Forget everything you learned in your high school Spanish class. Here in Barcelona, it’s all about Catalan.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sure, many people regularly speak Castilian Spanish here in Barcelona. But pride in the local language runs deep in Catalonia, and making an effort to speak a little bit of Catalan will immediately make the locals smile. It shows you respect their language, identity and culture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

To start you off, let’s turn to our favorite topic: food. We’ll show you some essential Catalan food vocabulary, and even throw in some suggestions for the best local restaurants where you can put your newfound knowledge to the test. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n

Breakfast & coffee in Barcelona<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you’re like us, you can’t even think about starting the day until you’ve had your caffeine fix. Luckily, there are some seriously great spots for breakfast in Barcelona<\/a> where you can start your day off on the most delicious note possible\u2014coffee and all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

SEE ALSO<\/em><\/strong>: Our Favorite Caf\u00e9s in Barcelona<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Once you’ve found a spot, it’s time to take on your next challenge: ordering in Catalan. Here are a few handy words and phrases to get you started, with their English and Spanish (where applicable) equivalents.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ordering coffee in Catalan<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

• Tallat<\/em><\/strong>: cortado<\/em> (mostly espresso with a splash of milk)<\/li>
• Cafe sol<\/em><\/strong>: solo<\/em> (a small cup of just espresso, no milk)<\/li>
• cafe amb llet<\/em><\/strong>: caf\u00e9 con leche<\/em> (equal parts espresso and milk)<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

  Ordering breakfast in Catalan<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

  • Truita de patata<\/em><\/strong>: tortilla de patata<\/em> (Spain’s ubiquitous potato omelet)<\/li>
  • Melindro<\/strong><\/em>: soletilla<\/em> (a traditional Catalan cookie similar to ladyfingers)<\/li>
  • Bocata<\/em><\/strong>: bocadillo<\/em> (a simple sandwich served on a baguette)<\/li>
  • Cava<\/em><\/strong>: traditional sparkling wine, similar to champagne. And yes, it’s a breakfast staple!<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n