Travellers looking to rent a villa in Spain may be wondering how they’ll communicate with their hosts. The good news is that most locals who operate vacation rentals in Spain will have some command of the English language or will be happy to communicate in their native Spanish. However, if you’re considering a villa in Barcelona, a villa in Costa Dorada, or in any other destination in Catalonia, keep in mind that many people in this part of the country speak Catalan; a language similar to, but different from, Spanish.

Practice the language using items in the home
Practice the language using items in the home.

Catalan was the language of the Catalan rulers, and it went wherever they did. Saturation reached its peak between the 13th and 15th centuries, with a number of historically important works of literature being published in Catalan around this time, most notably the romance novel Tirant lo Blanch and the poetry of famed Valencian author Ausiàs March. However, the Spanish influences soon took over.

Despite Catalan falling out of favour, the language has done very well at retaining relevance. Today, it’s not only an official language of Catalonia and Andorra, but it’s also spoken in some areas of Southern France, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands. Although there are six distinct Catalan dialects, a basic understanding of the language should be enough for you to chat with the host at your Barcelona villa.

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Paella means paella!

If you already have some knowledge of the romance languages, then you’ll find Catalan quite familiar. ‘Mat’i (morning), for example, is ‘matin’ in French and ‘mattina’ in Italian. In fact, even if you’re not confident in your language abilities outside of English, there are still a few similarities you may pick up on, such as ‘aubergine’ and ‘albergínia’, and ‘paella’ which is exactly the same in both languages!

When you’re relaxing at your villa in Spain, you’ll realise that the country is so laid back that it doesn’t matter if you speak the local language or not. However, it never hurts to brush up on your skills before a trip, and the residents are sure to appreciate your efforts to learn more about their language and culture.

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