Language resources
The links I use every day.
Dictionaries, grammars, style criteria and language help desks: everything you need to write good Catalan. Every resource is grouped by topic, and every link works so you can go straight to it.
Language help desks
OptimotThe Catalan government's language query search engine. Start here.FundéuRAESpanish-language queries answered by Fundéu and the RAE.Acadèmia Valenciana de la LlenguaThe language authority for the Valencian Country.Sens dubte — Serveis Lingüístics de la UBThe University of Barcelona's language query service, open to everyone.Servei Lingüístic de la UOCCriteria and resources from the Open University of Catalonia.Servei de Llengües i Terminologia de la UPCLanguage and technical terminology from the UPC.Servei Lingüístic de la URVAnswered queries from Rovira i Virgili University.Gabinet Lingüístic de la UPFPompeu Fabra criteria for academic and institutional texts.Servei Lingüístic de la UIBResources from the University of the Balearic Islands.Servei de Política Lingüística de la UVResources and advice from the University of Valencia.
Dictionaries
DIEC2 — Diccionari de la llengua catalanaThe official dictionary of the Institute for Catalan Studies.Diccionari essencial de la llengua catalanaA shorter DIEC with everyday vocabulary.Diccionari de l'EnciclopèdiaDefinitions and encyclopedia entries from Grup Enciclopèdia.Diccionari català-valencià-balearThe Alcover-Moll: the whole language, dialect by dialect.Diccionari descriptiu de la llengua catalanaHow each word is actually used, with real examples.Diccionari de sinònimsIEC synonyms, so you don't keep repeating the same word.Diccionari de sinònims de frases fetesEquivalent idioms and set phrases, from the UAB.Diccionari normatiu valenciàThe official dictionary of the Valencian Language Academy.WordReference en catalàQuick definitions and translations, with a Q&A forum.Diccionari anglès-català de SoftcatalàA free and open English-Catalan dictionary.Locucions català-anglèsCatalan sayings with their English equivalents.Diccionari de divisió sil·làbicaWhere each word breaks into syllables.Diccionari de derivacionsWord families: derivatives and compounds.Diccionari de manlleusWords borrowed from other languages, and where from.Diccionari de topònims i gentilicisPlace names and the words for the people who live there.Diccionari de mots encreuatsFind words by letters and positions.
Grammar and spelling
Gramàtica essencial de la llengua catalanaThe IEC grammar online, browsable by topic.Ortografia catalana de l'IECThe official spelling rules, with examples.Novetats de l'Ortografia i la Gramàtica de l'IECPDF summary of the 2016 changes, diacritics included.Conjugador de verbsEvery tense of any Catalan verb, by Softcatalà.
Style and conventions
Manual d'estil de l'IECHow texts are prepared and edited, according to the IEC.Criteria — IECIEC language criteria for specific cases.CUB — Criteris de la Universitat de BarcelonaThe UB style guide, aimed at academic writing.ésAdirThe Catalan public media language portal.Majúscules i minúsculesGovernment PDF with every capitalisation rule.AbreviacionsAbbreviations, acronyms and symbols: when and how.Els signes de puntuacióUOC criteria for commas, full stops and the rest.Ortotipografia i tipografiaHow the two differ, calmly explained.Com escriure tots els tipus de cometesWhich quotation marks to use, and how to type them.Signes tipogràfics amb el teclatKeyboard shortcuts for dashes, quotes and symbols.
Terminology
CercaCiTIEC scientific and technical terminology search.Terminologia jurídicaCatalan legal vocabulary, with definitions.UPCTERMUPC engineering and architecture terminology.Dubtes més freqüents de la UOCA glossary of the doubts that keep coming back.L'EnciclopèdiaThe Catalan encyclopedia online, for names and concepts.Compendium.catLanguage resources and legal templates in Catalan for lawyers, court representatives and notaries. From Plataforma per la Llengua and the Catalan Bar Council.
Checkers and tools
Corrector i traductor de SoftcatalàRun your text through it before sending. Not a substitute for proofreading.Dictats en líniaSelf-correcting dictations by level (B1 to C2): listen, type, and see what you got wrong and why.SelecatEvery Catalan university-entrance exam since 2000, with the marking guides and the listening tracks.
Spoken language
Free resources for learning Catalan
Parla.catOnline Catalan courses to learn at your own pace, in the free self-study mode or with a tutor.Cursos de català per a alumnat nouvingut — Consorci d'Educació de BarcelonaThe Catalan education department's post-compulsory education directorate has gathered the courses at the official language schools (EOI), adult education centres (CFA) and the CPNL open to newly arrived upper-secondary and vocational students. The adult-centre courses and the CPNL's beginner courses are free.Curs de català a l'Espai Jove Casa Sagnier (Sarrià)For young people born between 2008 and 2014: the language through games, music and activities, on Thursdays from 6 to 7.30 pm. Priority for those who study or live in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district. Registration required: to sign up a minor, their parent or guardian must register first.Curs de català a l'Espai Jove Garcilaso (Sant Andreu)For young people aged 12 to 16, on Mondays or Tuesdays. Free, with prior registration.Gatzara: curs de català i espai de conversa (Gràcia)A Catalan course that is also a conversation space, in Gràcia. Free and term-based: 20 sessions at the Espai Jove La Fontana, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.30 to 8.30 pm. From age 16, A1 level. Registration for the first term of 2026-2027 is open. Run by the Barcelona Youth Council and Òmnium.
For teachers and schools
El Repte Casteller: la guia per a l'aula — Mantinc el catalàA challenge to get pupils using Catalan with each other: each pupil is a figure in a human tower and the group commits to speaking it throughout the school year. It is a project by Ester Vilà i Bibiloni, a teacher at the Escola Pompeu Fabra in Lloret de Mar, a school where very few pupils have Catalan as their first language.Què és el Repte Casteller? (vídeo)How the challenge to speak Catalan in class works, explained by Famílies pel català.El Repte Casteller a l'InfoK (vídeo)The challenge explained for younger viewers, on the Mantinc el català channel.Treu la llengua — Assemblea Educativa de CatalunyaFor schools that want to strengthen Catalan: a manifesto to sign up to, the C1 challenge and activities to encourage pupils to use it.CoorCat: activitats per fer servir el català — Escola FalgueraThe Catalan coordination team at Escola Falguera, a school in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, shares its activities: an idioms contest that runs through the school year; the word of the week, an everyday word that is often misused, with the correct form and two example sentences; a family contest on Catalan language and culture, with a video in Catalan to watch at home and a challenge every week; and playground games so that pupils play in Catalan. Designed for nursery and primary; the idioms contest also works in secondary.Aula d'acollida — XTECResources and materials for welcome classes for newly arrived pupils, from the Catalan education department: stories, language and social support workbooks, A1 to B1 observation guides and organisational guidance.Acollida i suport lingüístic: alumnat d'origen estranger — XTECWhere teachers share information and materials for welcoming pupils of foreign origin: training, webinars and documents translated into many languages.SUROpl: cartells i materials de Política LingüísticaThe posters from Catalan-promotion campaigns and the graphic materials for learning the language published since 1980, as PDFs you can search by theme. A staple of welcome classes and adult education centres.
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