Discourse Connectors in Catalan

Overview

Discourse connectors are words and phrases that structure your text or speech, linking ideas logically and guiding the reader or listener through your argument. At the B2 level, moving beyond basic conjunctions (i, però, perquè) to sophisticated connectors is what makes your Catalan sound polished and coherent.

These connectors serve different functions: adding information, contrasting, concluding, exemplifying, and organizing. They are particularly important in writing — essays, emails, reports, and formal correspondence all rely heavily on discourse connectors for clarity and flow.

Mastering these connectors elevates your Catalan from functional to fluent, allowing you to construct well-organized arguments and narratives.

How It Works

Connectors by Function

Function	Connector	English
Addition	a més (a més)	furthermore
Addition	també	also
Addition	d'altra banda	on the other hand
Contrast	tanmateix	however
Contrast	no obstant això	nevertheless
Contrast	en canvi	on the contrary
Contrast	tot i que / malgrat que	despite / although
Cause	atès que	given that
Cause	per aquest motiu	for this reason
Consequence	per tant	therefore
Consequence	de manera que	so that / in such a way that
Consequence	en conseqüència	consequently
Summary	en definitiva	in short
Summary	en resum	in summary
Example	per exemple	for example
Example	és a dir	that is to say
Order	en primer lloc	in the first place
Order	finalment	finally
Topic	pel que fa a	regarding
Topic	quant a	as for

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
D'altra banda, hi ha avantatges.	On the other hand, there are advantages.	Contrast/addition
No obstant això, continuarem.	However, we will continue.	Contrast
A més a més, és barat.	Furthermore, it is cheap.	Addition
Pel que fa a la feina, tot va bé.	Regarding work, everything is fine.	Topic
Per tant, hem de canviar d'estratègia.	Therefore, we must change strategy.	Consequence
En primer lloc, cal analitzar el problema.	In the first place, we must analyze the problem.	Order
En definitiva, la proposta és bona.	In short, the proposal is good.	Summary
Tanmateix, cal ser prudents.	However, we must be cautious.	Contrast
Atès que no hi ha temps, ho ajornem.	Given that there is no time, we postpone it.	Cause
En conseqüència, el projecte s'atura.	Consequently, the project is halted.	Consequence

Common Mistakes

Overusing "però" for all contrast

• Basic: Però no estic d'acord.
• Better: Tanmateix, no hi estic d'acord. or No obstant això, discrepo.
• Why: Varying your connectors shows linguistic range and is expected at B2+ level.

Confusing "d'altra banda" with "en canvi"

• D'altra banda: Adds another perspective (on the other hand — additive)
• En canvi: Shows direct opposition (on the contrary — contrastive)
• Why: "D'altra banda" introduces an additional point; "en canvi" replaces or contradicts.

Using informal connectors in formal writing

• Informal: Bueno, doncs, el tema és que...
• Formal: Pel que fa a aquesta qüestió,...
• Why: Formal writing requires formal connectors. Reserve "bueno" and "doncs" for speech.

Usage Notes

Many Catalan discourse connectors have direct parallels in Spanish, French, and Italian, making them recognizable to speakers of those languages. However, some connectors like tanmateix (however) and nogensmenys (nonetheless) are distinctly Catalan and mark your text as linguistically aware. Using these authentic Catalan connectors instead of calques from Spanish is a sign of advanced proficiency.

Practice Tips

1. Write a short opinion essay (150-200 words) using at least five different connectors from the table above. Vary the functions: addition, contrast, conclusion.
2. Practice converting casual speech to formal writing by replacing basic conjunctions with discourse connectors.
3. Read Catalan newspaper editorials and highlight the connectors used. Note their position in the sentence and their function.

Related Concepts

• Conjunctions and Connectors — basic conjunctions at A2
• Formal Register — formal writing conventions