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People and family in Catalan

229 words in Catalan on the topic “people and family”: l'amic — friend, la família — family, la mare — mother, el pare — father. 229 words can be played from recordings.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

229 words on the topic

  • l'amic
    friend
    Before a vowel the article shrinks: l'amic, l'amiga. A mere acquaintance is un conegut
  • la família
    family
    A false friend: this is the family, not the surname. The surname is el cognom. Stress the í: fuh-MEE-lyuh
  • la mare
    mother
    The neutral word, for documents and third-person talk. The tender 'mom' is mamà, stress at the end. The sea is el mar: the article tells them apart
  • el pare
    father
    The tender one is papà, stress at the end. The mark decides: papa without it is potato and the Pope
  • el fill
    child
    A child as someone's son or daughter. In the plural els fills means children in general; a small child regardless of parents is el nen
  • el fill
    son
    In the basics el fill was 'child': the same word is son or child, the context decides. The daughter is la filla
  • la persona
    person
    The counting unit of people: dues persones — two people, not dues homes. The neutral word instead of 'men and women'
  • l'home
    man
    Not 'home': l'home is the human and the man, as in l'home del temps — the weatherman. The plural is homes
  • la dona
    woman
    Two syllables: DOH-nuh. The plural is dones. Dia de la Dona — March 8
  • el jove
    young man
    Jove is young in general: about a youth they say el jove, about a girl more often la noia. Jove is also 'young' about wine
  • la noia
    girl
    A girl and a teenage girl at once. Noia is the ordinary word, like Spanish chica
  • l'ancià
    elderly person
    The respectful 'older person': l'ancià, l'ànciana. Say it this way and you will not go wrong anywhere
  • el desconegut
    stranger
    From desconèixer, to not know. Un desconegut m'ha ajutat — a stranger helped me: a word from kind stories
  • la multitud
    crowd
    Feminine: «la multitud». «Una multitud de gent» — a crowd of people; at Valencian festivals it is never otherwise
  • els pares
    parents
    Only plural: els pares — parents, not "parent". The father is el pare, the mother la mare
  • el germà
    brother
    With the accent on the á. The brother is germà, the sister germana: the gender lives in the vowel
  • la germana
    sister
    The pair of el germà. Germana petita — a little sister: seniority is expressed with an adjective
  • l'àvia
    grandmother
    With the accent on the à: AH-vee-uh. Grandmother and grandfather (avi) differ by the final -a, not by stress
  • l'avi
    grandfather
    Without the accent, unlike l'àvia. The plural els avis — both grandpas with grandmas and ancestors
  • l'oncle
    uncle
    Aunt is «la tia», cousin is «el cosí». Stress on the first syllable: ON-cle
  • la tia
    aunt
    Both the aunt and a colloquial address to a young woman: la tia del costat — the one next door
  • el net
    grandson
    The grandson is el net, clean is net: homonyms, told apart by the article and context. The granddaughter is la neta
  • el parent
    relative
    Stressed on the second syllable: puh-RENT. Not the English parent: here it is a relative in general
  • el cosí
    cousin (male)
    With the accent on the í. The female cousin is la cosina: gender in the ending
  • els nens
    children (kids)
    Children here are "nels": the plural of el nen. Dia Universal del Nen — November 20
  • el nen
    boy
    The central word for a child; the Valencian xic is not the norm here. Nen — a boy, nena — a girl: the vowel decides
  • la nena
    girl (child)
    The pair of el nen. La nena del costat — the girl next door: no diminutive needed here
  • la filla
    daughter
    The pair of el fill — the son. Fill únic — an only child: the phrase of questionnaires
  • quants anys tens?
    how old are you?
    Literally 'how many years do you hold?': age here is 'held', not 'had'. Tinc tretze anys — I'm thirteen
  • l'adult
    adult
    Feminine: «l'adulta». «Món adult» — the adult world: a teenagers’ phrase
  • l'adolescent
    teenager
    From the Latin "the one who grows". It does not change by gender: l'adolescent is both he and she
  • el nadó
    baby
    From the Latin natus, born. Dorm com un nadó — sleeps like a baby: a compliment to sound sleep
  • l'edat
    age
    Stressed on the second syllable: uh-DAHT. L'edat mitjana — the average age and the Middle Ages at once
  • tinc trenta anys
    I'm thirty years old
    Literally 'I hold thirty years': trenta — thirty. Age here is 'held', like fear and hunger
  • la teulada
    roof
    With the diphthong eu inside: tuhw-LAH-thuh. Red tiles are teulada vermella: the view from above of the old town
  • la paret
    wall
    Two syllables, stress on -ret. A la paret — on the wall: a picture hangs "on" it, not "in" it
  • el dormitori
    bedroom
    From dormir, to sleep: a bedroom in the direct sense. The word is shared with the Spanish dormitorio
  • el pati
    courtyard
    A relative of patio: one courtyard per stairwell. In the old houses of Valencia an orange tree grows in the yard
  • el sostre
    ceiling
    SOH-struh with an s before t. Ceiling and roof are different words: el sostre inside, la teulada above
  • el portal
    entrance hall
    Both the gateway and the building entrance at once. El portal és tancat — the entrance is locked: the phrase of the magnetic lock
  • la tanca
    fence
    From tancar, to close: a fence here is a "closer". Tancar la tanca — to shut the gate
  • el garatge
    garage
    Stressed on the a: guh-RAHT-zhuh. A word shared with the French garage
  • la bústia
    mailbox
    With the accent on the ú. The box on the entrance door is bústia de correus: one per flat here
  • el celler
    cellar
    A relative of cell via the Latin cellarium: a cellar here is a "storeroom". Wine and preserves are kept there
  • rentar els plats
    to wash the dishes
    Literally "to wash the plates": rentar — to wash. The dishes as a whole are la vaixella
  • escombrar
    to sweep
    us-koom-BRAHR. The same root as les escombraries — the trash
  • rentar la roba
    to wash clothes
    Literally "to wash the clothes": laundry here is a washing. The machine is la rentadora: the same nest
  • planxar
    to iron
    From «la planxa», iron. To iron a shirt is «planxar la camisa»
  • preparar el sopar
    to cook dinner
    Literally "to prepare the dinner": el sopar — dinner. Què hi ha per sopar? — what is for dinner?
  • treure les escombraries
    to take out the trash
    Literally "to take out the trash": treure — to take out. Escombraries — only plural, like the English refuse
  • l'aspirador
    vacuum cleaner
    From aspirar, to inhale: a vacuum here is an 'inhaler'. Passar l'aspirador — to vacuum: the verb 'to pass'
  • el raspall
    brush
    The double ll is a soft ly at the end. A hair brush is raspall de cabell: the same word
  • la galleda
    bucket
    guh-LYEH-duh with the double ll. The bucket is universal: for water, for cleaning, for sand
  • la planxa
    iron (appliance)
    Feminine: la planxa. La planxa és calenta — the phrase of every ironing Sunday
  • ajudar
    to help
    A relative of the Spanish ayudar, just so. Ajuda'm, si us plau — help me, please
  • tanca la porta
    close the door
    Literally "close the door": the imperative of tancar. Tanca-la — close it: the pronoun at the end of the command
  • obre la finestra
    open the window
    The imperative of obrir — to open. The pair of tanca la porta
  • demanar
    to request
    The same word as to order: asking and ordering are one verb here. Demanar ajuda — to ask for help
  • puc entrar?
    may I come in?
    Literally "can I enter?": poder — to be able to. The polite knock at the door: Puc? — one word
  • passa'm
    pass it to me
    Literally "pass to me": from passar, to pass. Verb and pronoun fused by an apostrophe: the signature move
  • silenci, si us plau
    quiet, please
    Literally "silence, please". Silenci! is shouted in libraries and concert halls alike
  • ara vinc
    I'm coming right away
    Literally "now I come": the present tense instead of the future. Ara vaig — I'm off now: the same device
  • permetre
    to allow
    Em permetes? — will you allow me?: the polite request. Hence el permís — the permit
  • prohibir
    to forbid
    Signs say «Prohibit» — «forbidden»: a single participle, no verb
  • arrissat
    curly
    About hair: el cabell arrissat — from arrissar, to curl. Straight hair is llis, but as a verb: allisat
  • calb
    bald
    Quedar-se calb — to go bald. It is politer to speak not of the person but of the hair: té el cap calb — he has a bald head
  • canós
    gray (hair)
    Not simply white hair but greying: el senyor canós — a greying gentleman. Pure white is said de cabells blancs
  • l'alçada
    height (person)
    From alt — tall: height here is a 'person's stature'. About objects they say l'altura, about a person l'alçada
  • esvelt
    slender
    A compliment: slim, shapely. Prim is simply thin, esvelt is also well-proportioned: the words praise differently
  • d'alçada mitjana
    of medium height
    Literally "of medium height" — how a person is described in ads and by the police. The order is obligatory: alçada mitjana, not the reverse
  • aprimar-se
    to lose weight
    Reflexive, like posar-se malalt: m'he aprimat — I have lost weight. How much is said without a preposition: ha aprimat tres quilos
  • guanyar pes
    to gain weight
    The same guanyar as in guanyar el partit: weight here is "won", not gained. Losing it is perdre pes — honest symmetry
  • generós
    generous
    About a person and about a portion: una ració generosa — a generous portion. Feminine generosa
  • pacient
    patient
    The same word as el pacient — the patient: the enduring and the enduring were one in Latin. The noun is la paciència: tingueu paciència — bear with us
  • treballador
    hardworking
    One word — both adjective and noun: treballador is hardworking and a worker. Feminine treballadora
  • de confiança
    trustworthy
    Literally "of trust": said of a person you could tell anything. Una persona de confiança — a tried and true person
  • modest
    modest
    Goes back to Latin modus — measure. A modest salary is also «un sou modest»
  • sociable
    sociable
    One form for both genders. A close word is obert — open; the opposite is tancat — closed: the door of character
  • atent
    caring
    Both attentive and caring: atent en classe — attentive in class, atent amb la seva àvia — caring with his grandmother
  • seriós
    serious
    With the stress on the ó, unlike the Spanish serio. About business too: una empresa seriosa — a reliable firm
  • ben educat
    well-mannered
    Literally "well-educated" — about manners, not diplomas. The un-mannered is written as one word: maleducat
  • el sentit de l'humor
    sense of humor
    Literally 'the sense of humor': the same sentit as the meaning of a phrase. The person-test question: té sentit de l'humor?
  • gasiu
    stingy
    Its own word, not international. About money too: un preu gasiu — a stingy price. Feminine gasiva
  • tossut
    stubborn
    Spelled «tossut», feminine «tossuda». Used for donkeys and bosses alike
  • groller
    rude
    Rude in words and manners. The standing pair: groller amb el cambrer — rude to the waiter; by this sign a person is judged at once
  • descarat
    cheeky
    From descarar — literally "to remove the face": the cheeky one is "faceless". The exclamation quina cara dura! is of the same breed
  • astut
    cunning
    A relative of astrology — the starry cunning: astut here is "refined". The fox in fairy tales is always astuta
  • xerraire
    chatty
    From xerrar — to chat: a chatterbox here is a 'chatterer'. Both adjective and noun: és un xerraire — he is a chatterbox
  • despistat
    scatterbrained
    From pista — the track: the scatterbrained is one who "lost the track". The gentlest of the difficult traits: said with a smile
  • irascible
    hot-tempered
    One form for both genders. From Latin ira — anger: someone who flares up instantly
  • indiferent
    indifferent
    In- — the same prefix of negation as in impossible: indifferent here is "non-distinguishing". És indiferent a tot — nothing matters to him
  • l'hàbit
    habit
    The same word also means a monk’s habit. «Un bon hàbit» — a good habit
  • l'amiga
    friend (female)
    The feminine of l'amic — friend. Do not mix it up with la núvia, the bride: a friend is not a bride, though sometimes the difference is small
  • el conegut
    acquaintance
    The participle of conèixer — to know: an acquaintance here is a "come-to-known". The opposite is el desconegut, a stranger
  • el talent
    talent
    Masculine, an international word. Tenir talent per a… — to have a talent for: music, languages, baking
  • el principiant
    beginner
    "The beginning one" here is a noun: sóc un principiant — I am a beginner. Courses for them are marked honestly: per a principiants
  • el professional
    professional
    Both adjective and noun: un professional — a pro. Fes-ho revisar per un professional — advice that saves money
  • néixer
    to be born
    To be born here is "to be birthed": néixer is both to be born and to rise, of the sun. Vaig néixer — I was born: the first word of any biography
  • la infància
    childhood
    Feminine, a relative of infantile — childish. Passar la infància — to spend one's childhood: the village, the yard, grandma
  • la joventut
    youth
    Feminine, from jove — young: youth here is 'youngness'. La joventut d'abans — the youth of earlier times: the theme of all table talk
  • la vida adulta
    adult life
    Literally "the adult life": it begins suddenly — with the first rent. La vida adulta no és fàcil — said with a sigh
  • la generació
    generation
    Feminine. «La meva generació» — us and our peers: always a little to blame
  • el poble natal
    home town
    Literally "the native village": natal — native by birth. About a city they say la ciutat natal: the same word, the gender changes
  • el poblet
    village
    A diminutive of el poble: a village here is a "little town". Two hundred residents, one square — and everyone knows everyone
  • acabar l'escola
    to finish school
    Literally 'to finish the school': acabar — to end, to complete. Va acabar l'escola — got the school diploma and exhaled
  • trobar la primera feina
    to find a first job
    Literally "to find the first work": la feina — work, the job. First here is not by count but by meaning: it is remembered all one's life
  • viure cinc anys al país
    to live five years in a country
    Literally "to live in the country five years": viure — to live and to have lived. Residence terms in papers are counted exactly so
  • el record
    a memory
    A relative of recordar — to remember: a memory here is what the "heart brings back". A souvenir is also un record: a thing that keeps memory
  • venir al cap
    to come to mind
    Literally 'to come to the head': the name spins — and does not come. El seu nom no em ve al cap — everyone knows this feeling
  • oblidar
    to forget to
    «No ho oblidis» — don’t forget: a polite request and a favourite line on postcards
  • una vegada
    once upon a time
    Literally "one time": once here works in a fairy tale and in life alike. The opening of all grandpa's stories
  • de petit
    as a child
    Literally "being small": in childhood here is "when I was little". For a woman — de petita: the ending remembers the gender
  • en aquella època
    in those times
    Literally "in that epoch": times here are "epochs", even if it is about the nineties. En aquella època no hi havia mòbils — and it is true
  • va ser fa molt
    it was long ago
    Literally "it was much [time] ago": time in Catalan is "made" — fa molt. The indefinite past puts the period
  • la primera vegada
    the first time
    Literally "the first time": la vegada — a time, a repeat of an event. Vaig volar per primera vegada — an event remembered in details
  • no ho oblidaré mai
    I will never forget
    Literally "I will not forget it never": the future tense here is a promise. Mai at the end works like a hammer blow
  • la fotografia antiga
    old photograph
    Literally "an ancient photograph": antiga — of old, not simply worn. On these everyone is in black and white and nobody looks into the lens
  • el destí
    fate
    Masculine, stress on the last syllable. The same word means «destination». «El destí ens va portar aquí» — said of moves and meetings
  • començar una vida nova
    to start a new life
    Literally "to begin a new life": it happens without moving too — from Monday. The classic: començar una vida nova en una ciutat nova
  • canviar de feina
    to change jobs
    Literally "to change the job": canviar de — to swap for another. With this preposition one changes house, topic and life
  • marxar a l'estranger
    to move abroad
    Literally "to leave abroad": marxar — to leave. L'estranger — abroad, related to "strange" (estrany)
  • crear una família
    to start a family
    Literally "to create a family": a family here is "created", like a project. Crear una família i comprar casa — the classic list for a decade
  • tot ha canviat
    everything has changed
    Literally "everything has changed": the perfect here is right — it changed and stayed so. Said after children are born and renovations done
  • mantenir la família
    to support a family
    From mantenir — to maintain: the family is "held up", like a roof. With two salaries it is easier
  • l'herència
    inheritance
    Feminine. To inherit is «heretar», an heir is «l'hereu». The notary never runs out of work
  • el testament
    will (testament)
    Masculine: «el testament». People write it without waiting for sad times
  • ric
    rich
    Short and without shame: rich with money or with time. He is not rich, but he never lacks anything
  • pobre
    poor
    The opposite of rich, said of people, districts and soil. The neighborhood was poor but full of life
  • el company d'habitació
    roommate
    Literally "companion of the room": l'habitació. A flatmate is el company de pis
  • l'amic d'infància
    childhood friend
    Literally "the friend of childhood": the one from the yard and the school desk. I still see my childhood friend every summer
  • el parent llunyà
    distant relative
    Literally "a far relative": llunyà — faraway. A distant relative wrote to us from France
  • criar els fills
    to raise children
    From criar — to rear: children are "reared", like bread rises. They raised the children in a small flat
  • conegut
    famous
    The same conegut as the acquaintance: famous is "well-known". He is a very famous painter in Catalonia
  • fort
    strong (body)
    Fort is also loud; here it is the body's strength. He is strong but also very patient
  • el prometatge
    engagement
    From prometre — to promise: the given word to marry. El compromís is an obligation or a compromise, never an engagement
  • l'aliança
    wedding ring
    Feminine, with the apostrophe: the ring put on at the wedding. The same word means "alliance"
  • el vestit de núvia
    wedding dress
    Literally "the bride's dress": la núvia — the bride. The bride looks for it in three cities
  • el matrimoni civil
    civil marriage
    Literally "a civil marriage": the matrimoni of the papers, not of the church. It takes place at the town hall, with a short speech
  • els nuvis
    newlyweds
    Only plural: the newlyweds come as a couple. They leave on a trip the day after the banquet
  • la lluna de mel
    honeymoon
    Literally "the moon of honey": like the English honeymoon, sweetness with a moon. Grandma and grandpa paid for it, as a surprise
  • l'estrena de la casa
    housewarming
    The estrena of the premiere — a first use: here of a house. For it everyone brought bread and salt
  • la festa de graduació
    graduation
    From graduar — to grade: graduation is the giving of degrees. At it the mothers cried more than the children
  • el dol
    mourning
    Short and heavy: dol is grief and its outward dress. The family keeps it for a year, as custom commands
  • les condolences
    condolences
    Only plural, from the Latin "I suffer with": the words said standing. They are expressed standing, with a hand on the shoulder
  • el respecte pels grans
    respect for elders
    Literally "the respect for the elders": el respecte, els grans. It is taught at the table, not at school
  • la festa familiar
    family gathering
    Literally "a family holiday": la festa — a celebration, familiar — of the family. One Sunday a month — without excuses
  • raonable
    reasonable
    From raó — reason: reasonable is "reasonable-of-reason". A reasonable price and a reasonable schedule are half the blessing
  • la bondat
    kindness
    From bo — good: kindness is the "goodness". His kindness is seen in small things: he always carries bread for the pigeons
  • la sang freda
    composure
    Literally "the cold blood": calm under fire. With his composure not even a fire breaks the calm
  • la paciència
    patience
    The same paciència as the patient: bearing without complaint. Teaching to read demands patience and much coffee
  • l'egoisme
    selfishness
    A Latin relative of the ego — the I: selfishness is the "I-ness". A little selfishness is useful: you can care for others if you are all right yourself
  • la mandra
    laziness (feeling)
    The feeling of laziness, not the character. Today laziness wins: the sofa and a film decided for me
  • l'obstinació
    obstinacy
    From obstinat — standing firm: the obstinacy. His obstinacy carries him to the finish, even if it rains for three days
  • la curiositat
    curiosity
    A Latin relative — care, attention: curiosity is the "care to know". His curiosity has no age: he asks about everything he sees
  • l'honestedat
    honesty
    A Latin relative — honor: honesty is the "honored-ness". His honesty is known: he returns the change even if it is ten cents
  • l'enginy
    ingenuity
    A Latin relative of the mind: ingenuity is the "in-mind-ness". With his ingenuity he fixed the fridge with a rubber band
  • la despreocupació
    carefreeness
    Literally "the dis-worrying": without worries. His carefreeness amuses, until the electricity bill arrives
  • decidit
    decisive
    The participle of decidir — decided: decisive is "decided". He is decisive: tomorrow he leaves, and that is it, asking nobody
  • tímid
    shy
    A Latin relative — of fear: shy is "timorous". He is shy at first, but when he sings, the voice opens to everyone
  • susceptible
    thin-skinned
    A Latin relative — capable of receiving: the thin-skinned "receives" every word. Do not tell him he sings badly: he is very thin-skinned
  • de tracte fàcil
    easygoing
    Literally "of easy treatment": easy to deal with. He is easygoing: ask him to swap a shift and he will say yes
  • minuciós
    meticulous
    A Latin relative of the minutia — the small detail: the meticulous watches details. He is meticulous: he checks every bill three times before paying
  • orgullós
    prideful
    From orgull — pride: prideful is "prided". He is prideful: he would rather lose the game than ask forgiveness
  • servicial
    helpful
    From servei — the service: the helpful is "serviceful". He is helpful: he carries groceries to the neighbor every Wednesday
  • reservat
    reserved
    A Latin relative — kept back: the reserved keeps himself. He is reserved: you learn his birthday only from documents
  • directe
    straight-talking
    The same directe as the live broadcast: straight-talking goes direct. He is straight-talking: if the soup is oversalted, he tells the waiter and the cook
  • imprevisible
    unpredictable
    Un- + previsible — unforeseeable: the unpredictable escapes foresight. He is unpredictable: one day he comes with flowers, the next with a new excuse
  • obeir
    to obey
    A Latin relative — to listen toward: to obey is to "listen toward". The dog obeys the first time; the cat pretends not to have heard
  • presumir
    to boast
    A Latin relative — to suppose beforehand: to boast is to "presume". He boasts about his grandson: already walking, and ten months old
  • xafardejar
    to gossip
    Gossip is «les xafarderies», a gossip is «el xafarder». The sound of the word already whispers
  • fingir
    to feign
    A Latin relative — to shape, to fashion: to feign is to "shape" an appearance. He feigns sleep when he hears the alarm, like all cats
  • contenir-se
    to hold oneself back
    The reflexive of contenir — to contain: to hold oneself in. He held himself back and did not say what he thought of the report
  • prendre el pèl
    to tease
    Literally "to take the hair": to pull the leg, to tease. The older brother always teases the younger in front of friends
  • inventar-se
    to make up (a story)
    The reflexive of inventar — to invent: to make up "for oneself". He made up a meeting to leave an hour early
  • escoltar d'amagat
    to eavesdrop
    Literally "to listen in hiding": amagat — hidden. The child eavesdropped on the parents' talk from the stairs
  • imposar-se
    to impose oneself
    The reflexive of imposar — to impose: to impose oneself on others. At dinner he always imposes himself and ends up deciding the menu
  • mantenir la paraula
    to keep one's word
    Literally "to keep the word": the given word kept. It rained all day, but he kept his word and came
  • merèixer
    to deserve
    A Latin relative — to merit: to deserve is to "merit". He deserved the prize: three years of training in the rain
  • retreure
    to reproach
    A Latin relative — to draw back: to reproach is to "draw back" a fault to the face. He reproached me a thousand times for lateness, but he is never on time either
  • lloar
    to praise
    A Latin relative of laud — praise: to praise is to "laud". The critics praised the film, but the public did not come
  • condemnar
    to condemn
    A Latin relative — to sentence together: to condemn is to "sentence" an act. All the papers condemned the decision to close the library
  • fallar
    to let down
    A Latin relative — to stumble, to fail: to let down is to "fail" someone. On the exam day memory let him down, not effort
  • de propòsit
    on purpose
    Literally "by purpose": deliberately. He did it on purpose: the chair stood right even before
  • per una estupidesa
    out of stupidity
    Literally "for a stupidity": over some foolishness. He lost the job out of stupidity: he told the boss the truth
  • amb la millor intenció
    with the best of intentions
    Literally "with the best intention": the kindest cause. He dropped the cake with the best of intentions: he wanted to help cut it
  • això no es fa
    that is not done
    Literally "this is not done": against etiquette. That is not done: a neighbor's news is not discussed at full voice
  • sense mala intenció
    he meant no harm
    Literally "without bad intention": no malice meant. He broke the jug meaning no harm: he only wanted to move it
  • la confiança
    trust
    A relative of confiar — to trust: the trust is the "confiding". Trust is earned little by little and lost in one go
  • l'enveja
    envy
    The feeling of envy, not the act. The neighbor's envy of the new window lasts longer than the repair
  • la llàstima
    pity
    The same llàstima as feeling sorry: here, the pity itself. He helped the street cat not out of pity, but with care and food
  • la influència
    influence
    The same influència as flowing into: here, the sway over people. Grandpa has great influence in the town: his word opens doors
  • l'autoritat
    authority
    A Latin relative — the author, the founder: authority is "author-ness". He does not shout: he has authority, and it is visible at first glance
  • recíprocament
    mutually
    From recíproc — returning: mutually is "back and forth". We like each other mutually, without counting or queues
  • d'igual a igual
    as equals
    Literally "from equal to equal": face to face, on the level. The children argue as equals with grandpa, and nobody yields
  • portar-se bé
    to get along
    Literally "to carry oneself well": to treat each other well. Both dogs got along from the first day, a miracle
  • mantenir-se al marge
    to stay on the sidelines
    Literally "to keep oneself at the margin": out of the fray. She stays on the sidelines of the quarter's dispute, and in the end it is she who decides
  • el marit
    husband
    Say it ma-RIT. It pairs with l'esposa, wife: the words travel together like the people
  • l'esposa
    wife
    es-PO-suh, and the apostrophe is obligatory. La dona is 'woman' — do not mix up the roles
  • la gent
    people
    Feminine and collective: people come as one bunch, la gent. The verb agrees in the singular: la gent parla
  • la sogra
    mother-in-law (his side)
    SOH-gruh: the husband's mother. The central word: mother-in-law on either side is sogra; only life tells them apart
  • la sogra
    mother-in-law (her side)
    Both the husband's mother and the wife's mother are la sogra. Jokes about the mother-in-law exist in every language, and Catalan is no exception
  • el sogre
    father-in-law
    SOH-gruh: the husband's father; also the wife's father — one word for both sides. The pair of la sogra: one family, two twin words
  • el gendre
    son-in-law
    ZHEN-droo — the daughter's husband for her parents. In the first year he eats everything he is served and praises everything he tastes
  • la nora
    daughter-in-law
    NOH-ruh — the son's wife for his parents. Tenim nora! — the household rejoices when the son marries
  • el nebot
    nephew
    nu-BON — the son of a brother or sister. His chief right is to fling himself at your neck without warning
  • la neboda
    niece
    nu-BOH-duh — the pair of el nebot, the daughter of a brother or sister. She wears what she is given, and says what to give next
  • la neta
    granddaughter
    NEH-tuh — the pair of el net, the grandson. For grandma she is always la meva neta — and nothing else
  • els bessons
    twins
    boo-SONSS — always two: born on the same day, they fool even their mother. A twin girl is la bessona
  • la parentela
    the clan
    puh-run-TEH-lyuh — the whole family at once: sisters, uncles, nephews and their children. At Christmas it fits at one table… almost
  • el germà gran
    older brother
    Honestly "the big brother": gran is big. He opens jars, settles disputes and takes the blame
  • la germana petita
    little sister
    Honestly "the small sister": petit is small. She learned all your secrets first — and still remembers
  • el fill únic
    only child
    Literally "the only son": únic — only; about a girl, la filla única. Without siblings one grows up earlier
  • la cosina
    cousin (female)
    The male cousin is el cosí; the female cousin is la cosina: the same family, a different ending. In summer she knows all the beach secrets
  • la madrastra
    stepmother
    The father's wife, not the mother; in old fairy tales she had no luck. Modern tales write her kinder
  • el padrastre
    stepfather
    The mother's husband, not the father. The pair of la madrastra: a difficult word, an easy family
  • l'orfe
    orphan
    A child without parents; a girl is l'òrfena. In books orphans find treasures and friends
  • la vídua
    widow
    VEE-doo-uh — a woman who lost her husband; the widower is el vidu. A quiet word, like her life afterwards
  • l'espòs
    spouse (husband)
    luhs-POSS — the husband of wedding announcements and official papers; in life he is el marit. Only the occasion tells them apart
  • l'esposa
    spouse (wife)
    Wife, spouse — l'esposa: the word of invitations and news. Els esposos — the newlyweds together: in their honor fireworks fly at weddings
  • el menudet
    little one
    A diminutive of «menut», small; a little girl is «la menudeta». The name for the youngest in the family
  • el nounat
    newborn
    noo-NAHT — from néixer, to be born: just born. El nadó is a baby; nounat is the very first weeks
  • el cotxet
    stroller
    A "little car": the diminutive of el cotxe, car. On the sidewalks it has its own lane, and in the lifts it is always cramped
  • la cangur
    babysitter
    kun-GOO — like the kangaroo, el cangur: carries the children on herself; one form for both genders. For the evening they ask for la cangur d'aquest vespre
  • la nina
    doll
    NEE-nuh — feminine, like the doll herself. She has her own stroller — el cotxet
  • els gronxadors
    swings
    From «gronxar», to swing; usually plural. The queue for them is the playground’s first argument
  • l'educació
    upbringing
    The same word as education: Catalan does not split them. Tenir educació — to have good manners: the most precious dowry
  • obedient
    obedient
    Obeys the first time; it does not change by gender or number. Cats have studied the word and decided to disagree
  • fer amistat
    to make friends
    Honestly "to make friendship": l'amistat is friendship. One makes friends in the yard, at school and in the ice-cream queue
  • l'amiguet
    buddy
    A "little friend": the diminutive of l'amic. Not a best friend, but first in the chocolate queue

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

l'amic — friend. Before a vowel the article shrinks: l'amic, l'amiga. A mere acquaintance is un conegut.

la família — family. A false friend: this is the family, not the surname. The surname is el cognom. Stress the í: fuh-MEE-lyuh.

la mare — mother. The neutral word, for documents and third-person talk. The tender 'mom' is mamà, stress at the end. The sea is el mar: the article tells them apart.

el pare — father. The tender one is papà, stress at the end. The mark decides: papa without it is potato and the Pope.

Test yourself

First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.

  1. What is this word?

  2. What is this word?

  3. What is this word?

  4. What is this word?

  5. What is this word?

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

  1. How do you say “friend” in Catalan?

  2. How do you say “man” in Catalan?

  3. How do you say “parents” in Catalan?

  4. How do you say “grandson” in Catalan?

  5. How do you say “how old are you?” in Catalan?

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

Mum, friend, child, neighbour. The first thing people ask you about, and the first thing you tell about yourself.

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.

Frequently asked

How do you say “friend” in Catalan?

«l'amic». Before a vowel the article shrinks: l'amic, l'amiga. A mere acquaintance is un conegut. It is one of 229 words in the set “people and family” — the rest are in the table above.

How many family words do you need to start?

The whole set on this page is 229 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, 229 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.

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