The Best App For Learning Catalan: Ling Presents Its 62nd Language Course

best app for learning catalan

After much anticipation, Ling’s newest language course is finally here: Catalan.

Now you can learn to speak Catalan just in time for your Christmas vacation or study abroad program in Eastern Spain. Keep reading to learn more about the Catalan language and how Ling is the best app for learning Catalan!

Why Learn The Catalan Language?

Why should you learn Catalan? It’s a good question.

Catalan is, quite simply, one of the oldest languages still in use today. It’s even older than Spanish, which is believed to have originated sometime around the 12th century.

It’ll be a breeze if you know other Romance languages. Suppose you can speak Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, or other Romance languages. In that case, learning the Catalan language won’t be too hard, and you can still add another language under your belt!

Impress native Catalan speakers with your language skills. Outside of Europe, Catalan is not as well-known a language. Schools in the U.S., for example, typically only offer classes in the Romance languages of Spanish and French. So, think how surprised a Catalan person will be if you can speak Catalan!

Where Is Catalan Spoken?

Catalan is the native language in Andorra, Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. There are a total of 4 million native Catalan speakers around the world and 5 million people who use Catalan as a second language.

Don’t forget that Catalan also refers to an ethnic group and culture.

What are some markers of the Catalan ethnic group?

Known as Catalans, these people are native to Catalonia and speak Catalan as their first language. Depending on who you ask, some will also categorize anyone who lives in the surrounding areas where Catalan is spoken as Catalans.

Generally speaking, Catalans are friendly, but they value independence and freedom. Since Catalan is a recognized nationality in Spain, Catalans have a great deal of political autonomy. In fact, a recent survey found that 46.7% of Catalans want independence from Spain.

What are some markers of Catalan culture?

Catalan culture is distinct. Here are some highlights of the culture:

  • Clothing: Barretina (wool, long cap), faixa (wide belt for men), ret (bag to hold women’s hair), espardenya (traditional footwear)
  • Commonly Used Ingredients: Similar to Mediterranean food, olive oil, veal, lamb
  • Famous Dish: Escudella (soup with chickpeas, potatoes, green cabbage, celery, carrots, turnips, and Catalan sausage)
  • Religion: Long history with Roman Catholicism (nowadays, only 61.9% of Catalans identify as Christians)
  • Celebrations: One of the most popular is La Diada de Sant Jordi, held on 23 April, where men give women roses, and women give men a book
  • Symbolism: The oldest known Catalan symbol is the coat of arms of the King of Aragon

Is Catalan The Same As Spanish?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to Catalan.

In short, no, they are not the same. Catalan is an entirely distinct language from Spanish. But if they sound so similar, what’s the difference?

CategorySpanishCatalan
Western Romance LanguageYesYes
Language FamilyIberio Romance FamilyOccitano Romance Family
PronunciationVowel sound remains the sameVowel sound changes depending on whether it’s stressed or unstressed
Number of Vowels58
Spelling (example)ÑNy

Example of Spanish v.s. Catalan Conversation

If you want to know the difference between Spanish and Catalan, look at the conversation below:

Catalan: Hola! Bon dia! Com estas?
Spanish: ¡Hola! ¡Buenos días! ¿Cómo estás?
English: Hello! Good morning! How are you?

Can you see the difference now?

Is It Hard To Learn Catalan?

Catalan isn’t hard to learn, especially if you have some previous experience with Romance languages or the English language.

Most Romance languages are classified as category I languages, meaning they should take around 24 weeks, about 6 months, to reach proficiency. With a bit of time, effort, and practice every day, you can be fluent in Catalan before you know it.

learning catalan with ling app

What Kind Of Catalan Vocab And Phrases Will Ling Teach Me?

Ling aims to be a language app for everyone, meaning you’ll find Catalan vocabulary for beginners and experts.

We also ensure our app offers a well-rounded education, meaning that there are an equal number of exercises for speaking, reading, writing, and listening. That way, one language skill isn’t overdeveloped in comparison to another.

Let’s look at some of the Catalan vocabulary and phrases you can learn with Ling.

Beginner

Beginner Catalan lessons cover numbers, family, activities, food, vegetables, fruits, dining out, and navigation.

Here’s one beginner Catalan word and phrase you can learn now:

  • Family: família
  • A cup of coffee costs three dollars: Una tassa de cafè val tres dòlars

Intermediate

Intermediate Catalan lessons cover occupations, moods, shapes, colors, clothing, telling time, traveling, accommodation, relationships, and emergencies.

  • To be happy: ser feliç
  • I would like to have a shirt: Voldria tenir una camisa
word in catalan ling app

Advanced

Advanced Catalan lessons cover the body, appearance, weather, reasoning, dating, romance, and cooking.

  • Good looking: guapo
  • The weather is nice today: Avui fa bon temps

Expert

Expert Catalan lessons cover business talk, nature, landscape, disasters, law, health, and wishful thinking.

  • Profit: benefici
  • I wish you success in your study: Et desitjo èxit en els teus estudis
phrase in catalan ling app

Check out Ling’s newest Catalan course for more Catalan words and phrases!

Free Catalan Lessons Start Now!

If you want to learn a Romance language like Catalan, Ling can help!

There are tons of language apps out there, but with Ling, you get:

  • Access to over 200 Catalan courses, all language levels welcome
  • Audio from native Catalan speakers
  • Catalan grammar notes and tips to take you from beginner to expert
  • Smart chatbot to help you develop native-level pronunciation and comprehensive conversation skills
  • Fun Catalan learning games, such as sorting the jumbled sentences or matching the image with the correct word
  • 60+ native languages to choose from

The best app for learning Catalan is here. With one click, you can download the Ling app from the App Store or Play Store today and start learning our newest Catalan language course!

Ling is always looking for new language courses to add. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, feel free to leave them in the comments below!

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