Two young Catalans, Arnau Torner and Eloi Rodríguez, have launched Speak Catalan in Barcelona to help foreigners practise the language and learn local culture. The initiative organises social activities, including language exchanges and cultural excursions, for newcomers to integrate into Catalan society.
After returning to Barcelona from Erasmus programmes in England and France, Torner and Rodríguez noticed it was becoming “more difficult” to speak Catalan in their homeland. Their international experience showed them that communities abroad organised social activities to connect with local culture, a type of initiative they felt was missing in Catalonia.
They started Speak Catalan as a social media profile, which has gained 10,000 followers since January. Through this platform, they organise activities to help foreigners learn and speak Catalan in fun, relaxed settings, and discover local traditions such as calçotades (barbecued spring onions), visits to castellers (human towers), or excursions to Montserrat.
Challenging Integration Myths
Eloi Rodríguez, from Barcelona, and Arnau Torner, from Igualada, posted their first message on social media: “Tired of feeling like a tourist? We are your new Catalan friends.” The project began from the “shock” they felt after returning to Catalonia. They wanted to offer “tools” for newcomers to integrate, similar to what they received while living abroad.
They started with a Catalan language exchange meeting that attracted around thirty people with minimal social media publicity. Since then, they have organised vermouth sessions with Kahoot quizzes, trips to Montserrat, and introductions to calçots. Their most recent event was a social bingo and karaoke session that brought together about 40 people at a clothing store in Poblenou.
According to organiser Eloi, the initiative “dispels the myth” that foreigners do not want to integrate. “People have come from Vic, Berga, or Andorra, just to do an activity for a few hours,” he said. “There is really a lot of desire to learn the language. If they have the tools and find social use for it, they learn it.”
Overcoming Language Barriers
One of the main problems foreigners face when trying to learn Catalan is a lack of “real interactions” in the language. “Many don't speak it at work, others live with roommates who are also foreigners, and they don't meet a Catalan person in their day-to-day lives,” Eloi explained. He added that while they might interact at a bakery or supermarket, they lack someone to have a coffee and speak with.
Arnau criticised the “stigma” that suggests newcomers do not integrate. “There is a lot of talk in the news and on social media that expats don't want to integrate. We are surprised because we have seen the opposite, that there is actually a lot of interest,” he said. He also criticised the term 'expat', which he feels implies higher purchasing power. “There is a lot of stigma on social media that expats are rich, and that's not what we see here. Most of them are normal people, immigrants who have come here to find a better life. Yes, there are some who have good jobs, but in the end they are working here, paying taxes,” he explained.
Agustina, who moved from Buenos Aires to Barcelona five years ago, felt the need to learn Catalan “to be part of” Catalan society. She has attended two Speak Catalan events. She took a government-operated Catalan course but said she “didn't have many opportunities” to socialise in Catalan outside of class because Catalans “have their own groups.” Speak Catalan has helped her meet people and “socialise fluently” in Catalan. She noted that for a Spanish speaker, learning Catalan is “easy” as she can ask for a word in Spanish at any moment.
Sigurd, from Norway, is another member of the group and has attended four activities. He is now a volunteer on the organising team. He has lived in Catalonia for almost two years and learned the language to communicate with his ex-girlfriend's family in Girona. “They didn't speak English and they didn't want to speak Spanish, and I said, either I learn the language or I won't survive,” he recalled. This experience opened the door to a language he “loves” and has been learning independently. He found it “quite easy” to learn because the people are “very welcoming.”
Most Speak Catalan activities have so far taken place in Barcelona. However, Arnau and Eloi plan to expand to other parts of Catalonia, with a meeting already being organised for Girona soon.
