Focused learning guide
Catalan alphabet and letter names: a pronunciation-first guide
Learn Catalan letter names, digraphs and spelling patterns, including ç, l·l, ny and the letters that behave differently from English.
Catalan uses the Latin alphabet with distinctive signs and letter combinations. Learning spelling through sounds and complete words is more useful than reciting letter names alone.
Letters and distinctive signs
The alphabet has the familiar 26 basic letters. Catalan also uses ç, the middle dot in l·l, open and closed accent marks, and the diaeresis. Ny, ll, rr, ss, gu and qu are important combinations rather than separate alphabet entries.
Names versus sounds
A letter can represent different sounds by position: c and g change before e or i, and x has several values. H is normally silent. Choose audio from your target variety because vowel and some consonant patterns differ regionally.
Practise real spelling tasks
Spell your name, address and email; then transcribe short words from audio. Store each new word with stress and a recording so orthography supports listening rather than replacing it.
Questions learners ask
Frequently asked questions
Is ç a separate letter?
It is c with a cedilla, used to represent an s-like sound before a, o or u.
What does the middle dot do?
It marks a geminated l in forms such as col·legi and distinguishes it from the ll digraph.
Are Catalan letter names identical everywhere?
Names and preferred labels show some regional variation, while the shared orthography remains stable.