El meu nebot m'ha fet un petó i després ha començat a riure.

My nephew gave me a kiss and then started to laugh.

Breakdown of El meu nebot m'ha fet un petó i després ha començat a riure.

• i: and
• em: me
• a: to
• meu: my

Questions & Answers about El meu nebot m'ha fet un petó i després ha començat a riure.

Why is it El meu nebot and not just meu nebot?

In Catalan, a possessive usually comes with the definite article:

• el meu nebot = my nephew
• la meva germana = my sister
• els seus amics = his/her/their friends

So unlike English, Catalan normally says the my nephew literally, even though in real meaning it is just my nephew.

What does m'ha mean exactly?

m'ha is a contraction of em ha:

• em = to me / me
• ha = has

Before a vowel or silent h, em becomes m'.

So m'ha fet un petó literally works like has given me a kiss.

Here em is the person receiving the kiss.

Why does Catalan say fer un petó? Why not just use one verb for kiss?