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Catalan phrases for borrowing something from a neighbour in Catalonia

Knock, apologise for the bother and ask: “Perdona, em pots ajudar?”. Then say what you need and for how long: “Em pots deixar un trepant deu minuts?”. Warn about noise with “Perdona per endavant”, promise to return it with “Demà te'l torno”, and thank your neighbour.

Try it · about two minutes

You knock next door to borrow a drill to put up a shelf, and promise to bring it back.

Sound on: the neighbour speaks Catalan. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Neighbour

    Necessites alguna cosa?

    Do you need anything?

    You

    Perdona, em pots ajudar?

    Excuse me, can you help me?

  2. Neighbour

    És clar, endavant.

    Of course, go ahead.

    You

    Em pots deixar un trepant deu minuts?

    Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?

  3. Neighbour

    Sí, és clar. Aquí el tens.

    Of course. Here you go.

    You

    Moltes gràcies. Perdona per endavant si hi ha una mica de soroll.

    Thank you very much. Sorry in advance if it gets a bit noisy.

  4. Neighbour

    No hi ha de què.

    You’re welcome.

    You

    Demà te'l torno.

    I’ll bring it back tomorrow.

  5. Neighbour

    Si algun dia necessites una mà, truca'm.

    If you ever need a hand, just ask.

    You

    Moltes gràcies, ets molt amable.

    Thank you very much, you’re very kind.

  6. Neighbour

    Que tinguis un bon dia!

    Have a nice day.

    You

    Gràcies, adéu.

    Thanks, goodbye.

Which Catalan phrases do you need?

  • Perdona, em pots ajudar?

    Excuse me, can you help me?

  • Em pots deixar un trepant deu minuts?

    Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?

  • Em deixes una mica de sucre?

    Could I borrow a little sugar?

  • Demà te'l torno.

    I’ll bring it back tomorrow.

  • Perdona per endavant si hi ha una mica de soroll.

    Sorry in advance if it gets a bit noisy.

  • Perdona pel soroll.

    Sorry about the noise.

  • Necessites alguna cosa?

    Do you need anything?

  • No hi ha de què.

    You’re welcome.

  • Si algun dia necessites una mà, truca'm.

    If you ever need a hand, just ask.

  • Un dia et ve de gust un cafè?

    Fancy a coffee sometime?

What is worth knowing in Catalonia?

Asking a favour

  1. 1

    Knock, say sorry for the bother, and ask if they can help.

    Excuse me, can you help me?
  2. 2

    Say what you need and for how long.

    Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?
  3. 3

    Say when you’ll bring it back, then do.

    I’ll bring it back tomorrow.

Sorry in advance

If your job will make noise, warn the neighbours first. “Per endavant” means in advance, and people appreciate the thought.

Perdona per endavant si hi ha una mica de soroll.

Sorry in advance if it gets a bit noisy.

Classic favours

Small kitchen things such as sucre (sugar) or sal (salt) are the classic things to borrow. A small thank-you later, even if it is only a coffee, goes down well.

Em deixes una mica de sucre?

Could I borrow a little sugar?

Questions about this situation

Which Catalan phrases matter most here?
“Perdona, em pots ajudar?” (Excuse me, can you help me); “Em pots deixar un trepant deu minuts?” (Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes); “Em deixes una mica de sucre?” (Could I borrow a little sugar). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Catalonia. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Catalan

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Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.