Catalan Words: The Instagram account that promotes Catalan and well-being

With over 168,000 followers on Instagram, Catalan Words (@Catalan.Words) has become one of the many popular accounts promoting the Catalan language internationally.

The page posts nearly every day, featuring short, engaging content such as popular words, phrases, idioms, with their English translations.

It also shares screenshots of brief conversations, text messages in Catalan, or notes from the iPhone app, providing relatable and accessible messages.

The project was launched in 2017 by Oriol Boix, who drew inspiration from similar content in other languages but noticed a gap for Catalan.

"It helped me learn other languages in a very relaxed way, with short posts and English translations," Boix tells Catalan News.

Motivated by this experience, he decided to create his own Catalan-focused account, which quickly gained popularity.

"The project was well received right away, not only by the expat community, my initial target audience, but also by locals," he says.

Boix believes locals appreciated the project because it helped them learn English while also supporting a project that promotes their language and culture. 

Now in its seventh year, the project has expanded with the release of a book of the same name, published by El Molino, part of Penguin Books.

"The book captures the essence of the Instagram account while adding new elements, like spaces for readers to jot down their own words," Boix explains.

In recent years, Catalan Words has embraced a broader focus, integrating themes of mental health into its content.

In the book’s final section, readers are encouraged to reflect on themselves with questions like, "How are you really?", "What do you like most about yourself?" or "What makes you happy?" 

"Beyond promoting Catalan, the posts are starting to help people, and there is nothing better than helping others, even if it’s just with words and Instagram posts," Boix says.