Catalan is a language, and is in fact the most similar to Italian currently (87%) while only sharing a 85% similarity with both Spanish and Portuguese.
The difference between a language and a dialect is that a language has a unique way of writing down information. A Catalan sentence and a Spanish sentence will be different. For example: "Si os plau" is Catalan for "please" and "por favor" is Spanish for please. Arabic and Chinese are said to have dialects because only one form of the language is written and the differences are all oral. However, the difference between Arabic dialects or Chinese dialects can be greater than the difference between Catalan and Spanish.
Spanish and a dialect of Catalan called Valencian.
If "Spanish" means Castilian (standard) Spanish, then no, it is not the language of Barcelona and the region of Catalonia, though it is generally understood. The principal language in that northeastern part of Spain is Catalan, which is not a dialect, but a separate language (just as Portuguese is a separate language, not a dialect of Spanish). However, most signs in Barcelona and many other parts of the region of Catalonia are bilingual. One can speak Castilian (Spanish) there and be understood by nearly everyone. But the people living in Barcelona and other towns of the region of Catalonia speak Catalan among themselves.
The natives speak Mallorquin, a dialect of Catalan. The official languages are Catalan and Spanish, most people can speak both. Because of the high tourism in the area many people speak English, German and French.
The official languages of Barcelona are both Catalan and Spanish. Catalan is the predominant language in Barcelona and is often used in official settings, while Spanish is also widely spoken as a second language.
The main language spoken in Barcelona is Catalan, which is an official language in Catalonia. Spanish is also widely spoken in Barcelona, especially in tourist areas.
Spanish and a dialect of Catalan called Valencian.
Eivissenc is the native dialect of Catalan that is spoken on Ibiza. Spanish is also widely spoken, as well as English and German.Ibiza is a Spanish Island where they speak the native language of Catalan and the Official language of Spanish, however in the tourist areas English and other European languages are spoken to accommodate the large tourist trade.
The two most common languages spoken in Barcelona are: Catalan and Castellano - both dialects of the Spanish language. Catalan is the most spoken although Castellano is also used to a lesser degree. Catalan is not (repeat NOT) a dialect of Spanish, it is a language in it's own right. Catalan was suppressed during Franco's rule but now is the official language of Catalunya.
If "Spanish" means Castilian (standard) Spanish, then no, it is not the language of Barcelona and the region of Catalonia, though it is generally understood. The principal language in that northeastern part of Spain is Catalan, which is not a dialect, but a separate language (just as Portuguese is a separate language, not a dialect of Spanish). However, most signs in Barcelona and many other parts of the region of Catalonia are bilingual. One can speak Castilian (Spanish) there and be understood by nearly everyone. But the people living in Barcelona and other towns of the region of Catalonia speak Catalan among themselves.
The natives speak Mallorquin, a dialect of Catalan. The official languages are Catalan and Spanish, most people can speak both. Because of the high tourism in the area many people speak English, German and French.
Catalan and Spanish
Portuguese and Catalan are most similar to Spanish.
Catalan is a Romance language that originated in the northeastern region of Spain known as Catalonia. It developed from Vulgar Latin spoken by the Romans who settled in the area during the Roman Empire. Today, Catalan is spoken not just in Catalonia but also in parts of Valencia, the Balearic Islands, and in parts of France and Italy.
Castilian and Catalan Castilian, also means Spanish, is the culture one would usually associate with most of Spain. It's also fair to call it simply Spanish. This is not the indigenous culture to Barcelona, but many Spaniards have migrated to the city. Catalan, a regional culture in eastern Spain. The Catalan people speak their own language (called Catalan) and usually speak Spanish too. Catalan and Spanish have many similarities, but are clearly separate languages, and it is argued by many that Catalan is closer to French than to Spanish. Catalan culture shares many things with that of southern France. Further Reading, on Wikipedia: Spanish Language, Catalan Language, Barcelona, Catalonia, Valencia, Spain
The official language of the region is Catalan, not Spanish
Spanish is a Romance language spoken primarily in Spain and Latin America, while Catalan is another Romance language spoken in the Catalonia region of Spain, as well as in parts of France and Italy. Catalan has its own distinct grammar and vocabulary, and is recognized as an official language in Catalonia alongside Spanish.
Catalan is primarily spoken in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands in Spain, as well as in the region of Valencia. It is also spoken in parts of France, specifically in the region of PyrΓ©nΓ©es-Orientales.