parles anglès

do you speak English
do you speak English


sabràs dos i dos quants fan

Literally, “you'll know what two and two make”.

lit

a threatening expression indicating there will be consequences if the speaker does not get his way


preu per preu, sabates grosses

Literally, “price for price, big shoes”.

(figuratively) all things being equal, choose what you like best


parleu anglès

[pərˈlɛw əŋˈɡlɛs]

[pərˈləw əŋˈɡləs]

(formal or to multiple people) do you speak English?


estic malalta

ca-phrase

estic malalta f (masculine estic malalt)


estic cansada

estic cansada f (masculine estic cansat)


estic constipat

estic constipat m (feminine estic constipada)


estic refredat

estic refredat m (feminine estic refredada)


estic refredada

estic refredada f (masculine estic refredat)


estic constipada

estic constipada f (masculine estic refredat)


soc vegetariana

soc vegetariana f (masculine soc vegetarià)


no parlo anglès

I don't speak English
I don't speak English


soc vegetarià

soc vegetarià m (feminine soc vegetariana)


estic perduda

estic perduda f (masculine estic perdut)


on puc trobar un hotel

where can I find a hotel
where can I find a hotel


cap a on va aquest tren

where does this train go
where does this train go


com arribo a l'estació de trens

how do I get to the train station
how do I get to the train station


com arribo a l'estació d'autobusos

[ˈkɔm əˈri.βu ə l‿əs.tə.siˈo ˌð‿aw.tuˈβu.zus]

[ˈkɔm əˈri.bo ə l‿əs.tə.siˈo ˌð‿aw.tuˈbu.zos]

[ˈkom aˈri.bo a l‿es.ta.siˈo ˌð‿aw.toˈbu.zos]

how do I get to the bus station
how do I get to the bus station


com arribo a l'aeroport

how do I get to the airport
how do I get to the airport


cap a on va aquest autobús

where does this bus go
where does this bus go


a reveure

[ə rəˈβɛw.ɾə]

[ə rəˈvəw.ɾə]


necessito ...

a doctor — un metge

food — menjar

help — ajuda

money — diners

a map — un mapa

water — aigua


més val tard que no mai

Literally, “it's worth more late than never”.

lit

better late than never
better late than never


s'ha acabat el bròquil

Literally, “there's no more (green) cauliflower”.

Després, s'ha acabat el bròquil perquè l'endemà sempre és dia de feina i sempre cal llevar-se d'hora.

2011, Blanca Busquets, La nevada del cucut:

Afterwards, the gig was up because the next day is always a workday and we always have to get up early.

(idiomatic) used to indicate that something has ended, like a deception or someone's life


tant de bo

Tant de bo les coses fossin tan senzilles!

2014, José Antonio Marina, La màgia d'escriure, Rosa Vents, →ISBN:

(followed by subjunctive) if only, I wish


qui matina fa farina

Literally, “who wakes up early, makes flour”.

the early bird gets the worm
the early bird gets the worm

(idiomatic) the early bird gets the worm


déu n'hi do

Alternative letter-case form of Déu n'hi do


i escaig

té trenta anys i escaig


tota pedra fa paret

every little bit helps
every little bit helps


qui dia passa, any empeny

Literally, “he who passes a day, pushes a year”.

(idiomatic) never put off until tomorrow what you can do today


amb tots els ets i uts

Literally, “with all ets and uts”, from Latin conjunctions et (“and”) and ut (“as”), two particles very common in Latin texts.

(idiomatic) through and through, from A to Z


com l'anell al dit

Literally, “like the ring to the finger”.


Déu n'hi do

Literally, “may God give some”, using the 3rd person singular present subjunctive of the archaic verb dar.


la cirereta del pastís

Literally, “the little cherry of the pie”. Compare English cherry on the cake.

the icing on the cake
the icing on the cake


dat i beneït

(idiomatic) set in stone (that has been decided or done and cannot be changed)


campi qui pugui

every man for himself
every man for himself


dir ni ase ni bèstia

Literally, “[without] saying donkey or beast”.

A casa, si jo no iniciava la conversa, ni els fills ni la dona no sentien la necessitat de dir-me ase ni bèstia més enllà dels comentaris estrictament funcionals.

2006, Sergi Pàmies, “L'altra vida”, in Si menges una llimona sense fer ganyotes:

At home, if I didn't initiate the conversation, neither my kids nor my wife felt the need to say anything to me beyond what was strictly necessary.

(in the negative) to not greet or say a word; to blank


ben bé

absolutely, completely, at least, without exaggeration


no tenir on caure mort

Literally, “not have anywhere to fall dead”.

‒No té on caure mort aquest ‒em deia en veu alta. ‒I tant que tinc on caure mort, Juanita, tot el país està a la meva disposició.

1969, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, Feliçment, jo soc una dona:

"This one doesn't have a place to go die," she said to me in a loud voice. "I do too have a place to go and die, Juanita, the whole country is at my disposal."


molt soroll i poques nous

all mouth and trousers
all mouth and trousers

all hat and no cattle
all hat and no cattle

all talk, all mouth and trousers, all hat and no cattle


head

parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta

[pərˈlan dəl ˈrej ðə ˈro.mə | ˈen.tɾə pər lə ˈpɔr.tə]

[paɾˈlan del ˈrej ðe ˈro.ma | ˈen.tɾa per la ˈpɔɾ.ta]

Literally, “speak of the king of Rome, and he will come in the door”.

lit

speak of the devil and he shall appear
speak of the devil and he shall appear

speak of the devil and he shall appear; speak of the devil


la pilota és a la teulada d'algú

[lə piˈlɔ.tə ˈez ə lə təwˈla.ðə ð‿əlˈɣu]

[la piˈlɔ.ta ˈez a la tewˈla.ða ð‿alˈɣu]

Calque of Spanish la pelota está en el tejado de alguien.

cal

“La pilota és a la teulada del PSOE”, va destacar el portaveu de la formació morada, sòcia minoritària de la coalició de govern.

2022 May 25, “El PSOE tanca la porta a limitar la inviolabilitat del rei”, in El Punt Avui:

El portaveu, Ígor Konashénkov[…] ha afirmat que “la pilota està en la teulada d’Ucraïna, que encara no ha buidat la costa de mines, incloses les aigües pròximes al port” d’Odessa.

2022 June 30, “Rússia es retira d'una illa estratègica a la mar Negra, però avança a Luhansk”, in El Punt Avui:

La pilota torna a ser a la teulada de l’executiu europeu i dels ministres d’Energia, que es reuneixen dimarts.

2022 October 22, Nazaret Romero González, “El no d'Alemanya frustra l'acord per limitar el preu del gas”, in El Punt Avui:

the ball is in someone's court
the ball is in someone's court

(idiomatic) the ball is in someone's court


fer castells a l'aire

build castles in the air
build castles in the air

build castles in the air (i.e. daydream)


no s'hi val

(colloquial) that's not fair, that's against the rules


la caseta i l'hortet

Literally, “the cottage and the kitchen garden”, popularized by Francesc Macià.

lit

(figurative) an ideology promoting homeownership and self-sufficiency