Al caixer, la meva filla mira el número de la targeta.

Because Catalan often moves a place or time expression to the beginning of the sentence to set the scene.

So:

• Al caixer = At the ATM / cash machine
• la meva filla mira el número de la targeta = my daughter looks at the card number

Starting with Al caixer gives a natural sense of context: At the ATM, my daughter looks at the card number.

The comma shows that this location phrase has been placed first for emphasis or organization. A more neutral order would also be possible:

• La meva filla mira el número de la targeta al caixer.

Al is the contraction of:

• a = to / at
• el = the

So:

• a + el = al

This is a normal contraction in Catalan, just like:

• de + el = del

So al caixer literally means at the cashier / at the ATM.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• caixer can mean cashier (a person)
• It can also be short for caixer automàtic, meaning ATM / cash machine

In this sentence, because it mentions the card number, the meaning is most likely ATM rather than a human cashier.

So Al caixer here is best understood as At the ATM.

The comma is used because Al caixer is a fronted phrase: it has been moved to the start of the sentence.

This is similar to English sentences like:

• At the bank, my daughter checks the card number.

The comma helps separate the introductory setting from the main clause.

Without fronting, the sentence could be written without that comma:

• La meva filla mira el número de la targeta al caixer.

In Catalan, possessives are usually used with the definite article.

So you normally say:

• la meva filla = my daughter
• el meu pare = my father
• la nostra casa = our house

This is different from English, where you just say my daughter without the.

So Catalan structure is often:

• article + possessive + noun

Mira is the 3rd person singular of mirar in the present tense.

• jo miro = I look
• tu mires = you look
• ell/ella mira = he/she looks

Since the subject is la meva filla (my daughter), the correct form is mira.

Catalan often uses the simple present where English might use the present continuous.

So:

• La meva filla mira... can mean My daughter looks... or My daughter is looking...

If you really want to emphasize an ongoing action, Catalan can also use a progressive structure:

• La meva filla està mirant el número de la targeta.

But in many normal situations, the simple present is completely natural.

This is a very common question.

• mirar = to look at
• veure = to see

So in this sentence:

• mira el número = looks at the number

This suggests attention or intention. She is actively checking it.

If you used veure, it would mean more like she sees the number, which is not quite the same idea.

This is the normal Catalan way to say the number of the card or the card number.

Structure:

• el número = the number
• de la targeta = of the card

Catalan often expresses this kind of relationship with de.

So:

• el número de la targeta = the card number

English often uses noun-noun combinations like card number, but Catalan usually prefers noun + de + noun.

Because the sentence refers to a specific card, not just the general idea of any card.

• de la targeta = of the card
• de targeta would sound incomplete or unnatural here

The article la shows that the speaker has a particular card in mind.

Because targeta is a feminine noun in Catalan.

That is why it takes feminine words with it:

• la targeta
• la meva targeta
• una targeta

This is something that has to be learned with the noun, since grammatical gender does not always match English.

The word número has a written accent because the stress falls on the first syllable:

• NÚ-me-ro

The accent mark shows the correct stress pattern.

This matters in Catalan spelling, because accents are used systematically to show pronunciation and distinguish stress.

Yes. Catalan word order is fairly flexible.

The sentence you have is:

• Al caixer, la meva filla mira el número de la targeta.

A more straightforward order would be:

• La meva filla mira el número de la targeta al caixer.

Both are correct. The version with Al caixer first puts more emphasis on the location or setting.

The core structure is:

• la meva filla = subject
• mira = verb
• el número de la targeta = direct object

And then there is an added location phrase:

• Al caixer = place expression

So the sentence is basically:

• At the ATM, my daughter looks at the card number.

This can be broken down as:

• Al caixer → where?
• la meva filla → who?
• mira → does what?
• el número de la targeta → what does she look at?