Breakdown of Per a la cita de demà, la secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar.
Questions & Answers about Per a la cita de demà, la secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar.
What does per a mean here, and why isn’t it just per?
Here per a la cita de demà means for tomorrow’s appointment.
In standard Catalan, per a often expresses:
- destination: intended for someone/something
- purpose/use: meant for
So per a la cita de demà means the form was sent for use in connection with tomorrow’s appointment.
In everyday speech, especially in some varieties, speakers often use per where the standard language might prefer per a, so you may hear both. But in this sentence, per a is a very natural standard choice.
Why does de demà mean tomorrow’s?
Catalan often uses de + time expression where English might use a possessive or adjective.
So:
- la cita de demà = tomorrow’s appointment
- literally: the appointment of tomorrow
This is very common in Catalan:
- la reunió de dilluns = Monday’s meeting
- el vol de demà = tomorrow’s flight
Does cita always mean appointment?
Not always. Cita can mean:
- appointment
- date (romantic or social)
- sometimes quotation/citation, depending on context
In this sentence, because of the secretary, a form, and signing, the meaning is clearly appointment.
Why is there la in la secretària? Would Catalan normally include the article here?
Yes. Catalan uses the definite article more often than English does.
So:
- la secretària = the secretary
Even when English might sometimes omit an article in a broader context, Catalan often keeps it. Here it simply refers to the secretary in the situation being discussed.
What does m'ha enviat mean exactly?
m'ha enviat means has sent me or sent me, depending on context.
It breaks down like this:
- m' = to me / me
- ha = has (from haver, used to form the perfect tense)
- enviat = sent (past participle of enviar)
So literally it is something like:
- has sent to me
But in natural English:
- The secretary sent me a form
- or The secretary has sent me a form
Why is it m'ha enviat and not something like ha m'enviat?
Because Catalan object pronouns normally go before the conjugated verb.
Here:
- m' comes before ha
- so: m'ha enviat
This is the normal placement in simple affirmative clauses:
- m'ha trucat = she/he has called me
- t'ho diré = I’ll tell you it
- ens han vist = they saw us / have seen us
Catalan weak pronouns have fairly strict placement rules, and this is the standard one here.
What is the m' exactly? Is it the same as Spanish me?
Yes, it corresponds to me.
The full pronoun is em, but before a vowel or silent h, it is usually shortened to m':
- em diu = he/she tells me
- m'ha enviat = has sent me
- m'agrada = I like it literally it pleases me
So:
- em before consonant
- m' before vowel or silent h
Why is it ha enviat? What tense is this?
ha enviat is the present perfect in Catalan.
It is formed with:
- haver in the present
- past participle
So:
- ha enviat = has sent
Full structure:
- la secretària m'ha enviat = the secretary has sent me
In many contexts, Catalan uses this tense where English might use either:
- has sent
- or simply sent
depending on the style and context.
What does formulari mean, and is it a common word?
Formulari means form.
Yes, it is a common and useful word, especially in administrative, medical, legal, and office contexts.
Examples:
- omplir un formulari = to fill out a form
- enviar un formulari = to send a form
- formulari de registre = registration form
What does per signar mean?
Per signar means to sign or more literally for signing.
In this sentence:
- un formulari per signar = a form to sign
Catalan often uses per + infinitive to express purpose or intended action:
- alguna cosa per menjar = something to eat
- un lloc per aparcar = a place to park
- un document per revisar = a document to review
So here it tells you what the form is meant for: signing.
Could per signar be translated literally as for signing?
Yes, literally that works, but in natural English a form to sign is usually better.
So:
- literal-ish: a form for signing
- natural English: a form to sign
Both reflect the Catalan structure, but to sign sounds more idiomatic in English in this context.
Why is the sentence order Per a la cita de demà, la secretària... instead of starting with La secretària...?
Because Catalan can move a phrase to the front to set the context.
Here:
- Per a la cita de demà is placed first to frame the sentence: As for tomorrow’s appointment / For tomorrow’s appointment...
Then comes the main clause:
- la secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar
If you said:
- La secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar per a la cita de demà
that would also be understandable, but the original version highlights what this is for right away.
Is this sentence formal, informal, or neutral?
It sounds neutral to slightly formal.
Reasons:
- la secretària
- un formulari
- per signar
- the standard use of per a
It sounds very natural in administrative, medical, or office-related situations. It is not stiff or overly formal, just fairly standard and clear.
Could this sentence also mean The secretary sent a form for me to sign?
Yes, absolutely. That is one of the best English translations.
The idea is:
- la secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar = the secretary sent me a form to sign = the secretary sent a form for me to sign
Both are good translations.
How would I know who is supposed to sign the form?
From context, it is understood that I am the one supposed to sign it.
Why?
- m'ha enviat = sent me
- un formulari per signar = a form to sign
So the natural interpretation is:
- the secretary sent me a form
- and the form is for me to sign
Catalan does not need to repeat I or for me here because the meaning is already clear from the context and structure.
Can I think of the whole sentence literally word by word?
Yes, a helpful rough breakdown is:
- Per a = for
- la cita = the appointment
- de demà = of tomorrow / tomorrow’s
- la secretària = the secretary
- m'ha enviat = has sent me
- un formulari = a form
- per signar = to sign / for signing
So a very literal gloss would be:
For tomorrow’s appointment, the secretary has sent me a form to sign.
That is already quite close to natural English.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning CatalanMaster Catalan — from Per a la cita de demà, la secretària m'ha enviat un formulari per signar to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions