Learn Catalan

Learn Catalan online: a complete guide for real beginners

Catalan is often presented as “easy if you know Spanish”. It can be easier — but only if you approach it the right way. To understand real Catalan (street signs, schools, cafés, local conversations), you need two things: ear training and solid phrase reflexes.

On Loecsen, you learn Catalan with one clear principle: audio first, real phrases, and smart repetition. You learn the language as it is used — not as it is explained in abstract grammar lessons.

Where is Catalan spoken, and why learn it?

Catalan is spoken across several regions, and it is much more than “a local language”. It is used daily in: Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community (where it is often called Valencian), Andorra (where it is the official state language), parts of southern France (Roussillon / Northern Catalonia), and in Alghero (Sardinia, Italy).

Catalan, Spanish, and French: a “bridge” Romance language

Catalan is an independent Romance language. It shares obvious similarities with Spanish because both come from Latin — but Catalan is not Spanish, and it is not a Spanish dialect. It also has many features that feel close to French (and sometimes Italian), which is why many learners experience Catalan as a “bridge” between the two.

Here are concrete, beginner-friendly examples you will immediately notice:

• Same as Spanish (often): casa (“house”), sol (“sun”).
• Closer to French than Spanish (often): nit (“night”) feels closer to French nuit than Spanish noche.
• Everyday Catalan identity markers: adéu (“goodbye”), molt (“a lot”), plaça (“square”).

Do you need Catalan to live in Catalonia?

In daily life, Spanish is widely spoken in Catalonia. So you can “survive” without Catalan — but you will miss a lot of real life: school communication, local services, social life, and the cultural layer of the region.

If you have children in school, Catalan becomes especially relevant: in most public schools (often outside central Barcelona), Catalan is the main classroom language. So learning Catalan is not only about language — it is also about being able to follow your children’s school life.

Catalan variants: many regional forms, one practical standard

Catalan has several regional varieties: Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands each have their own features (vocabulary choices, pronunciation habits, local forms).

Loecsen teaches standard Catalan as commonly spoken in Catalonia: the most practical variety for learners living in or visiting Catalonia, and the best base to understand other Catalan-speaking regions later.

How to quickly tell Catalan from Castilian Spanish

When you live in Catalonia and speak neither language, Catalan and Spanish can look similar at first. But a few very visible signs make identification easy.

1) Definite articles

• Catalan: el, la, els, les
• Castilian: el, la, los, las

If you see els or les, it is Catalan.

2) Personal pronouns

• Catalan: jo, tu, ell, nosaltres, vosaltres, ells
• Castilian: yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos

If you see jo instead of yo, it is Catalan.

3) Present tense endings (very visible)

• Catalan: -o, -es, -a, -em, -eu, -en (example: parlo, parles, parlem)
• Castilian: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an (example: hablo, hablas, hablamos)

If you see parlem, it is Catalan; hablamos is Castilian.

4) Accents and special characters

• Catalan often uses: à, è, ò and ç (example: façana, cançons).
• Castilian often uses: ñ (example: señor) and acute accents á, é, í, ó, ú.

5) Vocabulary “giveaways”

• Catalan: adéu, plaça, molt
• Castilian: adiós, plaza, mucho

The Catalan alphabet: what changes compared to Spanish

Catalan uses the Latin alphabet, but several letters and letter-combinations behave differently than in Spanish. The goal is not to memorize rules — it is to train your ear with audio.

On this page, you can listen to each letter with Loecsen audio. Each letter is linked to:

• its sound,
• an example word,
• and a real Loecsen sentence.

This creates a direct mental link between writing and pronunciation from day one.

Below are the letters and patterns learners usually notice first because they often differ from Spanish in real usage:

• E / O: Catalan frequently distinguishes more vowel qualities (you will hear clearer contrasts than in Spanish).
• X: very often pronounced like sh in common words (example: xocolata).
• H: usually silent in Catalan (it does not “carry” sound by itself).
• V: often not sharply separated from B in everyday speech (depending on region).
• Ç: frequent in Catalan spelling and very visible in texts (plaça, cançons).

Pronunciation tips that really matter at the beginning

You do not need a perfect accent to communicate in Catalan. But you do need three key habits:

• Listen to full phrases (Catalan rhythm matters).
• Repeat out loud (your mouth learns by doing).
• Copy the vowel quality you hear (this is where Catalan differs most from Spanish for many learners).

Building sentences: clear structure, fast results

Catalan is very stable for beginners: once you learn a few high-utility sentence patterns, you can reuse them across many situations.

Examples from the Loecsen corpus:

Negation: the easiest “conversation saver”

Catalan negation is extremely practical at beginner level. The main negation word is no.

The key point is visual and simple: negation appears right before the verb.

Asking questions: simple and reusable

Most beginner questions in Catalan rely on a few reusable patterns. If you learn these, you can handle many real-life situations.

A simple, effective learning routine with Loecsen

Learning Catalan works best with short, regular sessions and repeated exposure to the same real sentence patterns. The goal is not to “study more”, but to build automatic recognition and reflexes.

• Practice a little every day to build continuity.
• Listen carefully to the same phrases several times.
• Repeat out loud to absorb pronunciation and rhythm.
• Notice recurring word endings and patterns without trying to name grammar rules.
• Write a few short sentences by hand to strengthen recognition.
• Reuse familiar expressions in new contexts to make them yours.
• Use Listen mode for passive exposure (especially on low-energy days).
• Practice with AI dialogues to simulate real conversations.
• Rely on spaced repetition (SRS) and Super Memory to review expressions at the right moment.

Staying motivated while learning Catalan

Progress in Catalan is often internal before it becomes visible. Recognition comes before fluency.

• Trust repetition, even when progress feels slow.
• Accept partial understanding as a normal stage.
• Return to familiar phrases to regain confidence quickly.
• On low-energy days, listen instead of stopping completely.

How the Loecsen “Premier Contact” course supports beginners

The Loecsen “Premier Contact” Catalan course offers a structured path to learn Catalan through real usage. It is designed to build practical competence fast: greetings, questions, everyday needs, and polite interaction.

Grammar is introduced implicitly through examples, audio, and repetition. With regular practice, learners reach a functional CEFR A1 level: they can understand and use Catalan in simple everyday situations.

FAQ – The 5 questions you are probably asking yourself before starting to learn Catalan

1) Is Catalan similar to Spanish or completely different?
Catalan is an independent language, but it shares many roots with Spanish because both are Romance languages.
Similarities: some everyday words are identical (for example casa, sol).
Differences: Catalan has its own pronunciation, vocabulary, and sentence habits. You will also notice many words and structures that feel closer to French or Italian (for example nit vs French nuit).
Conclusion: if you know Spanish, Catalan will often feel easier — but it is not Spanish. It has its own identity and must be learned as a language on its own.

2) Is Catalan closer to Spanish or French?
Catalan sits somewhere between Spanish and French. It shares many structures with Spanish, but a large part of its vocabulary and “feel” can be surprisingly close to French. If you speak French, you will recognize more than you expect.

3) Do I need to speak Catalan to live in Catalonia?
You can live in Catalonia with Spanish, especially in big cities. But Catalan changes your experience: it helps with integration, local services, and everyday social life.
If you have children in public school, Catalan becomes very important because it is usually the classroom language in many areas.

4) Where can I learn Catalan?
You can learn Catalan in language schools, universities, and with apps. Many apps have limited content, and they rarely build strong listening reflexes.
Loecsen’s approach is different: audio-first, real phrases, and structured repetition — designed for fast real-life comprehension.

5) Is Catalan useful outside Catalonia?
Yes. Catalan is spoken in several regions: Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Valencia (Valencian), Andorra, parts of southern France, and Alghero (Sardinia). If you travel, work, or have family ties in these areas, Catalan is a real asset.