# Learn Catalan with NativePal > Learn Catalan with NativePal: levelled reading, vocabulary with spaced repetition, and pronunciation coaching. Free app for iOS and Android. ## Quick facts - Native name: Català - Speakers: 10+ million speakers worldwide - Spoken in: Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, and southern France - Writing system: Latin alphabet, 26 letters plus ç - Proficiency framework: CEFR (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) ## What English speakers find hardest about Catalan - **Weak pronouns**: Catalan's system of unstressed pronouns is the most complex in Romance. The same pronoun appears as em, m', me or 'm depending on what surrounds it. - **The periphrastic past**: Catalan forms its ordinary past tense with the verb "to go": vaig cantar literally reads as "I go to sing" but means "I sang". No other Romance language does this. - **Ser and estar with a different boundary**: Catalan has both verbs but divides their use differently from Spanish, which trips up Spanish speakers more than beginners. - **The neutral vowel and final devoicing**: Unstressed a and e collapse into a single neutral sound in eastern dialects, and final consonants are devoiced, so words sound less like they are spelt than in Spanish. ## How you practise Catalan in NativePal - [Reading Lessons](https://nativepal.app/features/reading-lessons/): Catalan stories generated for your level, every word tappable for a translation, comprehension quiz at the end. - [Vocabulary & Dictionary](https://nativepal.app/features/vocabulary-and-dictionary/): themed Catalan vocabulary lessons plus a personal dictionary feeding spaced-repetition flashcards. - [Speaking Practice](https://nativepal.app/features/speaking-practice/): read Catalan aloud on a teleprompter and get scored on individual sounds, prosody, fluency, and connected speech. - [Daily Challenges](https://nativepal.app/features/daily-challenges/): 60 seconds of freeform Catalan every day, analysed for grammar, vocabulary, and phrasing. - [Learning Scenarios](https://nativepal.app/features/learning-scenarios/): structured Catalan lessons from the alphabet for absolute beginners. ## FAQ ### How long does it take to learn Catalan? There is no official study-hour figure published for Catalan. As a rough guide, the US Foreign Service Institute budgets 600 to 750 hours for the languages closest to English and around 1,100 for those further away. Holding a simple conversation comes much sooner than full proficiency. NativePal shortens the part you control: reading at your level every day, vocabulary that returns before you forget it, and speaking practice that scores your pronunciation instead of just ticking a box. ### What is hardest about Catalan grammar? Weak pronouns: Catalan's system of unstressed pronouns is the most complex in Romance. The same pronoun appears as em, m', me or 'm depending on what surrounds it. The periphrastic past: Catalan forms its ordinary past tense with the verb "to go": vaig cantar literally reads as "I go to sing" but means "I sang". No other Romance language does this. Ser and estar with a different boundary: Catalan has both verbs but divides their use differently from Spanish, which trips up Spanish speakers more than beginners. The neutral vowel and final devoicing: Unstressed a and e collapse into a single neutral sound in eastern dialects, and final consonants are devoiced, so words sound less like they are spelt than in Spanish. ### Is Catalan hard for English speakers? Easy for English speakers, easier still if you know Spanish or French. Identical to English apart from the cedilla and the middle dot in l·l. Nothing new to learn. ### What proficiency levels does NativePal use for Catalan? NativePal levels your Catalan practice with CEFR, so reading lessons, vocabulary, and speaking prompts are generated for the level you select rather than a generic average. The ladder runs A1 through to C2. ### Where is Catalan spoken? Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, and southern France, with 10+ million speakers worldwide. ### Can I learn Catalan as a complete beginner? Yes. NativePal's Learning Scenarios start from the alphabet, numbers, greetings, and how to introduce yourself, with no prior Catalan assumed. Once those land, reading lessons and vocabulary packs pick up from wherever you are. ### Does NativePal correct my Catalan pronunciation? Yes. You read Catalan aloud on a teleprompter and get scored on individual vowels and consonants, stress, rhythm and intonation, fluency, and connected speech — not just a pass or fail. The 60-second daily speaking challenge adds freeform practice on top. ### Can I practise speaking Catalan, not just reading it? Yes, and it is the most-used part of the app. Speaking Practice is a teleprompter you read aloud for scored pronunciation feedback, the daily challenge gives you 60 seconds of freeform talk, and you can reply with your voice in any chat or roleplay scenario. ### Is NativePal free for learning Catalan? NativePal is free to start, with a daily allowance across reading, vocabulary, speaking practice, and chats. A premium subscription removes the daily limits and unlocks the longer formats. Prices are set in the App Store and Google Play and vary by region. ### Do I need an account to start learning Catalan? No. NativePal uses anonymous sign-in, so you can start practising Catalan without an email address or social login. ## More - [All supported languages](https://nativepal.app/languages.html) - [All features](https://nativepal.app/features/) - [Compare NativePal with other apps](https://nativepal.app/compare/) - [llms.txt](https://nativepal.app/llms.txt)