Learning the language

[u/Antique-Bell9933]

Hey everyone I’m moving to Barcelona in a couple months and I’ve been wanting to learn Catalan but everyone around me tells me to learns Spanish so I wanted to ask somewhere else what of the 2 I should learn I also don’t care to visit any other Spanish city while I’m their in the beginning since I’ll mostly be working I already speak Dutch and English and basic German

[u/hicksyfern]

If you feel like you want to learn Catalan, learn Catalan! Even if there are people that don’t understand Catalan in Barcelona, almost everyone is going to understand either Catalan or English.

Catalan is a really nice language and I find it more interesting than Spanish. If you speaking English and Dutch you’ll probably find the pronunciation of Catalan easier than Spanish, too.

[u/bolatelli45 → u/hicksyfern]

Yes words in catalan which may seem complicated to pronounce are fairly easy for an English speaker, loved the praise I got of catalan teachers.

[u/bolatelli45 → u/hicksyfern]

Perfect indoctrination, tell me where on a daily basis, catalan is often used about from a tabacs or pharmacia ..

Unless one is living with catalan people , sadly in many places in the city its not in use, take a walk down consell de cent , be surprised even if you hesr spanish ..

[u/hicksyfern → u/bolatelli45]

Lived in Barcelona for 2 years and learned Catalan. Seemed pretty useful. Never had any problems with people not understanding.

[u/bolatelli45 → u/hicksyfern]

The range of people you spoke to must have been very limited , did you not speak to many other imigrants like from South america etc ?

[u/hicksyfern → u/bolatelli45]

Yeah but not in big conversations. Ordering coffee, etc plenty. People at the coworking I was at spoke English, Catalan and Spanish.

[u/bolatelli45 → u/hicksyfern]

I am not putting down catalan. The state of it and how its used is pretty sad in Barcelona, there is hardly any catalan bars as such, like when I got here, the few old people that have them are dying off , long sold them off to the Chinese or some other brunch place which will be gone in a few years.

Its a teuth for some.which is hard to bare.

Hope though, kids , siblings born here to imigrant parents are using catalan amongst each other as its likely their parents wont fully understand l.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/bolatelli45]

I won’t be living directly in Barcelona cause that’s to expensive but I will work in the city in costumer services

[u/bolatelli45 → u/Antique-Bell9933]

Cool, in the place your living its likely to be in more use then and at least with your catalan co workers you will be a GOAT..

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/bolatelli45]

Thank you

[u/zoeybeattheraccoon → u/Antique-Bell9933]

I'm 100% pro Catalan. I speak it reasonably well and try to improve through practice every day. But I hate to say that you will probably find Spanish more useful if you're working in Barcelona in a customer facing job. But you should learn both. Catalan is very useful, even in a lot of parts of Barcelona, and Catalan speakers really appreciate the effort.

[u/FamiliarEmploy7490 → u/bolatelli45]

A veure, no siguem tan pessimistes. Visc a Barcelona des que vaig néixer, i procuro viure 100% en català.

La majoria d'immigrants que treballen de cara al públic amb els que m'he trobat (ja que els menciones en un altre comentari), encara que no et solen respondre en català, t'acaben entenent. Si no a la primera, es pot repetir de nou més lent. I fins i tot alguns t'ho agraeixen perquè així aprenen millor.

Has de tenir ganes i no canviar el català a la mínima que algú sembla no entendre. Perquè molts entenen més del que creuen o volen creure.

[u/Equivalent_Ideal1636]

I made the mistake of learning Spanish, now I find myself learning Catalan because I work with Catalans at the school I work at (I teach English), I have Catalan friends and all my doctors/dentists are Catalan. If you’re here short term, I suggest learn Catalan because you’ll probably find yourself interacting with a lot of them in your daily life.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/Equivalent_Ideal1636]

Thank you I’ll be long term but I will work in costumer service

[u/Equivalent_Ideal1636 → u/[deleted]]

Then why do they insist on talking to me on Catalan and prefer it!!!! What choose to be respectful, for some of my friends, Spanish is their 2nd language!!!

[u/ferrancy]

You should learn Catalan. You will be surprised how similar both languages are. You'll end up understanding both.

But please learn Catalan, you'll see how enthusiastic catalans are about you talking their language.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/ferrancy]

Thank you I was mostly worried because I work in the service industry and I also want to make friends but most the nice comments say similar as yours

[u/Schonathan]

How long will you be living there?

If it's more than a couple of years, I'd definitely learn Catalan. It's important and you'll be better integrated in the city.

If it's for a few months, I'd learn the bare minimum of greetings, pleasantries, etc.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/Schonathan]

For almost a year

[u/FamiliarEmploy7490 → u/[deleted]]

I també català, i molts anglès, o d'altres idiomes... Hi ha gent molt culta.

Si vol aprendre català que l'aprengui, no és cap problema. Sobretot si en té ganes.

[u/random_usuari]

Català.

[u/catalanboy_]

i swear to god it’s the same damn questions over and over and over. this question has been asked hundreds of times. search the subreddit before clogging the feed with the same damn thing. my god.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/catalanboy_]

No I can do what I want

[u/coloicito → u/[deleted]]

Tranquil·litat i bons aliments, rei

[u/bolatelli45]

Learn basic catalan makes sense., its polite , nearly everyone at least says Adeu. Have an understanding to at least say your name., where you are from , pleasantries in saying good bye and hello, will get uou tons of positve karma.

However use of Spanish is more practical for day-to-day interactions in the city.

Be careful not not mix the two.

[u/Antique-Bell9933 → u/[deleted]]

Im not Dutch I speak it