A la primavera, el mar és fred.

to be

Breakdown of A la primavera, el mar és fred.

• a: in
• el mar: the sea
• la primavera: the spring

Questions & Answers about A la primavera, el mar és fred.

Why does Catalan say a la primavera for in spring?

With seasons, Catalan commonly uses a + article:

• a la primavera
• a l’estiu
• a la tardor
• a l’hivern

So a la primavera means in spring / during spring.

You may also hear en primavera, which is also possible in many contexts. But a la primavera is a very normal, natural choice.
What is much less natural here is en la primavera, unless you are talking about a specific spring already identified.

Why is there an article in la primavera?

Catalan often uses the definite article with seasons and many other nouns where English does not.

So English in spring becomes Catalan a la primavera.

This is very normal in Catalan grammar and not something unusual about this sentence.

Why does it say el mar instead of just mar?

Catalan usually uses the definite article when talking about something in a general sense.

So:

• el mar = the sea, including the sea in general
• not necessarily one specific sea already mentioned

English often drops the article in more places than Catalan does, but Catalan prefers it here.

Why el mar and not la mar?