Avui dinem a casa perquè la mare ha de cuinar.

In Catalan, dinar means to have lunch, not to have dinner.

So:

• dinem = we have lunch / we are having lunch
• sopem = we have dinner

This often confuses English speakers because to dine in English sounds formal and is usually connected with dinner, but Catalan dinar is specifically about lunch.

In this sentence, Avui dinem a casa means Today we’re having lunch at home.

Catalan often leaves out subject pronouns when they are already clear from the verb ending.

Here, dinem is the 1st person plural form of dinar, so it already means we have lunch.

You could say:

• Avui dinem a casa. = Today we’re having lunch at home.
• Avui nosaltres dinem a casa. = same meaning, but nosaltres adds emphasis

This is similar to Spanish and unlike normal English, where you usually must say we.

Dinem is in the present indicative.

The present tense in Catalan can often be used in a few ways, just like in English:

• we have lunch
• we are having lunch
• sometimes even a near-future idea depending on context

In Avui dinem a casa, the most natural English translation is usually Today we’re having lunch at home or Today we have lunch at home.

Avui means today.

Putting it first is very natural in Catalan when setting the time frame for the whole sentence:

• Avui dinem a casa... = Today we’re having lunch at home...

Catalan word order is fairly flexible, but this beginning sounds very normal because it introduces when the action happens right away.

A casa means at home or sometimes to/at the house, depending on context. In this sentence it means at home.

Catalan commonly says:

• a casa = at home
• som a casa = we are at home
• anem a casa = we go home

There is no article here because this expression works like a fixed phrase. English is similar: we say at home, not usually at the home.

This is a very common question.

In your sentence, perquè means because:

• ...perquè la mare ha de cuinar.
• ...because mother has to cook.

But per què (two words) usually means why or for what:

• Per què dinem a casa? = Why are we having lunch at home?

So:

• perquè = because
• per què = why / for what

The accent helps distinguish them.

Catalan often uses the definite article before family members:

• la mare = mother / mum
• el pare = father / dad

So la mare ha de cuinar is completely normal Catalan.

In English, we often say Mum has to cook without an article, but Catalan commonly keeps the article in many contexts.

However, when directly addressing someone, the article is usually not used:

• Mare, vine aquí. = Mum, come here.

Literally, ha de cuinar means has to cook.

It is made up of:

• ha = has (from haver)
• de = to
• cuinar = cook

So the pattern is:

• haver + de + infinitive = to have to + verb

Examples:

• He de marxar. = I have to leave.
• Hem de parlar. = We have to talk.
• La mare ha de cuinar. = Mother has to cook.

Because Catalan expresses obligation with the structure:

• haver de + infinitive

So:

• ha de cuinar = has to cook
• hem de menjar = we have to eat

English speakers sometimes want to compare it with English have to, where to comes directly after have. In Catalan, the equivalent structure needs de:

• haver de fer alguna cosa = to have to do something

It is a normal grammar pattern, not an optional extra word.

Yes, but the meaning changes.

• la mare cuina = mother cooks / is cooking
• la mare ha de cuinar = mother has to cook

The sentence uses ha de cuinar because it expresses necessity or obligation, not just the action itself.

So the reason for eating at home is not simply that she cooks in general, but that she needs to cook.

Yes. The clause after perquè gives the reason:

• Avui dinem a casa = main statement
• perquè la mare ha de cuinar = reason/explanation

So the structure is:

[statement] + perquè + [reason]

This is just like English:

• Today we’re having lunch at home because mother has to cook.

Yes, to some extent. Catalan allows some flexibility, especially for emphasis or style.

For example, you could also say:

• Perquè la mare ha de cuinar, avui dinem a casa.

This still means the same thing, but it emphasizes the reason first.

The original version is probably the most neutral and natural in everyday speech:

• Avui dinem a casa perquè la mare ha de cuinar.

Perquè has a written accent to mark the stressed syllable and to distinguish it from other similar forms.

A simple learner-friendly pronunciation guide is roughly:

• per-KEH

The stress falls on the last part.

The accent is important in writing because Catalan uses accent marks both for pronunciation and to help distinguish meanings. In this case, it also helps separate perquè (because) from per què (why / for what).

Yes, in some contexts, but we have lunch is usually the most natural English translation.

Possible translations:

• Today we have lunch at home
• Today we’re having lunch at home
• Today we eat lunch at home (grammatically possible, but less natural in everyday English)

So for most learners, it is best to remember:

• dinar = to have lunch

rather than trying to translate word-for-word with eat.