Catalan · Neighbours · Elementary

Small talk phrases in Catalan

Start with “Bon dia” (or “Bona tarda” after lunch). If a neighbour asks “Com et va avui?”, answer “Tot bé, gràcies” or “Anar fent, gràcies”. The weather is the safest topic: “Avui fa molt de fred” or “Avui fa bon temps, oi?”. When the doors open, “Que passis un bon dia” closes it warmly.

Try it · about two minutes

You share the lift with a neighbour and fill the ride with a few friendly words about the weather.

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

The conversation

You step into the lift. A neighbour you’ve seen a few times is already inside.
You
Bon dia.
Good morning.
Neighbour
Com et va avui?
How are you doing today?
You
Tot bé, gràcies.
All good, thanks.
Neighbour
Avui fa molt de fred.
It’s very cold today.
You
Sí, quin fred que fa.
Yes, it’s so cold.
Neighbour
A quin pis vius?
Which floor do you live on?
You
Al tercer segona.
Third floor, door two.
Neighbour
T'agrada viure aquí?
Do you like living here?
You
Sí, m'agrada molt.
Yes, I like it a lot.
Neighbour
Que tinguis un bon dia!
Have a nice day.
You
Igualment, adéu.
You too, bye.

Key phrases

Hola, com estàs?
Hi, how are you?
Com et va avui?
How are you doing today?
Tot bé, gràcies.
All good, thanks.
Anar fent, gràcies.
Getting by, thanks.
Avui fa bon temps, oi?
Nice weather today, isn’t it?
Avui fa molt de fred.
It’s very cold today.
Sembla que anirà a ploure.
It looks like it’s going to rain.
A quin pis vius?
Which floor do you live on?
Acabo d'arribar al bloc.
I’ve just moved into the building.
Ha estat un plaer parlar amb tu.
It was nice talking to you.

Good to know in Catalonia

Always say hello

Neighbours greet each other in the lift and on the stairs: “Bon dia” until lunch, “Bona tarda” through the afternoon and early evening, and “Bona nit” after that.

Floors and doors

Addresses give the floor and the door: tercer segona is third floor, door two. The ground floor is la planta baixa, and many older buildings in Barcelona also have an entresòl and a principal below the first floor.

Visc al tercer segona.

I live on the third floor, door two.

Tu with most neighbours

Most neighbours

Com et va avui?

How are you doing today?

An older neighbour

Com li va avui?

How are you doing today? (formal)

Neighbours of a similar age usually use tu straight away. With older neighbours, vostè is a polite start until they use tu with you.

More situations in Catalan

All situations in Catalan

Keep 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.

Download on the App Store (opens the App Store in a new tab)

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.