Want to learn Valencian but don’t know where to start? Then keep reading this guide for all the resources you need to learn the language. From beginner guides to resources to scale up to an advanced C2 – here’s all my recommended resources to practice Valencian.
What is Valencian?
Valencian is the language native to the Valencian Country, which is also spoken in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, Northern Catalonia, the Western side of Aragon and the city of l’Alguer — where the language is known as Catalan.
This is why most town names are officially in Valencian.
And the word Valencian can refer to the whole language, the specific dialect, someone from the province OR someone from the city of Valencia.
It is spoken throughout the Valencian Country and has a few differences from the Catalan spoken in parts of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. The primary differences are a few changes to the pronunciation, some vocabulary, as well as some small conjugation differences.
You can think of the difference between Valencian and Catalan as the same difference between British and American English!
Since it is spoken by over 10 million people and is the official language in 3 autonomous communities in Spain and Andorra – it’s a well-respected part of the culture.
That’s why in this guide, we’ll go over a few resources to help you learn Valencian. Whether you live here – or you’re just visiting – this is how you can get started.
Where to Learn Valencian
There are plenty of resources for you to practice & learn Valencian. You’ll be able to access learning materials both online and in person.
Which means if you’re planning on coming to Valencia, then you’ll have plenty of ways to practice before getting here!
I’ll break these down into free & paid resources – plus additional tools and dictionaries to help supplement your learning experience.
➡️ Have any questions about these tools? Just send me a message!
Free Resources
Let’s start by looking at everyone’s favorite type of learning materials. The free ones.
Some of these are online and others are going to be in-person. They’ll also be available in various levels, so make sure you choose the option that is the best fit for you!
Universitat d’Alacant
- Type: Individual exercises
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: Beginners & Intermediate
The University of Alacant provides completely free materials to help both beginners and intermediate-level students practice Valencian.
The Valencià Bàsic is perfect for beginners, while the Fitxes de Llengua is more appropriate for intermediate learners.
Both of these courses offer:
- Grammar explanations
- Exercises
- Audio tasks
- Corrections
These are online-based exercises with automatically corrected answers. This is perfect for anyone who wants to practice the grammar & listening side of the language.
➡️ Sign up for their free beginner’s course.
Punt per Punt
- Type: Textbook
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: No signups needed
- Best For: Beginners with some latin-based language skills
These are a set of completely free books that I actually used to get started!
Even the A1 course (the total beginner) is 100% in Valencian. Which means these books are certainly a challenge!
However, if you already know another Latin-based language (Spanish, French, Italian, etc.) you won’t have any trouble. The first book is just difficult enough to challenge you, while also motivating you since you’re working 100% in the language!
For native English speakers, it could be a bit difficult. So I would make sure to use this book in tandem with other resources.
They also have more advanced levels in the book. I went up to the B2 book before I moved on to other resources.
➡️ Download the books for free.
La Diputació de València
- Type: Individual exercises & Games
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: No signups needed
- Best For: Intermediate & Advanced
La Diputació is a provincial government entity that offers a TON of free resources.
Although these resources are best for people who already have some basic understandings of the language. These materials are more aimed for people at an intermediate or advanced level.
So if you want to do lots of exercises to practice grammar, etc – this is a great way to do so.
Plus, they offer a free online game that is a bit more dynamic and fun. So this is an interesting way to practice without sticking to a book!
➡️ Use their online resources.
MeetUp Groups & Tandems
- Type: Conversation
- Online: No
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: People in Valencia
In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to learn Valencian. Speaking with real people in the city is a great way to challenge yourself, meet new people, and get a better understanding of the culture.
There are lots of different types of groups that meet up to have language exchanges. Some bars in the city will also host language tandems throughout the year. It’s the best option for people who live in the city.
I’d suggest using MeetUp (the platform) to find fun activities and language exchanges. You can also use the Tandem App. Personally, I’ve had mixed experiences with this one – but you can give it a try for yourself if you’d prefer to keep things online.
DuoLingo
- Type: Daily exercises
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: Beginners
The well-known app has Catalan on it, so it’s a comfortable start for many people. If you just want something familiar and easy to use, then this is a good place to start.
And while I’m not the biggest fan of DuoLingo’s teaching approach – it’s better than nothing at all!
One downside is that DuoLingo will teach you the Barcelona accent, so there will be some differences if you’re coming to Valencia. It’s not a huge deal, but just something to keep in mind.
➡️ Learn Catalan with DuoLingo
Escola Valenciana
- Type: Conversation classes
- Online: No
- Signup Period: Different courses throughout the year
- Best For: People in Valencia
The Escola Valenciana has a fantastic free resource for anyone who wants to learn Valencian. They have volunteers teach the language in more structured conversation, making it a perfect, accessible option for anyone who lives here.
It’s provided by the Voluntariat pel Valencià, and you’ll be paired up with a native volunteer to help you. The courses typically last 10 weeks, and it’s a fun and new way to practice Valencian in context.
➡️ Sign up here
Plataforma per la Llengua
- Type: Tandem app
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: Intermediate speakers
This non-profit offers an array of resources to practice Catalan and its varieties.
Besides hosting frequent events and funding different language promotion projects, they also have a free app for language exchanges!
The Apparella’t App is meant for people with some basic understanding of Catalan to practice with real speakers. They’ll also provide some resources to help you practice.
It’s a good way to practice with a native speaker, even if you don’t live here!
Paid Resources
Want to invest in your Valencian language skills? Well, there are plenty of resources to help you learn.
Because unfortunately, the free resources always have their limitations and at some point – it can be helpful to spend some money to learn Valencian.
So here are the paid resources I would recommend to practice Valencian.
Escola Oficial d’Idiomes
- Price: €90/year
- Online: No
- Signup Period: June and September
- Best For: People in Valencia
Valencia has several official language schools throughout different cities. Since these are publicly funded, they offer structured courses at a very reasonable price.
For example – you only pay €90 for two semester’s worth of classes! You can also take an official exam at the end of the course with a certification that is recognized by the government.
I would highly recommend this option to anyone living in Valencia. Whether you’re looking for an introductory course or an advanced C2, this is highly recommended.
The downside is that it is highly sought-after, so you may not be guaranteed a slot. Make sure you pay attention to their signup periods so you don’t miss out!
Italki
- Price: Varies by teacher
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: Private classes
This is one of my favorite platforms to learn any language, not just Valencian!
It’s a language-learning platform that I’ve used as both a teacher and a student (in a past life, I taught English & Spanish).
The good thing about this platform is that you can browse through teacher profiles and choose whoever you like. Send a message, try out a free class, and then stick with it if you like. It’s the perfect option for someone who wants private classes.
You can also filter between professional language teachers and conversation partners, depending on your preferences. And since each teacher sets their own rates, it’s a great way to find a class that hits all your requirements!
Universitat Politècnica de València
- Price: €10/year
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: July–September
- Best For: Students
If you are studying abroad at the UPV, you can apply to sign up for online OR in-person Valencian classes.
They’re available at practically any level and are a very affordable resource for anyone who wants to learn.
So if you want to study abroad in Valencia, then this is the perfect option for you.
➡️ Sign up for their online courses.
De Dalt a Baix
- Price: €20-30
- Online: Yes
- Signup Period: Year-round
- Best For: People who want a structured book
This is one of the best books to learn Valencian. While these aren’t free, they offer an incredibly detailed and effective curriculum.
You can start at an A1 and go all the way up to C2, with extra resources to help you prepare for exams, too!
That makes these books a great option both for beginners and for people who want to study for an exam. So if you’re living in Valencia and you want to learn, then this is a great tool to help you study.
It comes with:
- Grammar explanations
- Practice exercises
- Reading materials
- Audio guides & exercises
- Pronunciation practice
- Exam guides
- Practice exams
You can get both the physical book or a digital license. So if you’d like to spend a bit of money on a very effective resource, I’d grab these!
➡️ Get the books.
Dictionaries & Tools
So when you’re learning Valencian, not everything is about taking classes! You’ll also need resources, tools, and materials to help you study.
Here are some of the most important resources you need to know about if you’re studying Valencian:
Diccionari Normatiu Valencià
Prepared by the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua, this is the official dictionary to stick to if you’re learning Valencian.
It’s the most important resource to have. Not only does it provide official definitions of any vocabulary word, it also has a conjugation guide for any word. So if you ever have any doubts about how to conjugate a verb – just look it up here.
Diccionari de la llengua catalana
The DIEC is another important dictionary. This time, with an emphasis on the català oriental variety.
So if you’re ever in Barcelona or you have a conversation with a speaker who uses this variety, then you can reference this dictionary instead.
➡️ Use the DIEC
Diccionari català-valencià-balear
And since there is one more major variety of Catalan – you need one more dictionary.
This dictionary is a very extensive one that covers the vocabulary in almost all of the varieties. It’s a great resource if you’re speaking to anyone from the Balearic Islands OR if you come across a word that you just can’t seem to find anywhere else.
Cambridge bilingual dictionary
If you’re an English speaker, this is a great resource for you as well.
Cambridge has a bilingual dictionary from Catalan to English. This is super useful to figure out how to translate a word if you don’t know.
And this is the only bilingual dictionary I know of that has both Catalan and English, unfortunately. So this is a super important resource for English-speakers to practice their Valencian skills.
➡️ Use the bilingual dictionary
Optimot
Here’s a tool that I have to use nearly every day. Optimot is a great tool to find definitions, translations, and answers to any language-related question.
While it mostly uses català oriental as a reference, it’s still a great tool to figure out how to say certain things in the occidental (Valencian) accent. For example, if you know how to say a word in Spanish – you can use their translation tool to figure out the Valencian equivalent.
The only downside is they don’t have an app – so you have to stick to the web version.
Softcatalà
Softcatalà is a really interesting resource that has a ton of different tools.
It has:
- Text translators
- Text correctors
- Conjugation guides
- Technology guides (i.e. which devices are available in Catalan)
- Automation transcription & subtitling
- Thesaurus
- Syllable counters
They even have an application that allows you to “catalanize” your computer – so you can make sure your computer or phone is in Catalan.
That’s a great way to practice Valencian if you want to really immerse yourself.
It’s a software company with an emphasis on promoting the Catalan language, so there are tons of great resources you can take advantage of as a learner.
Gramàtica Zero
In my opinion – this is the best (and really only) grammar book that you need.
The explanations are simple, clear, and comprehensive.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced student, this book clearly explains everything you need to know about Valencian grammar.
Of course, the book is entirely in Valencian, so you’ll need some knowledge of the language. But if you want a reliable resource – this is the one to use.
I read this book cover-to-cover to practice (and pass!) my C1 exam.
Tips to Learn Valencian
Now that you have all the resources you need to learn Valencian, let’s look at some of my top tips.
Why should you listen to my tips to learn Valencian?
✔️ I have two Masters in language education
✔️ I’m an American that learned Spanish and Valencian from scratch
✔️ I passed the C1 (el mitjà), and I’m working on the C2
So you can say I’m pretty invested in language learning. Regardless – this process is unique for everyone. Things that worked for me might not be great for you. So these are just personal tips that I hope can help you make your Valencian learning journey a little bit easier!
Start with free tools
I typically encourage people to start with free tools for any language.
Besides the fact that you don’t want to invest money before you get into the habit of studying, the free resources are usually sufficient to learn some basics.
If you’re a beginner: just use some free tools to learn basic grammar and vocabulary before moving on to practice conversation skills.
If you’re moving to an advanced level: then practice some free grammar exercises to see what you need to work on!
Encourage people to practice with you
Especially if you’re living in Valencia – you should absolutely try to get people to practice Valencian with you.
Even if they’re used to speaking to you in English or Spanish, give them a little push to switch to Valencian. You might need to insist a little (after all, no one wants to be an unpaid teacher) – but it’s a great way for you to get real-life practice.
Practice with friends, use it when you’re traveling, and encourage others to use the language (rather than defaulting to English/Spanish).
Speak it in the city
If you’re a traveler, you might feel tempted to just use English everywhere. In fact, people that can tell you’re a tourist will likely speak to you directly in English.
And if you’re from somewhere else in Spain, you might be tempted to take the easy route and just use Spanish.
But if you’re in Valencia – then the right thing to do is speak Valencian.
Not only does this show more respect to the local culture and people, it’s also a fantastic way to get useful, real-life practice.
After all, that’s one of the most important reasons to learn the language in the first place!
Watch shows & movies
To be fair, there isn’t an enormous amount of shows & movies available in Catalan. And a lot of the resources that are available are just dubbed versions of other shows.
But here are a few resources I can recommend you start with:
- A Punt (news channel)
- L’Alqueria Blanca (Time-piece series)
- Merlí (Teenage drama)
- Nit i Dia (Thriller/Murder mystery)
- Casa en Flames (Comedy/Drama)
Plus, don’t skip over social media! There are tons of content creators on Instagram and TikTok that do 100% of their work in Valencian. This is a great way to get realistic practice on relevant topics.
Should I learn Valencian to visit Valencia?
Of course!
The language of Valencia is Valencian, so naturally you should take some time to learn it!
If you’re planning on just visiting, then check out some important travel phrases in Valencian.
And if you’re planning on living here or spending an extended period of time in Valencia, then you should absolutely invest some time into learning. It’s a great way to connect with the locals, respect the adopting culture, and open your mind.
(Plus, your life becomes a whole lot easier when you can actually speak the local language. Take it from me!)
More Travel Resources
I hope this guide helps you jump-start your Valencian-learning journey! There are tons of resources out there – this is just the beginning.
And I would say that my BIGGEST piece of advice: speak with people in Valencian.
There’s no better way to learn Valencian than to simply connect and have conversations with Valencian speakers. You get real practice, insights, and constant support. After all – immersion is usually key to mastering the language!
If you need any other support or have questions – just reach out!
Bona sort!
Other travel resources:
- Travel phrases in Valencian
- Weekend itinerary
- What is Valencia famous for?
- Neighborhood guide
- Fun facts about Valencia
- Is it Xàbia or Jávea?
FAQs
Yes! Valencian is an entirely different language from Spanish. An easy way to think of it is that Valencian is as different from Spanish as Italian is. There are similarities – but they are not the same language.
Yes, Valencian and Catalan are the same language. Valencian can refer to the name of the dialect/accent spoken in Valencia. Catalan has many geographic dialects, just like English or Spanish has different accents throughout the world.
Need help planning your trip to Valencia?
Here are the tools I use for the cheapest (and most reliable) vacation planning:
- 🏠Booking – Affordable hotels and apartments
- 🏠Hostel World – Safe and budget-friendly hostels
- ✈️Skyscanner – My favorite tool for cheap flights
- 🚗Discover Cars – Best place for car rentals
- 🚄Trainline – The easiest way to book local trains in advance
- 📶Airalo – eSim cards for easy internet access while traveling
- 🦺Safety Wing – The #1 travel medical insurance
- 💸Airhelp – Cancelled flight compensation (it’s free!)
- 💱Wise – Easiest low-fee way to transfer currency
Affiliate disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. These are links to services I personally recommend using for your trip to Valencia. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission from these brands if you choose to make a purchase. Your support helps me pay my bills and eat more bunyols!
