Learning Catalan in Girona

Most conversations between locals in Girona are in Catalan. Catalan is similar to other Latin languages (for example, the word for bread: Catalan pa, Spanish pan, French pain, Italian pane, Portuguese pão.)

If you are new to Catalan, start with the free CPNL lessons and Parla.cat. Then join conversation meetups to practice what you learn.

For beginner Catalan learners in Girona (A1–A2)

Parla.cat

Parla.cat website

parla.cat is a free website for learning Catalan, created by the CPNL and Catalan government. The website includes tests and videos. You can use the website in Catalan, Spanish, English or German.

To get full access, you have to sign up at https://parla.cat/login/signup.php.

The course is offered in two formats:

• Self-study (free): You learn independently using free, open-access materials.
• With a tutor (paid): You learn with the help of a tutor who supports and guides you. This option includes access to an online classroom with communication tools to interact with others.

Catalan classes through Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (CPNL)

Centre de Normalització Lingüística (CPNL) de Girona

The Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística (CPNL) offers free and subsidised Catalan courses. The classes in Girona take place in their centre in the Barri Vell at Carrer dels Ciutadans, 18.

There are three courses a year:

• Autumn: September–December
• Winter: January–March/April
• Spring/Summer: April/May–June/July

Levels:

• Free: Levels A1 and Basic.
• Paid: Levels B1 and above (except some C2), unless you qualify for reductions (e.g. unemployment, disability). Proof must be submitted during registration.

How to register

Step 1: Determine your Catalan level

If you have not taken a CPNL course in the past 12 months, you must show your level before registering:

• Provide an official certificate of your Catalan level, or
• Take a placement test (prova de col·locació) online or in person.

In-person tests are normally held a few weeks before registration.

Step 2: Registration

Registration is done online or in person. Each trimester has its own registration window (usually about a week before classes start). You can find the registration windows and other important information at https://www.cpnl.cat/inscripcions. Registration windows are extremely short (just one or two days) and if you miss the window, you will need to wait three months for the next trimester.

If you studied at the CPNL in the last 12 months, you get preferential registration, which means you can register before everyone else.

Despite every single Catalan agreeing that foreigners should learn Catalan, places for Catalan classes are limited and waiting lists are common. (So I don't know, Ajuntament... maybe pay for more teachers??) So try to register as early as possible.

Registering online

1. Go to https://inscripcions.cpnl.cat
2. Log in with your @alumnes.cpnl.cat account (if you already studied at CPNL) or create a new account.
3. Obtain your codi de tràmit (tracking code).
4. Choose Girona as location, select your level and course, and click Obtenir plaça.
5. Fill in your details, accept conditions, and complete the process.
6. Download your confirmation (free courses) or attach documents / make payment (for higher levels).

Registering in person

You can also register directly at the CNL de Girona office at Carrer dels Ciutadans, 18, during office hours.

Links and contact details

• Instagram: @cpnlcat
• Website: https://cpnl.cat
• Phone number: 012 (provides help and general information about Government of Catalonia services, including the CPNL Catalan courses)

The name of the Wifi of the CPNL in Girona is Alumnes and the password is q9g2k8XCuq.

Other Catalan resources for beginners

• Girona has several language schools. See Learning languages in Girona
• intercat.cat is a website with resources for learning Catalan (“recursos per aprendre català”). The site seems to be aimed at university students, since the site links to services of the universities for Catalan courses.
• Curso de Catalán Desde Cero is a YouTube account consisting of five videos made by a Catalan woman called Jessy Maura. See https://www.youtube.com/@cursodecatalandesdecero
• Català al Natural is a YouTube account run by a Catalan man called Marc Sicart, see https://www.youtube.com/@catalaalnatural1192
• @dailycatalan is an Instagram account run by a native Catalan speaker called Júlia Riera, where she posts Catalan tips daily.
• @mitjacatalana is like Daily Catalan but presented by a woman called Sònia Suamor, who actually looks a bit like Júlia Riera.
• DailyCatalan.com is the website of Daily Catalan. It provides online paid Catalan courses, from beginner to advanced. The courses were created by Júlia Riera.
• @cremacatalan.learn is an Instagram account run by a Catalan teacher called Mireia

For intermediate to advanced Catalan learners in Girona (B1–C2)

Voluntariat per la Llengua

Voluntariat per la Llengua webpage to sign up for a Catalan language partner

Voluntariat per la Llengua or VxL is a a free language partner program to practice Catalan. The program matches Catalan learners with native speakers. You meet your language partner once a week, and they speak Catalan with you, to help you practice. Instagram: @vxlgirona

Steps to take part:

1. Go to https://www.vxl.cat/fes-te-vxl
2. Click on Fes-te Aprenent
3. Enter your NIE number or passport number
4. Fill in your details and click Desa (Save)

You can ask for a different language partner at any time.

• If you sign up for the Voluntariat per la Llengua (as a volunteer or a learner), you get free entry to Girona Catedral, the Basílica de Sant Feliu, and the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya-Girona, as well as discounts at some local businesses. See https://www.vxl.cat/ja-soc-vxl/avantatges-de-ser-vxl?field_beneficiary_sector_detail_target_id=All&comarca=All&municipi=5848&cnl=All

Girona Buddies Catalan conversation meetup

Girona Buddies Catalan practice group on 19 November 2025

Girona Buddies have a free Catalan conversation group. They meet on Wednesdays, from 6 to 7:30 PM at Essenze Coffee. The meetups are usually hosted by a native Catalan woman called Keyt. Their first meetup was in April 2025, and they have been meeting every week since. The meetups are free, and all levels are welcome. There is no need to sign up; you can just come along. They claim to be the only informal, accessible group in Girona for people learning Catalan.

• WhatsApp group: https://gironabuddies.com/catalan
• Instagram: @conversacatala

Other Catalan resources for intermediates

• Any member of the University of Girona (students, staff, or faculty) can take part in voluntariat lingüístic (language volunteering), which pairs native Catalan speakers with people who want to learn Catalan. The program is 35 hours.
• Catalunya Social hold free, weekly online conversation meetups for people who want to practice speaking Catalan. See https://www.meetup.com/es-ES/catalunya-social/

  

  Catalonia Social

• Llibres en català is a Telegram channel with free books in Catalan. https://t.me/llibresCAT
• TV3 is Catalonia’s national TV channel. All programs are in Catalan. They have children’s programming called SX3.

Other

• Tocats pel Català are stories of foreigners who have learned Catalan: https://rab.cat/tag/tocats-pel-catala/
• Map of places to learn Catalan in Girona: https://www.instamaps.cat/visor.html?businessid=4ee5b2359c2626609c30dfc1e8a439a9&3D=false#13/41.9622/2.8055

Organisations involved in promoting Catalan

• La Fundació Cultural El Foment is a non-profit organisation in Girona that promotes the culture, language, and food of Catalonia
• ADAC
• ANC
• Ateneu 24 de Juny
• Fundació Les Voltes
• Plataforma per la Llengua
• Salut pel Català
• Xarxa pel Català

Places to learn Catalan in other cities

Salt

• Salt Buddies have a free Catalan conversation meetup every Tuesday. See https://www.instagram.com/saltbuddies
• Aula de Català is a free weekly meetup in Salt for people who want to practice speaking Catalan. Each group has a maximum of twelve people. A pair of volunteers guide the sessions. They follow the methodology proposed by the CAL, which is based on repeating phrases and words using visual materials. They started in 2024. They meet at Plaça Onze de Setembre in Salt. See https://revenedors.cat/aula-catala-revenedors
• Taller d'Acollida Lingüística i Cultural (TALC) are free Catalan classes in Salt for people with low levels of education. See https://formacioadults.viladesalt.cat/events/taller-dacollida-linguistica-i-cultural-talc
• Espai Nosaltres in Salt apparently meet every Friday from 5 to 7 PM at the Casal Civics. They offers Catalan practice by way of games and excusions. They also have a WhatsApp group.

Barcelona

• Mantinc el català is a Meetup.com group that meets every Saturday at noon. Anyone who wants to practice speaking Catalan is welcome. The organiser is a man called Ernest, who created the group in 2022. They also have an Instagram account called @mantincelcatala which accepts collaboration requests of any post that promotes the use of Catalan. The Instagram account is massively popular, with 68,000 followers as of December 2025. They also have a website at (mantincelcatala.cat).
• Barcelona Catalan LIVEINCAT is a group in Barcelona for practicing Catalan. See https://www.meetup.com/barcelona-catalan-liveincat/
• Treu la Llengua de l'Armari is a Catalan LGBTIQ+ Meetup, mainly based in Barcelona. It is for members of the LGBTIQ+ community who want to interact in Catalan (both Catalan speakers and learners)
• La Coordinadora d’Associacions per la Llengua Catalana (CAL) have many conversation groups in Barcelona. See https://www.cal.cat/projecte/xerrem/#locations

Elsewhere

• Vincles is a project that claims to have around 300 free Catalan conversation groups around Catalonia https://vincles.omnium.cat | @omniumcultural