the police and a police officer: gender decides. Policia Nacional and Policia Local are two different forces
el policia
police officer
The same word as the police, only with el: the man in uniform. The polite address: bon dia, agent!
el lladre
thief
The word of fairy tales: the thief of cartoons is el lladre. The double ll is a soft ly: LYAH-druh
l'accident
car crash
«Un accident de trànsit» — a traffic accident. «Sense accidents» — no incidents: a phrase from traffic reports
l'incendi
fire (blaze)
Masculine: «l'incendi». Firefighters are «els bombers», the emergency number is 112
la multa
fine (ticket)
It can arrive by post too: rebre una multa — to receive a fine
m'han robat la bossa
my bag was stolen
Literally "they stole the bag from me": the construction em + han + participle. The first phrase they teach at the station
el robatori
theft
From robar, to steal: a theft here is a "stealing". The report about it is la denúncia
el testimoni
witness
The same word is the person and the testimony. Tenim un testimoni — we have a witness: the phrase of every detective
la denúncia
police report
Literally "a denunciation". Presentar una denúncia — to file a report: the formula of the station
l'adreça
address
With a ç, an s sound: uh-DREH-suh. In an address first the street, then the number: c/ Major, 12
la capsa
box
KAHP-suh with a short a. A shoebox is capsa de sabates: they are kept on the top shelf for generations here
el carter
mail carrier
From carta, letters: a "letter-bearer". In Valencia he rides a bicycle, with a yellow bag
el segell
postage stamp
The same word as the seal: a stamp is the post's seal. They are sold at tobacco kiosks — estancs
el sobre
envelope
Both an envelope and the preposition "about": context divides. Posa la carta al sobre — put the letter in the envelope
el lliurament
delivery
From lliurar, to hand over: a delivery here is a "handing over". Lliurament a casa — home delivery: the line of every shop
el missatger
courier
A relative of message: a courier here is a "messenger". Comes with a phone and asks you to sign on the screen
enviar un paquet
to send a package
Literally "to send the package": el paquet is the package. The post is called Correus — not the Spanish Correos: one letter, but its own
rebre un paquet
to receive a package
Literally "to receive the package": rebre. If you are not home, the courier leaves a notice
el codi postal
the postal code
Literally "the postal code". The Valencia code begins with 46: the whole province is 46…
l'encreuament
crossroads
From encreuar — to cross: a crossroads here is a "crossing of roads". The signs warn honestly: encreuament perillós
la vorera
sidewalk
From la vora — the edge: the sidewalk here is the street's "edge strip". Pujar a la vorera — driving onto the curb: the classic motorist's sin
l'avinguda
avenue
Feminine: a wide street with trees in a row. The most famous — l'avinguda Diagonal in Barcelona: it cuts the city on the bias
el carreró
alley
A diminutive of el carrer — the street: an alley here is a "little street". The old town has hundreds, and no car fits in them
el passeig marítim
seafront promenade
Literally 'the maritime stroll': from passejar-se — to stroll. In the evening everyone goes there: el passeig marítim s'omple al vespre
el pont
bridge
Masculine. Also the bridge-holiday: el pont de desembre — the long weekend that bridges the calendar
el túnel
tunnel
Masculine, an international word. Efecte túnel — the tunnel effect: said of a goal one cannot see for its closeness
el fanal
lamp post
Masculine: «el fanal» — on every street. A lighthouse on a cape is «el far»
el banc
bench
Do not mix it up with el banc — the bank: sit where told, money is not issued there. Seure al banc de la plaça — the Sunday classic
la paperera
trash can
From el paper — paper: a bin here is a 'paper-house'. Tirar-ho a la paperera — to bin it: said of plans too
el conductor d'autobús
bus driver
El conductor — both a driver and a conductor of current: a universal word. A woman at the wheel is la conductora
la parada final
the last stop
Literally "the final stop": la parada is the stop. The driver says it shorter: final de trajecte!
el número de la línia
route number
Literally "the number of the line": a route here is a "line", as in the subway. They ask it short: quina línia agafo?
l'hora punta
rush hour
Literally "the sharp hour": la punta — the peak, the tip. At this time it is better to walk: el metro ve ple
l'horari d'autobusos
bus timetable
Literally "the timetable of the buses": l'horari is the timetable. On holidays it is different: horari de festius
pagar el bitllet
to pay the fare
Literally "to pay for the ticket": el bitllet you bought for the train and the plane. Without a ticket — multa: the difference in price is palpable
prendre seient
to take a seat
Literally "to take the seat": the polite form of "sit". The announcement on the bus begins exactly so: preneu seient, si us plau
passar la parada
to miss one's stop
Literally "to pass the stop": you chatted — and arrived farther. He passat la parada — every phone talker on the bus knows this one
demanar un taxi
to call a taxi
Literally "to ask for a taxi": a taxi here is "asked for", like advice. At night — the most sensible word of the evening
baixar a la següent
to get off at the next stop
Literally "to go down at the next": one "goes down" from the bus, not out. Baixi a la següent — said a second before the door
el barri
neighborhood
Masculine. «El barri Gòtic» — the Gothic Quarter: Barcelona’s most famous district
el centre de la ciutat
city center
Literally "the center of the city": el centre — both the center and the middle. Anar al centre — to go downtown: the direction of the day off
la perifèria
outskirts
Feminine, a Greek relative — "what lies around". The prices here are more honest: els pisos són més barats
l'obra
construction site
Feminine: a construction site here is a "work" — the same obra as a painting in a museum. Obres a la carretera — road works: a sign known to all
les obres de la carretera
roadworks
Literally "works on the highway": plural, as everywhere. Per obres — "because of works": the official explanation of every detour
el rètol
signboard
Masculine. Rètol de neó — a neon sign: at night the city speaks exactly by them. A road sign is a rètol too
el lavabo públic
public restroom
El lavabo is the toilet you ask for in a café. In the park it closes early: tanca a les nou
net
clean (street)
Clean is net, the grandson is also el net: Catalan economizes. Told apart by article and context: una vorera neta — a clean sidewalk
brut
dirty
The opposite of net. Said of money too: diners bruts — dirty money
ple de gent
crowded
Literally "full of people": ple — full, la gent — people. About an empty place they say the reverse: buit de gent
el poblet
village
A diminutive of el poble: a village here is a "little town". Two hundred residents, one square — and everyone knows everyone
la capital
capital (city)
An international word: the head city, from the Latin for head. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia
el transport públic
public transport
Literally "public transport": belonging to everyone. In the city I go everywhere by public transport
el jardí d'infància
kindergarten
Literally "the garden of childhood": the garden where the small ones grow. The children come out at four
el parc infantil
playground
Literally "a children's park": swings, sand and the first disputes. The children play on it on the square
la font de la plaça
fountain
The fountain of the square: the same font as the source of the news. We sat by the fountain
el cementiri
cemetery
A Greek relative: the sleeping place. Every November the family visits the cemetery
el camió de bombers
fire truck
Literally "the firemen's truck": el camió — truck, els bombers — firefighters. It arrives in five minutes
el servei d'emergències
emergency service
The service of emergencies: 112, like all Europe. Call the emergency service, quickly!
l'illa de cases
block
Literally 'island of houses': a block is an island — houses all around, streets for water. Feminine: l'illa
els jardins
small park
Masculine plural: a small park here is 'gardens' — els jardins. One garden is el jardí
la torre
tower
Feminine: TOH-rruh, an international word. La torre de l'església — the church tower: you can see it from everywhere
l'extraradi
suburb
Masculine, literally 'outside the radius': beyond the ring of the center. The apostrophe is obligatory
la vila
town
Feminine: VEE-luh — a town smaller than a city. El poblet is the village: size is what divides them
el passavolant
passer-by
Literally 'one who flies past': someone who was walking and walked on. One form for both genders; the plural is els passavolants
el vianant
pedestrian
Masculine, Latin 'to walk': vee-uh-NANT. Carrer de vianants — a pedestrian street: the sign is on every corner
el rètol
sign
Masculine: the sign over a shop or café door — it is how you find the place. L'ensenya is a banner, a standard
la paperera
litter bin
Feminine, from el paper, paper: a 'paper-keeper'. The same bin stands on the street, by the bench
el fanal
streetlamp
Masculine: fuh-NAL — a word from the oil lamps of old times. In the evening they all light up at once
la gespa
lawn
Feminine: ZHES-puh — grass you do not walk on. No trepitjar la gespa — keep off the lawn: the sign says so
el parterre
flower bed
Masculine, from French: the patch of garden planted with flowers. La jardinera is a planter box
el porxo
porch
Masculine: POR-shoo — a roof on posts over the entrance. Rain is no threat under it
el graó
step
Masculine: groo-OH — Latin 'a stride'. Els graons — the steps: a staircase is counted by them
el número
house number
Masculine: NOO-muh-roo — the digits on the door. El número 12 — house twelve
el nom del carrer
street name
Literally 'the name of the street': a name, honestly — el nom. It hangs on the corner on a plate
el pal
pole
Masculine, a short word: pal. Signs and lamps both hang on it: el pal holds
el casc antic
old town
Literally «old core»: «casc» is both a helmet and a town centre. Inside — lanes and Gothic stone
el bloc de pisos
apartment block
Literally 'a block of flats': a high-rise with mailboxes in the lobby. Un pis — a flat
el silenci
silence
Masculine: see-LEN-see, an international word. Silenci, si us plau — quieter, please: they say it in the library
l'estació d'autobusos
bus station
Feminine, literally 'the station of buses': long and honest. L'autobús is the bus
l'embarcador
pier
Masculine, with the apostrophe: um-bar-kuh-DOH — Latin 'one who seats into the boat'. Boards over the water
l'oficina de canvi
currency exchange
Literally 'an office of exchange'. El canvi is both change and exchange
el zoo
zoo
Masculine, short: zoo — as everywhere. The full name is el jardí zoològic: too long, people say zoo
el circ
circus
Masculine: seerk — the big top on the square and the art in one word. The clown will tell you himself
el parc de bombers
fire station
Literally 'the park of the firemen': a park, like a parking lot for trucks. Els bombers — the fire brigade
el túnel de rentat
car wash
Literally 'a tunnel of washing': the car drives in dirty and comes out clean
l'agència de viatges
travel agency
Feminine, with the apostrophe, literally 'an agency of journeys'. El viatge — the journey
el carrer principal
main street
Literally 'the principal street': first in importance. The shops and the buses live on it
la taquilla
ticket office
Feminine: tuh-KEE-lyuh — a little window with a grate. El bitllet — the ticket: the office sells it
el compte
the bill (hotel)
You said the bill, please, in the café; the hotel bill is the same el compte, only with nights and a minibar. Asked at the desk at check-out
la sortida de l'hotel
check-out
Honestly "the exit from the hotel": la sortida is the exit or departure. Usually until twelve: then the bill grows
el número de planta
floor number
Honestly "the number of the floor": la planta is a floor. The fifth without a lift is a sport
el llit supletori
extra bed
Literally "a spare bed": el llit — a bed, supletori — spare. It arrives as the third guest and stands in the middle of the room
l'habitació tranquil·la
a quiet room
Literally "a calm room": with the mid-dot in tranquil·la. Asked when the room faces the road: que no es senti el carrer
l'entrada anticipada
early check-in
Literally "an early entry": l'entrada is the entry, check-in. You land at eight in the morning — and dream of exactly this
no molesteu
do not disturb
Literally "do not disturb": the sign hung on the outside of the door. A shield-word against cleaning and calls
el maleter
hotel porter
Both the car trunk and the porter are el maleter: the hotel man who carries the suitcases up. One euro for a heavy suitcase — and he is happy
el matalàs
mattress
moo-tuh-LAHS — what one sleeps on; firm or soft, the dispute of the century. About the springs hidden inside one learns at night
el servei
service
El servei is service: how the hotel or bar takes care of you. El servei és inclòs — service is included in the price
el número d'espera
queue ticket
Honestly "the number of waiting": a paper from the machine in the waiting room. El tres — and you watch the screen like a lottery
la finestreta
service window
A "little window": la finestreta — a diminutive of la finestra, window. Papers are passed through it, and voices are raised
la recepció
reception desk
Hotel reception and front desk are both la recepció: at the clinic, the firm, the consulate. The one who decides whether you are admitted sits there
el visitant
visitor
The one who comes on a visit; about a woman — la visitant. A relative of la visita, the visit
la consulta
a consultation
La consulta is the doctor's appointment and any talk with a specialist. It can be medical, legal and free — the last is the best loved
el pagament anticipat
prepayment
Honestly "a payment made in advance": el pagament — a payment, anticipat — done ahead. It is asked where one guards one's time
urgent
urgent
Needed now, not after lunch; it does not change by gender or number. The engine word of queues: és urgent jumps the line
sense cita prèvia
without an appointment
Honestly "without a prior appointment": la cita is an appointment. This is how one goes to the clinic in the morning and to the hairdresser on Thursday
amb cita prèvia
by appointment
Honestly "with a prior appointment": the pair of sense cita prèvia. Documents, tests and interviews — only so
el temps més proper
the nearest time
Honestly "the nearest time": proper is close. Al temps més proper is the answer when there is no exact date yet
la reparació del mòbil
phone repair
Honestly "the repair of the mobile": la reparació is the repair. The repairperson names the price in five minutes
la manicura
manicure
moo-nee-KOO-ruh — both the procedure and the salon: anar a la manicura. Booked on Saturdays, a week ahead
el massatge
massage
moo-SAH-tzhuh — the double s holds the short vowel. After it the back says gràcies, and the wallet does not
la reserva en línia
online booking
Honestly "a booking in the line": la reserva is a booking. You pick the day and hour without leaving the pijama
el preu del servei
price of the service
Honestly "the price of the service": el preu is the price. Ask before, wonder less after
l'autoescola
driving school
A school with a steering wheel instead of notebooks. The green sign on the street — and forever someone's first exam
la classe de conducció
driving lesson
Honestly "the lesson of driving": conduir is to drive. In every city there is an instructor who says tranquil twenty times an hour
l'escombriaire
street sweeper
Literally "the sweep-man": from escombrar, to sweep. In the morning he knows more about the city than the news
el músic de carrer
street musician
Honestly "the musician of the street": el músic — musician, el carrer — street. His stage is the sidewalk, his hall is the whole day
la llogadora de cotxes
car rental
Literally "the hirer of cars": from llogar, to hire, to rent. They look at you, at the card and at the gasoline

Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet

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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.

What is worth knowing about these words

el restaurant — restaurant. Masculine. As in Spain, people more often go to el bar: morning coffee, lunch and an evening beer all happen there.

la ciutat — city. Feminine, like everything in -tat. Stress at the end: seeyoo-TAT. The mid-dot in tranquil·la nearby is that same dot.

el carrer — street. With two r's: the first is short, between vowels it trills. Addresses abbreviate it: c/ Major, 12.

la botiga — shop. Catalonia's own word: the Spanish tienda is not used here. Botiga de tot — a shop of a little bit of everything.

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 restaurant — restaurant.
What is this word?
It is l'estació — station.
What is this word?
It is l'embús — traffic jam.
What is this word?
It is el teatre — theater.
What is this word?
It is la perruqueria — hair salon.

Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.

How do you say “restaurant” in Catalan?
Masculine. As in Spain, people more often go to el bar: morning coffee, lunch and an evening beer all happen there
How do you say “station” in Catalan?
Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'
How do you say “traffic jam” in Catalan?
Literally "a jamming": hi ha embús — there is a jam. Not the Spanish atasco — its own word
How do you say “theater” in Catalan?
A relative of theater with an e instead of an a. The main stage of Valencia is the Teatre Principal, the oldest in the city
How do you say “hair salon” in Catalan?
From perruquer, the hairdresser. The salon's mistress is la perruquera: gender lives in the ending

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

Street, square, pharmacy, bank. An address is built out of these, and an address is something you have to both say and understand.

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.
Study spread over days wins 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.

Frequently asked

How do you say “restaurant” in Catalan?

«el restaurant». Masculine. As in Spain, people more often go to el bar: morning coffee, lunch and an evening beer all happen there. It is one of 157 words in the set “the city and its places” — the rest are in the table above.

How many street and place words do you need to start?

The whole set on this page is 157 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.

Is there audio?

Yes, 157 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.

The city and its places in Catalan

157 words on the topic

How it sounds in a sentence

What is worth knowing about these words

Test yourself

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

Frequently asked

How do you say “restaurant” in Catalan?

How many street and place words do you need to start?

Is there audio?

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