Formal Catalan has precise relational forms such as envers, mitjançant and en virtut de, but formality is not achieved by choosing the longest available preposition. Administrative prose becomes clearer when each relation is explicit: attitude envers a person or issue, means expressed by mitjançant, legal authority expressed by en virtut de, and ordinary cause or instrument expressed by plainer per, amb or a causa de.
This page distinguishes useful formal forms from inflated wording and contact-induced calques. The standard principles apply across Central, Valencian, Balearic, Northwestern, Northern, and Alguerese formal writing; local vocabulary may vary, but administrative syntax should not imitate Spanish or English mechanically.
A register-and-meaning decision table
| Meaning | Formal option | Plainer option | Avoid when inappropriate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attitude or orientation toward | envers | cap a | using envers for every English “toward” |
| Means or procedure | mitjançant, per mitjà de | amb, sometimes per | mitjançant de |
| Legal or institutional basis | en virtut de, d'acord amb | segons | en base a |
| Topic | pel que fa a, quant a, respecte de | sobre | generic a nivell de |
| Subordination or physical lower position | sota | sota | baix as a preposition copied from Spanish |
The “plain” column is not less correct or less professional. Good administrative style minimizes processing effort while preserving legal precision.
Envers: orientation and attitude
Envers is a simple tonic preposition meaning “toward” in an abstract attitude or orientation. It is common in (formal) and (literary) prose: responsabilitat envers la ciutadania, respecte envers el medi, hostilitat envers la proposta. Vers is a related, often more literary form.
L'informe assenyala les obligacions de l'empresa envers els treballadors temporals.
The report identifies the company's obligations toward temporary workers. (formal)
La seva actitud envers les crítiques ha canviat des de l'última assemblea.
Her attitude toward criticism has changed since the last meeting. (formal)
For concrete direction in ordinary language, cap a is normally more natural: Camineu cap a la sortida, not the ceremonious camineu envers la sortida. Envers also does not mean merely “about”: una reunió sobre els residus, not una reunió envers els residus.
Quan soni l'alarma, avanceu cap a la sortida nord sense córrer.
When the alarm sounds, move toward the north exit without running.
Mitjançant: a means that enables a result
Mitjançant introduces the means, procedure, or intermediary through which an action is accomplished. It is a single preposition and takes its complement directly: mitjançant un codi, not mitjançant de/per un codi. It is at home in instructions, regulations, and analytical prose.
La identitat s'haurà d'acreditar mitjançant un document oficial vigent.
Identity must be verified by means of a valid official document. (formal/administrative)
Les entitats podran presentar les al·legacions mitjançant la seu electrònica.
Organizations may submit their representations through the online portal. (formal/administrative)
If the mechanism does not need emphasis, amb is shorter: Obriu la porta amb aquesta targeta. Per mitjà de has the same explicit instrumental value as mitjançant and may improve rhythm when several words ending in -ment cluster nearby.
Podeu obrir l'armariet amb la targeta que us han donat a recepció.
You can open the locker with the card you were given at reception.
Do not map English through one-to-one. Ho hem sabut per la premsa identifies a source; hi hem passat pel túnel identifies a route; ho hem tramitat mitjançant el portal identifies a procedure.
Àdhuc is not a preposition
Àdhuc means “even” or “including even” and is an (formal/literary) focus adverb. It does not express a relation between a head and a complement, despite its elevated appearance. The everyday equivalent is fins i tot.
La norma abasta totes les dependències, àdhuc les que només obren a l'estiu.
The rule covers all premises, even those that open only in summer. (formal/literary)
Fins i tot els tècnics més veterans van haver de consultar el manual nou.
Even the most experienced technicians had to consult the new manual.
Compare àdhuc els tècnics with envers els tècnics. In the first, the adverb adds an unexpected member to a set; in the second, the preposition marks the endpoint of an attitude or duty. Formal vocabulary still belongs to distinct word classes. Do not combine them as àdhuc a merely because English has even to; the surrounding verb determines whether a is independently required.
Legal basis is not ordinary cause
Use en virtut de when a provision, mandate, agreement, or office gives authority or creates an entitlement. Use a causa de for causes, arran de for triggering events, and segons/d'acord amb for conformity or source.
En virtut de la resolució de 14 de maig, el termini queda prorrogat quinze dies.
Under the resolution of 14 May, the deadline is extended by fifteen days. (formal/legal)
D'acord amb les instruccions del servei de prevenció, la sala romandrà tancada fins dilluns.
In accordance with the prevention service's instructions, the room will remain closed until Monday. (formal)
La sala estarà tancada a causa d'una fuita d'aigua al pis superior.
The room will be closed because of a water leak on the floor above.
These form a minimal contrast: the resolution authorizes an outcome, the instructions set a norm to follow, and the leak physically causes closure.
Calques that make administration less clear
En base a
For Spanish-influenced en base a, select the relation you mean: sobre la base de for an evidential foundation, d'acord amb for conformity, a partir de for a starting point, or tenint en compte for a considered factor.
La comissió ha puntuat les candidatures d'acord amb els criteris publicats.
The committee scored the applications according to the published criteria. (formal)
A nivell de
A nivell de is literal when a measurable level or hierarchical tier is meant: a nivell del mar, a nivell municipal. It should not become an all-purpose topic marker. Replace vague a nivell de pressupost with pel que fa al pressupost, en matèria pressupostària, or simply en el pressupost, depending on the sentence.
Pel que fa al pressupost, la proposta reserva una partida específica per al manteniment.
As for the budget, the proposal reserves a specific allocation for maintenance. (formal)
Baix and sota
The adjective/adverb baix is not the general Catalan preposition corresponding to Spanish bajo. Use sota for physical position or subordination, and a more exact locution for legal relations.
El projecte s'executarà sota la supervisió de l'oficina tècnica municipal.
The project will be carried out under the supervision of the municipal technical office. (formal)
Per part de and nominal congestion
Per part de can identify a participating side, but passive administrative prose overuses it where an active subject is clearer: L'aprovació del pla per part del consell often improves to El consell va aprovar el pla. The preposition is not wrong in every context; the problem is obscured agency.
El consell rector va aprovar la modificació després d'escoltar els representants dels usuaris.
The governing board approved the amendment after hearing the users' representatives.
Position, scope, and punctuation
Long formal prepositional phrases often frame an entire sentence and take a following comma. An integrated short complement normally does not. Position also affects what the phrase modifies.
Mitjançant una aplicació que verifica l'hora i la ubicació de cada lectura, els inspectors registraran les dades sobre el terreny.
Using an application that verifies the time and location of each reading, inspectors will record the data in the field. (formal)
The initial phrase scopes over the inspectors' whole procedure. In Els inspectors registraran les dades mitjançant una aplicació, it attaches more narrowly to registraran. Avoid a dangling initial phrase whose understood agent cannot perform the means: Mitjançant l'aplicació, les dades seran més exactes illogically makes “the data” the user of the application.
Negation creates another scope contrast. No es pot presentar la sol·licitud mitjançant el correu electrònic may deny that email is an allowed means while leaving other methods open. Mitjançant el correu electrònic no es pot presentar cap sol·licitud makes the excluded channel the topic.
A natural editorial dialogue
—Hi deixem «en base a la normativa»? —No: si volem dir que la normativa ens obliga, escrivim «d'acord amb la normativa»; si ens dona la competència, «en virtut de la normativa».
‘Shall we leave “on the basis of the regulations”?’ ‘No: if we mean the regulations bind us, write “in accordance with the regulations”; if they grant us the power, “under the regulations”.’
The editor asks for the underlying relation rather than exchanging one bureaucratic label for another.
Short correction task
Revise these sentences for clear formal Catalan: 1) La petició s'enviarà mitjançant de la plataforma. 2) En base a l'article 6, l'alcaldia pot autoritzar l'excepció. 3) A nivell de terminis, hi ha dues opcions.
La petició s'enviarà mitjançant la plataforma de tràmits municipals.
The request will be sent through the municipal procedures platform.
En virtut de l'article 6, l'alcaldia pot autoritzar l'excepció prevista.
Under article 6, the mayor's office may authorize the specified exception.
Pel que fa als terminis, hi ha dues opcions igualment vàlides.
Regarding the deadlines, there are two equally valid options.
Common Mistakes
❌ Cal mostrar respecte envers a totes les persones usuàries.
Incorrect — envers takes its complement directly; do not add a.
✅ Cal mostrar respecte envers totes les persones usuàries del servei.
Respect must be shown toward all users of the service. (formal)
❌ Les dades s'han obtingut mitjançant de tres entrevistes.
Incorrect — mitjançant is itself the preposition and does not take de.
✅ Les dades s'han obtingut mitjançant tres entrevistes semiestructurades.
The data were obtained through three semi-structured interviews. (academic)
❌ Baix aquesta normativa, el recurs no és admissible.
Incorrect Spanish-influenced use of baix as a preposition.
✅ D'acord amb aquesta normativa, el recurs no és admissible fora de termini.
Under these regulations, the appeal is inadmissible after the deadline. (formal/legal)
❌ L'informe descriu una actitud discriminatòria àdhuc els treballadors temporals.
Incorrect — àdhuc cannot introduce the target of an attitude; it is an adverb, not a preposition.
✅ L'informe descriu una actitud discriminatòria envers els treballadors temporals.
The report describes a discriminatory attitude toward temporary workers. (formal)
Precision beats elevation. Use envers for orientation or attitude, mitjançant for an enabling means, and en virtut de for operative authority; use ordinary cap a, amb, per, segons when they state the relation more directly. The complex locutions page contrasts cause, trigger, topic, and legal basis in more detail. Formal Catalan sounds professional because it is exact, not because every sentence is nominal and long.
Key Takeaways
- Use envers for formal orientation or attitude, not for every English toward.
- Mitjançant introduces a means directly; never add de.
- Àdhuc is an elevated adverb meaning “even,” not a preposition.
- Replace vague calques such as en base a and generic a nivell de with the relation actually intended.
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