ballar
[bəˈʎa]
To dance in Catalan is to say ballar. Wiktionary also lists dansar.
Meaning: move rhythmically to music (verb)
Ways to say it
| Catalan | IPA |
|---|---|
| ballar | [bəˈʎa] (Balearic, Central, Northern, narrow) [baˈʎaɾ] (Valencia, narrow) |
| dansar | [dənˈsa] (Balearic, Central, Northern, narrow) [danˈsaɾ] (Valencia, narrow) |
The primary way to express the act of moving rhythmically to music is through the verb ballar. You may also use the noun ball or dansa to refer to the movements themselves. If you are referring to dancing in a very casual or carefree way, you might hear the informal phrase moure el cos.
Which one should you use?
While both ballar and dansar mean to dance, ballar is the standard verb used in everyday social contexts, such as at a wedding or a party. Dansar is an alternative form that is less common.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express an action that is currently in progress, you can use the gerund forms: ballant (from ballar) or dansant (from dansar). Additionally, the noun phrase ball de saló is used specifically to refer to ballroom dancing.
Did you know?
- The verb ballar is etymologically linked to the Ancient Greek word bállō, which means 'to throw'.
- In Catalan culture, the phrase ballar is often associated with the 'Ball de Bastons', a traditional dance involving the rhythmic striking of wooden sticks.
- While ballar is the standard word for dancing, it also appears in the Catalan expression ballar la sardana, referring to the traditional circle dance of Catalonia.
Examples in context
- Perque ballares amb ell?Why didn't you dance with him?This sentence shows the use of ballar in a question.Tatoeba #855778 by prometeu, translation #36352 by CK
- Quan el veig ballar no puc parar de riure.When I see him dance, I can't stop laughing.This sentence demonstrates the use of ballar to describe an action being observed.Tatoeba #1525624 by calogero, translation #5754220 by Cainntear
- Vull ballar aquesta nit.I want to dance tonight.
- Mou el cos al ritme de la música.Move your body to the rhythm of the music.
- Vine i balla amb mi!Come and dance with me!
- M'encanta ballar a les festes del poble.I love to dance at the village festivals.
Example conversation
Marc and Anna are at a party.
- MarcAnna, vols ballar una cançó?Anna, do you want to dance to a song?
- AnnaI tant! M'encanta ballar aquesta música.Of course! I love dancing to this music.
- MarcVine, anem a la pista de ballar.Come on, let's go to the dance floor.
- AnnaVinga, anem-hi!Alright, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dance” translations and entries ballar, dansar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ballar, dansar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
