English Idioms & Vocabulary with Catalan Translations

Communication Idioms and Phrases

• Chinese whispers (el joc del telèfon): Misinformation spread through retelling.
• Get hold of: Localitzar (To locate or contact someone).
• Get/give the low-down: Donar tots els detalls (To give or receive detailed information).
• Hear through the grapevine: Sentir de forma informal (To hear news unofficially).
• Hit the airwaves: Fer públic (To broadcast on radio or TV).
• Megaphone diplomacy: Amenaçar públicament, no directament (Public threats instead of direct negotiation).
• Out of touch: Estar desconnectat d’algú (Not knowing recent developments).
• Put someone in the picture: Posar al dia algú sobre un tema (To inform someone).
• Spread like wildfire: Estendre’s com la pólvora (To spread very quickly).
• Stool pigeon: Xivato (An informer, especially for the police).

Crime and Law Vocabulary

• Doing time: Ser un presoner / Estar pres (Serving a prison sentence).
• Put behind bars: Entre reixes (To imprison someone).
• Blow the whistle: Denunciar un delicte a la policia (To report wrongdoing).
• Go straight: Deixar de ser un criminal (To stop being a criminal).
• Do a runner: Fer un simpa (To leave a place quickly to avoid paying).
• Sharp practice: Pràctica deshonesta / Robatori (Dishonest or borderline illegal business dealings).
• To cook the books: Donar informació falsa (To falsify financial records).
• To pull a fast one: Enganyar algú (To deceive someone).
• Cat burglar: Un lladre que entra secretament a les cases (A stealthy burglar).
• Stool pigeon: Informant (An informer).
• Against the law: Contra la llei (Illegal).
• Animal cruelty: Maltractament animal (Cruelty towards animals).
• Be charged with: Estar acusat (To be formally accused of a crime).
• Be fined: Ser multat (To be ordered to pay a fine).
• Be found guilty of: Ser culpable de (To be judged guilty of a crime).
• Break the law: Infringir la llei (To do something illegal).
• Community service: Treball comunitari (Unpaid work as punishment).
• Fine: Multa (A sum of money paid as punishment).
• Hacking: Pirateria (Unauthorized access to computer systems).
• Harsh: Dur (Severe, strict - referring to punishment).
• Judge: Jutge (Official presiding over a court).
• Lose your licence: Retirada de carnet (To have one's driving license taken away).
• Mugger: Atracador (Someone who attacks and robs people in public).
• Mugging: Atracament (An act of attacking and robbing someone).
• Murder: Assassinat (The crime of killing someone unlawfully).
• Murderer: Assassí (Someone who commits murder).
• Offence: Delicte (An illegal act; a crime).
• Penalty: Sanció (A punishment for breaking a law or rule).
• Prison sentence: Sentència de presó (A period of time spent in prison).
• Theft: Robatori (The act of stealing).
• Thief: Lladre (Someone who steals).

Media, Advertising & TV Terms

• Binge-watch: Fer una marató de sèries o pel·lícules (To watch many episodes/movies consecutively).
• Status updates: Actualitzacions d’estat (Short posts on social media).
• Subscription streaming service: Servei d’abonament de streaming (Service like Netflix, HBO).
• Trending: Estar de moda (Currently popular online).
• Advertising campaign: Campanya publicitària (Organized course of action to promote a product/service).
• Billboard advertising: Cartellera publicitària (Large outdoor advertising).
• Brand awareness: Conscienciació de marca (Extent to which consumers recognize a brand).
• Catchy slogan: Eslògan enganxós (Memorable phrase used in advertising).
• Celebrity endorsement: Suport d’un famós (Using a famous person to promote a product).
• Target audience: Públic objectiu (Specific group aimed at by advertising).
• TV commercial: Anunci (Television advertisement).
• Word of mouth: Boca-orella (Information passed from person to person).
• Catch-up TV: TV a la carta (Service allowing viewers to watch past programmes).
• Live stream: Transmissió en directe (Real-time broadcast over the internet).
• Scheduled programmes: Programació (TV shows broadcast at specific times).

Accidents and Injuries Vocabulary

• Be fatally wounded: Estar ferit de mort (To receive a deadly injury).
• Be knocked out: Quedar-se inconscient (To become unconscious).
• Chances of: Probabilitats de (Likelihood of something happening).
• Choke: Asfixiar-se (To be unable to breathe due to throat blockage).
• Crush: Triturar / Aixafar (To press something forcefully, damaging it).
• Deadly: Mortal (Causing or able to cause death).
• Drown: Ofegar-se (To die through submersion in water).
• Fatal: Letal (Causing death).
• Food poisoning: Intoxicació alimentària (Illness from contaminated food).
• Get run over by: Ser atropellat per (To be hit by a vehicle).
• Injury: Ferida (Physical harm or damage).
• Knock: Colpejar (To hit something).
• Risky: Arriscat (Involving danger or risk).
• Squash: Aixafar (To crush or squeeze something flat).
• Trip: Entrebancar-se (To catch one's foot on something and stumble).
• Wasp sting: Picada de vespa (An injury caused by a wasp's stinger).
• Wound: Ferir (To inflict an injury on).

Driving and Movement Verbs

• Brake: Frenar (To slow down or stop a vehicle).
• Bomb down: Baixar molt ràpid (To travel downwards very quickly).
• Drift: Anar a la deriva (To be carried slowly by water or air current).
• Swerve: Virar (To change direction suddenly).
• Twist: Girar (To turn or bend).
• Lean: Inclinar-se (To bend or slant from an upright position).
• Slide: Lliscar (To move smoothly over a surface).
• Speed up: Anar més ràpid (To increase speed).