Hem de fer silenci a l'hospital.

Hem is the 1st person plural form of haver: we have.

In this sentence, it is part of the structure haver de + infinitive, which means to have to / must:

• hem de fer = we have to do / we must do

So Hem de fer silenci means We have to be quiet or more literally We have to make silence.

Because Catalan uses the fixed structure haver de + infinitive to express obligation.

So:

• hem de fer = we have to do
• has de venir = you have to come
• haig de sortir = I have to leave

The de is required in this pattern.

Yes, literally it does mean make silence, but this is a normal Catalan expression.

Fer silenci means:

• to be quiet
• to keep quiet
• to stop making noise

English and Catalan do not always use the same verb in fixed expressions. Catalan often uses fer in places where English would not use make/do.

Yes, but the nuance is slightly different.

• callar = to be silent / to shut up / to stop talking
• fer silenci = to keep quiet / to avoid noise

So in a hospital, fer silenci sounds very natural because it refers to general quietness, not only to speech.

For example:

• Hem de callar = We have to stop talking
• Hem de fer silenci = We have to be quiet

Here it means at the hospital or in the hospital, depending on the English translation.

The preposition a in Catalan can cover meanings that English expresses with to, at, or in, depending on context.

In this sentence, it is about location, so:

• a l'hospital = at/in the hospital

Because el becomes l' before a vowel or silent h.

So:

• el llibre = the book
• l'hospital = the hospital
• l'escola = the school

Since hospital begins with an h, and the h is silent, Catalan treats it like a vowel sound at the beginning.

Normally, a + el = al:

• al parc = to/at the park

But when el becomes l' before a vowel or silent h, you get:

• a + l'hospital = a l'hospital

So al hospital is not the standard form here.

No. In standard Catalan, h is silent.

So hospital is pronounced as if it began with the vowel sound after the h. That is also why the article becomes l':

• l'hospital

Because Catalan often drops subject pronouns when the verb already shows who the subject is.

• Hem already tells you it means we have
• so nosaltres is not necessary

You could say:

• Nosaltres hem de fer silenci a l'hospital

But it is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis or contrast.

Yes, it can.

Depending on context, a l'hospital can refer to:

• a specific hospital: at the hospital
• hospitals in general: in hospitals / at the hospital

If you are just talking about the rule or expected behavior, the sentence can sound general: We have to be quiet at the hospital / in hospitals.

It can mean something else too.

Hem can also be the auxiliary in the present perfect:

• Hem arribat = We have arrived

But in your sentence, because it is followed by de + infinitive, it clearly means obligation:

• Hem de fer silenci = We have to be quiet

So the pattern after hem tells you the meaning.

Yes. The basic sentence is:

• Hem de fer silenci a l'hospital.

But Catalan word order is somewhat flexible, especially for emphasis. For example:

• A l'hospital hem de fer silenci.

This puts more focus on at the hospital.

The original order is the most neutral and natural in many contexts.