The main languages of Catalonia are Catalan and Spanish.
Catalan (Català), spoken in Catalonia, Balearic Islands, most of Valencia region, a strip in Aragon, Andorra, Alguer-Alghero (little city of Sardinia - Italy) and, Roussillon (an area in the south of France sometimes called Catalunya Nord that corresponds roughly with the department of Pyrénées-Orientales). It is a Romance language. You will be very welcome if you try to say some words in Catalan while you are in Catalonia, and phrases such as "Bon Dia" and "Ad�u" are heard even when people then go on to speak Castillian.
Visitors who speak Spanish should note that it is called "Castellano" (Catalan Castell�) and that while most people in Catalonia are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, some people may be reluctant to answer in Spanish, especially away from Barcelona and other areas frequented by many tourists. This is because Franco imposed the Spanish language on Catalonia by law and prohibited the native Catalan language. Normally, answering in Catalan to a question asked in Spanish is the polite way to inform that the conversation can continue in Catalan. If you get an answer in Catalan, just say politely that you do not understand, and you will be fine in most cases.
As in the rest of Spain, English is not widely spoken, though staff working at major hotels and the main tourist attractions usually know enough English to communicate. French is widely spoken in the areas near the border with France.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Catalonia
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Catalonia - updated May 2024
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Catalonia Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
