Catalan for work is best learned through the tasks you actually need to perform: speaking in a meeting, confirming an agreement, explaining a delay or asking for clarification. Preparing useful phrases allows you to take part even while you are still building up your specialist vocabulary.
Phrases for contributing naturally
- Si ho he entès bé, la data límit és divendres: if I have understood correctly, the deadline is Friday.
- Podries aclarir aquest punt?: could you clarify that point?
- Hi afegiria una cosa: I would add one thing.
- Us envio el document aquesta tarda: I’ll send you the document this afternoon.
In a formal setting or when speaking to several people, adapt the form of address and pronoun to your team’s usual conventions. Listen to how your colleagues speak and ask which wording they prefer.
Prepare vocabulary for your job
Make a list of ten words that come up often in meetings. For each one, write a sentence describing a real task: what you are reviewing, what you need or what your deadline is. Add common combinations, such as verb plus noun, because the difficulty is often not the technical term but how to express the action.
Rehearse five-minute meetings
Record a short project update following this order: what has been done, what is pending, what obstacle exists and what comes next. Listen back and check three things: is the sequence clear, have you used the necessary vocabulary, and could you say it in shorter sentences? Repeat once, incorporating one improvement.
How to ask for useful feedback
Rather than asking someone to correct everything, ask whether your explanation was clear or which expression would sound more natural in a particular situation. Save the correction with an example and use it at the next meeting. This turns feedback into a practical action.
Template for a project update
Prepare four model sentences and complete them with your information: Aquesta setmana hem avançat en… (This week we have made progress on…); Encara queda pendent… (Still outstanding is…); El principal obstacle és… (The main obstacle is…); El següent pas serà… (The next step will be…). Rehearse the template with a real project, but avoid translating specialised terms word for word if your industry has its own terminology. Note the expression your team uses and confirm it before adopting it.
If you need to develop vocabulary specific to your sector, private Catalan lessons allow you to work on situations from your own professional environment.
