Learning Catalan can be an incredibly rewarding experience, allowing you to connect with the rich culture and history of Catalonia and other Catalan-speaking regions. For those at the B1 level, it’s essential to expand your vocabulary to navigate everyday conversations and more complex topics. In this article, we’ll explore 50 essential words you need to know for Catalan at the B1 level. These words will help you become more fluent and confident in your language skills.

Everyday Vocabulary

1. **Menjar** – This verb means “to eat.” It’s fundamental for discussing meals and food-related topics.
2. **Beure** – Meaning “to drink,” this verb is essential for ordering beverages and discussing drinking habits.
3. **Amic/Amiga** – These words mean “friend.” Knowing how to refer to your friends is crucial in social situations.
4. **Família** – This noun means “family.” You’ll use it often when talking about personal life.
5. **Casa** – Meaning “house” or “home,” this is a basic word for discussing living situations.
6. **Cotxe** – This word means “car,” useful for conversations about transportation.
7. **Tren** – Meaning “train,” it’s essential for discussing travel plans.
8. **Escola** – This noun means “school,” a must-know for discussing education.
9. **Treball** – Meaning “work” or “job,” this is crucial for talking about your profession.
10. **Vacances** – This word means “holidays” or “vacation,” useful when discussing travel plans.

Describing People and Things

11. **Alt/Alta** – These adjectives mean “tall.” They are useful for describing people’s height.
12. **Baix/Baixa** – Meaning “short” in height, important for physical descriptions.
13. **Gros/Grossa** – These words mean “big” or “large,” essential for describing size.
14. **Petit/Petita** – Meaning “small” or “little,” these adjectives are equally important.
15. **Bonic/Bonica** – These adjectives mean “beautiful” or “pretty,” useful for complimenting.
16. **Lleig/Lletja** – Meaning “ugly,” these words are used in descriptive contexts.
17. **Vell/Vella** – These adjectives mean “old,” essential for describing age.
18. **Jove** – Meaning “young,” crucial for age-related discussions.
19. **Ràpid/Ràpida** – These words mean “fast,” useful for describing speed.
20. **Lent/Lenta** – Meaning “slow,” these adjectives are useful for the opposite context.

Talking About Time

21. **Avui** – This word means “today,” vital for discussing current events.
22. **Demà** – Meaning “tomorrow,” this word is essential for future planning.
23. **Ahir** – This means “yesterday,” useful for discussing past events.
24. **Matí** – Meaning “morning,” essential for daily planning.
25. **Tarda** – This word means “afternoon,” useful for scheduling.
26. **Nit** – Meaning “night,” this word is important for daily conversations.
27. **Setmana** – This noun means “week,” crucial for planning.
28. **Mes** – Meaning “month,” useful for long-term planning.
29. **Any** – This means “year,” essential for discussing time frames.
30. **Hora** – Meaning “hour,” crucial for precise time-related conversations.

Expressing Feelings and Emotions

31. **Feliç** – This adjective means “happy,” crucial for expressing joy.
32. **Trist/Trista** – Meaning “sad,” important for expressing sorrow.
33. **Enfadat/Enfadada** – These words mean “angry,” useful for expressing anger.
34. **Por** – This noun means “fear,” essential for discussing fears.
35. **Sorprès/Sorpresa** – Meaning “surprised,” these words are useful for expressing astonishment.
36. **Cansat/Cansada** – These adjectives mean “tired,” useful for discussing fatigue.
37. **Emocionat/Emocionada** – Meaning “excited,” these words are great for expressing excitement.
38. **Estressat/Estressada** – These adjectives mean “stressed,” useful for discussing stress.
39. **Alegre** – Meaning “cheerful,” this word is great for expressing happiness.
40. **Confós/Confosa** – These words mean “confused,” useful for expressing confusion.

Common Verbs

41. **Anar** – This verb means “to go,” fundamental for discussing movement.
42. **Venir** – Meaning “to come,” crucial for indicating arrival.
43. **Fer** – This verb means “to do” or “to make,” essential in many contexts.
44. **Tenir** – Meaning “to have,” this verb is fundamental in most conversations.
45. **Saber** – This verb means “to know,” crucial for discussing knowledge.
46. **Poder** – Meaning “to be able to” or “can,” essential for discussing ability.
47. **Voler** – This verb means “to want,” important for expressing desires.
48. **Veure** – Meaning “to see,” crucial for discussing vision.
49. **Escoltar** – This verb means “to listen,” important for discussing hearing.
50. **Parlar** – Meaning “to speak,” this verb is fundamental for all conversations.

Conclusion

Mastering these 50 essential words will significantly boost your confidence and fluency in Catalan. They cover a wide range of everyday topics and are crucial for effective communication at the B1 level. Make sure to practice these words in context, create sentences, and engage in conversations with native speakers whenever possible. The more you use these words, the more natural they will become in your speech. Happy learning!