Barcelona
[bər.səˈlu.nə]feminine
The phrase Barcelona refers to the capital of Catalonia in Catalan.
The name refers specifically to the city that serves as the capital of Catalonia.
Meaning: capital of Catalonia (name)
Which one should you use?
Barcelona is the standard name used for the city, whereas Barna is a shortened version used in more casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- The city's name began as Barkeno in the Iberian language, which was used by the local tribes before the Romans arrived and renamed it Barcino.
- While Barna is a common shorthand for Barcelona, it is often used in the names of local businesses and sports clubs to signal a gritty, urban identity.
- The name Barcelona is used in the Catalan language to refer not only to the city but also to the surrounding metropolitan province.
Examples in context
- Aniré a Barcelona el cap de setmana.I will go to Barcelona on the weekend.This sentence shows how to use Barcelona when expressing travel plans.Tatoeba #6457554 by diegohn, translation #6457550 by diegohn
- Vaig visitar Barcelona el mes passat.I visited Barcelona last month.
- Vindràs a Barcelona aquest estiu?Will you come to Barcelona this summer?
- Barcelona és una ciutat molt gran.Barcelona is a very large city.
- Vull viure a Barcelona per sempre.I want to live in Barcelona forever.
Example conversation
Pol and Montserrat are discussing where to meet for dinner.
- PolOn ens trobem per sopar?Where shall we meet for dinner?
- MontserratPodem trobar-nos al centre de Barcelona.We can meet in the center of Barcelona.
- PolPerfecte, m'agrada molt aquella zona.Perfect, I like that area very much.
- MontserratD'acord, Pol, ens veiem allà.Alright, Pol, see you there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “barcelona” translations and entries Barcelona, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Barcelona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
