Coffee Break Spanish - Catalanismos in Spanish | A Coffee Break with Pablo

Episode Date: September 25, 2025

Are you ready for another espresso lesson with Pablo from Coffee Break Spanish? In this episode, we’ll have a look at catalanismos, words in Spanish that come directly from Catalan.From the word capicúa to añorar 💭, and even the curious story behind esquirol 🐿️, you’ll discover how Catalan has shaped everyday Spanish vocabulary. Along the way, Pablo shares useful examples you can start using right away.➡️ To get more helpful content like this directly in your inbox, be sure to subscribe to the Coffee Break Spanish newsletter! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, what how? I'm Pablo of Coffee Break Spanish, and I'm super content to be here one a bit more. A continuation, we're going to talk of Catalanismos. Catalanismos. But what are Catalanismos? These are words in Spanish that come directly from Catalan, a language spoken in northeastern and eastern Spain in regions like

Catalonia, Valencia, or the Balearic Islands. So, prepareate because we're going to. Well, I'm of Alicante, and in Alicante, it's a lot Spanish as Catalan. My language materna is the Spanish, but also I'm Catalan. The inspiration for this mini lesson came when I was reading a book, and I spotted a word that comes from Catalan,

directly into Spanish. So I think it's a really good idea to show you some words that we use in Spanish that are long words directly from Catalan. La Palabra

that I in the book that was the word Capicua. Capicua. A number Capicua is a number that reads the same four words

and backwards. For example, the number 1,991, is a number Capicua. Capicua comes from the

Catalan word cap, which means head and kua, which means tail. Capicua, so literally head and tail. I think the name represents really well

what the concept is about. However, Capicua does not qualified to describe a word that reads the same four words and backwards. For that, we use the linguistic term palindromo, or palindrome in English. But this word actually comes from Greek and not from Catalan. An example of a palindromo in Spanish is the verb reconnocer. Because if you read

Reconocer backwards, you get the exact same word. A me musta much the numbers capicuas and the palindromos. Another word that we use in Spanish and that comes of Catalan is the verb a gnaurar. Añorar.

It means to yearn or to long for. And this verb comes directly from Catalan. We also have the noun añoranza. Añoranza. That is longing or yearning.

We're going with the verb. I know the days in those that we've used in the call on the

day. I know those days in those we've in the day. I long for the day

in which we played on the street. The next word, maybe is my favorite. Cantimplora. Can't implora. A can't implora is a water bottle, but those ones that are

metallic and use more for hiking. The word is identical in Catalan and is also widely used in Spanish. Let's go to the next a very important word. Eskirol. Eskirol. This is very interesting.

You'll see us. In Spanish, Eskirol means a strike breaker. Someone that works while others are on strike. But interestingly, in Catalan, Eskirol means squirrel. the animal. But the term has nothing to do with squirrels at all. The connection goes back to the 1850s

when textile workers in the Catalan town of Manjeu went on strike. Apparently, business owners brought in replacement workers from the nearby town of Les Quirole. So strikers began calling them Eskirols, because they were from the town Leskirol, but the term also got the connotation

of being a strike breaker. And this is the meaning that was transferred into Spanish with this word. Very curious, right? Well, well, we're just to let's just to put the ultimate a chuleta. Chuleta.

This is very divertida because it has two significados in Spanish. In Spanish, chuleta usually means a chop of meat. However, it also

has a colloquial meaning. A chuleta can also mean a little piece of paper that you use in an exam to cheat with the answers. So two completely different meanings, as you can see. Now that you know these five words,

it's time to do a little translation practice. I'll say the sentence in English, and then I will give you some time for you to try to translate it into Spanish. But, for favor, no uses any chuleta. Venga, we'll start. Primera phrase.

The number 1,331 is a number that reads the same forwards and backwards. Your turn to translate it. The number 1331 is a number capicua. The number 1331 is a number capicua. Saguente phrase Don't forget your water bottle for the trip. Your turn. No.

Oh, Lvides, your can't implora for the voyage. No. Olvides your can't implora for the voyage. Siguente phrase, Only one strike breaker enter the factory. Factory is Fabrica if you don't know.

Your turn. The response is, only an Eskirol entered in the fabric. Solo an Eskirol entered in the fabric. Situente phrase, I long for

my last summer in Menorca. Añor my ultimate verano in Menorca. Añor my last verano in Menorca. And the ultimate

phrase, We always order pork chops at the restaurant. We've seen chuletas of CERdo in the restaurant. Sienpre pedimos chuletas of Cerdo in the restaurant. Fantastic. Let's now a little resummen of all. We've seen five Catalanisms,

or words that come directly from Catalan into Spanish, And these are Capicua, which is a number that reads the same forwards and backwards. And we also learned that if it's a word that reads the same forward and backwards, in Spanish we use the term palindrumu. We also saw aniorar, which means to yarn or too long for. Can timplora, a water bottle but more metallic and used for hiking. Eskirol, strike breaker, and, for ultimate, chuleta, which can mean a chop of meat or a little piece of paper that you use in exams for cheating. Well, well, that's all.

I hope that you have liked much this little lesson about Catalanismus. And, nothing more. We'll see us. And, as always, happy coffee break in. Greek Languages production for the Radiolingo network. Copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited. Recording copyright 2025 Radiolingua Limited. All rights reserved.