An offer proposes something for the other person's benefit; an invitation proposes doing something together. Catalan commonly builds both with vols...? (“do you want...?”), while et ve de gust...? asks whether the activity appeals to the person. Què vols que faci? asks what action would be useful. Acceptance, refusal, and gentle insistence complete the social sequence.
The literal wording does not determine the force by itself. Vols venir? may be a warm invitation or merely a practical question; an imperative such as agafa'n més can be generous at the table. Relationship, timing, facial expression, and how freely the listener can decline all matter.
Core offer and invitation frames
| Pattern | Function | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Vols + noun/infinitive? | ordinary offer or invitation to tu | neutral-informal |
| Vol + noun/infinitive? | offer or invitation to vostè | courteous/formal |
| Et ve de gust + noun/infinitive? | asks about appetite or inclination | neutral-informal |
| Li ve de gust...? | same meaning with vostè | courteous/formal |
| Què vols que + subjunctive? | asks what the speaker should do | neutral-informal |
| imperative | encourages acceptance where the item is already available | depends strongly on relationship and tone |
Vols una mica més d'arròs?
Would you like a little more rice? (informal)
Li ve de gust seure a la terrassa, senyora Roca?
Would you feel like sitting on the terrace, Ms Roca? (formal)
Què vols que porti per al sopar?
What do you want me to bring for dinner?
Notice porti, a present subjunctive. The question is not asking what the listener brings; it asks which of the speaker's possible actions the listener wants. The subject of porti is understood as “I.”
Vols...? and et ve de gust...?
Vols...? is broad and efficient. It can offer an object, practical help, or participation. Et ve de gust...? focuses on the listener's inclination and is especially natural for food, drink, leisure, and optional plans. It is not normally the frame for necessary assistance in an emergency.
Vols que t'ajudi a pujar les caixes?
Do you want me to help you carry the boxes upstairs?
Et ve de gust anar a veure l'exposició diumenge?
Do you feel like going to see the exhibition on Sunday?
Compare a direct and a softened invitation:
Vine a sopar divendres.
Come for dinner on Friday. (direct, warm between close people)
Si et ve de gust i no tens plans, podries venir a sopar divendres.
If you feel like it and don't have plans, you could come for dinner on Friday. (softened)
The imperative presents the event as enthusiastically open and can be affectionate among friends. The second leaves explicit room to decline. English speakers sometimes assume an imperative must be rude; in hospitality, Catalan imperatives can instead signal welcome.
Offers of action: vols que...? and què vols que...?
Use vols que + subjunctive for a yes/no offer to do something. Use què vols que + subjunctive when the listener should specify the desired action or option.
Vols que truqui jo al restaurant?
Do you want me to call the restaurant?
Què voleu que preparem per a la canalla?
What would you like us to prepare for the children? (addressing more than one person)
With vostè, use vol and third-person object forms where required: Vol que li demani un taxi? With vosaltres, use voleu: Voleu quedar-vos a dinar? Do not let an English “you” hide the Catalan agreement contrast.
Vol que li guardi l'abric mentre visita el museu?
Would you like me to keep your coat while you visit the museum? (formal, vostè)
Imperatives as hospitality
At a shared table, tasta-ho, agafa'n més, and serveix-te tu mateix are offers expressed as imperatives. Their generosity depends on a welcoming tone and on genuine availability. A sharp imperative from someone controlling access can sound coercive.
Tasta aquestes coques; les ha fet la meva àvia.
Try these pastries; my grandmother made them. (informal hospitality)
Agafi una cadira i posi's còmoda, senyora Miró.
Take a chair and make yourself comfortable, Ms Miró. (formal welcome)
The second keeps vostè agreement in agafi and posi's. More on this person system appears under vostè and vós.
Accepting naturally
A bare sí answers the proposition but may sound less warm than the social act calls for. Acceptance commonly adds appreciation or enthusiasm: sí, gràcies; i tant!; m'encantaria; vinga, som-hi. The conditional m'agradaria/m'encantaria can accept warmly when context makes the positive answer clear.
—Et ve de gust fer un cafè després de classe? —Sí, i tant! A les sis et va bé?
—Do you feel like having coffee after class? —Yes, definitely! Does six work for you?
—Vol que l'acompanyi fins a la parada? —Moltes gràcies, m'aniria molt bé.
—Would you like me to walk with you to the stop? —Thank you very much, that would help me a lot. (formal)
Acceptance normally moves the plan forward with a time, place, or next action. This distinguishes genuine acceptance from a vague expression of interest.
Refusing without rejecting the person
Refusals are often delayed slightly and paired with thanks, regret, a concise reason, or an alternative. No, gràcies is enough for a small offer. A personal invitation usually deserves more relational work.
—Vols una altra copa? —No, gràcies, que demà matino.
—Would you like another drink? —No, thanks; I have an early start tomorrow.
—Veniu a dinar diumenge? —Ens encantaria, però som fora. Ho deixem per a la setmana que ve?
—Are you coming for lunch on Sunday? —We'd love to, but we're away. Shall we do it next week?
The alternative preserves the relationship and shows that the refusal concerns this occasion, not the people. Do not invent an elaborate excuse: a brief honest obstacle is usually enough.
Insistence and when to stop
One gentle second offer can show hospitality, especially when the guest's first refusal may be conventional: Segur? En queda molt. But repeated insistence removes the freedom that made it an offer. Listen to the form and the timing of the refusal. A firm no, de debò or a repeated no closes the sequence.
—No cal que em portis. —Segur? No em costa gens. —Sí, de debò; hi aniré a peu. —D'acord, com vulguis.
—You don't need to drive me. —Are you sure? It's no trouble at all. —Yes, really; I'll walk there. —All right, as you wish.
This is a natural repair from insistence to acceptance of the boundary. Com vulguis can sound neutral here, but with a clipped tone it may signal annoyance; prosody changes the interpretation.
Formal and informal exchanges
—Ei, demà fem una calçotada. T'hi apuntes? —I tant! Què vols que porti? —Si pots, porta postres.
—Hey, we're having a calçotada tomorrow. Are you joining us? —Absolutely! What do you want me to bring? —If you can, bring dessert. (informal)
—Senyora Costa, li ve de gust prendre alguna cosa mentre espera? —Un got d'aigua, si us plau. —De seguida.
—Ms Costa, would you like something to drink while you wait? —A glass of water, please. —Right away. (formal)
The exchanges are not interchangeable scripts. Friendship permits ei and t'hi apuntes?; a service role favors the third-person clitic li and surname title.
Regional context
The patterns vols...?, et ve de gust...?, and vols que...? are widely understood. Lexical preferences and hospitality routines differ across Central, Valencian, Balearic, Northwestern, Northern, and Alguerese settings. (regional: Valencian) abellir may appear for “to feel like,” as in T'abellix vindre? in Valencian speech, with form varying by variety; learners using the cross-regional Et ve de gust venir? remain clear. Do not infer from one household's ritual of insisting that every Catalan-speaking person expects multiple offers.
Common Mistakes
❌ Vols que porto vi?
Incorrect — the offered action after vols que requires the subjunctive.
✅ Vols que porti una ampolla de vi?
Do you want me to bring a bottle of wine?
❌ Et vols un te?
Incorrect word-for-word construction for an ordinary offer.
✅ Vols un te o prefereixes cafè?
Would you like tea, or do you prefer coffee?
❌ Senyora Pujol, vols seure aquí?
Incorrect — the title suggests formal address, but vols is a tu form.
✅ Senyora Pujol, vol seure aquí?
Ms Pujol, would you like to sit here? (formal, vostè)
⚠️ No? Va, sí, menja'n més, va, només una mica!
Contextually inappropriate after a firm refusal — repeated insistence turns an offer into pressure.
✅ No en vols més? D'acord; si canvies d'idea, n'hi ha a la cuina.
You don't want any more? All right; if you change your mind, there's some in the kitchen.
Correction practice
Repair these according to the context: (1) offered action: Vols que t'ajudo?; (2) formal guest: Et ve de gust un cafè, senyora Serra?; (3) respectful refusal of a dinner invitation: No. Natural versions are Vols que t'ajudi?, Li ve de gust un cafè, senyora Serra?, and Moltes gràcies, però demà no puc; ho deixem per a un altre dia?
Key Takeaways
- Use vols...? broadly; use et ve de gust...? to ask about appetite or inclination.
- Offered actions take vols que + subjunctive: vols que truqui?
- Imperatives can express generous hospitality when relationship, availability, and tone support them.
- Warm acceptance adds thanks, enthusiasm, or a next step; tactful refusal separates the occasion from the relationship.
- One gentle second offer may be hospitable, but repeated insistence is pressure.
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