Abans de marxar, la meva filla vol fer un petó a la seva àvia.

Abans de marxar means before leaving or before she leaves.

Catalan often uses abans de + infinitive to say before doing something:

• abans de marxar = before leaving
• abans de menjar = before eating
• abans de dormir = before sleeping

This is a very common structure. In English, we often use before + -ing or before + clause, but in Catalan the infinitive is the normal choice here.

Because abans normally takes de before an infinitive.

So the pattern is:

• abans de + infinitive

Examples:

• Abans de sortir = before going out
• Abans de parlar = before speaking
• Abans de marxar = before leaving

Without de, it would sound ungrammatical in standard Catalan.

Marxar usually means to leave, to go away, or to depart.

Depending on context, it can translate differently in English:

• He de marxar = I have to leave
• Ja marxa = He/She is leaving now
• Abans de marxar = Before leaving

It is a very common everyday verb in Catalan.

In Catalan, possessives are very often used with the definite article:

• la meva filla = my daughter
• el meu pare = my father
• la seva àvia = his/her/their grandmother

This is different from English, where we usually do not use the with possessives.

So:

• English: my daughter
• Catalan: la meva filla

This is one of the most noticeable differences for English speakers.

Vol is from the verb voler, which means to want.

So:

• vol = wants
• fer = to do / to make

Together, vol fer un petó literally means wants to make a kiss, but idiomatically it means:

• wants to give a kiss
• wants to kiss

Examples:

• Vull menjar = I want to eat
• Vol dormir = He/She wants to sleep
• La meva filla vol fer un petó = My daughter wants to give a kiss

The normal everyday expression is fer un petó (a algú), literally to make/give a kiss (to someone).

So:

• fer un petó = to give a kiss
• fer un petó a la seva àvia = to give her grandmother a kiss

This works much like other Catalan expressions with fer, where English may prefer a different verb.

You may also hear:

• fer un bes
• donar un petó

But fer un petó is very common and natural.

That a introduces the person receiving the kiss.

So:

• fer un petó a algú = to give someone a kiss

Examples:

• Fa un petó a la mare = He/She gives his/her mother a kiss
• Vull fer un petó al nen = I want to give the boy a kiss

In English, we often say kiss someone without a preposition, but Catalan commonly uses a with this structure.

Seva is a possessive meaning his, her, your (formal), or their, depending on context.

In this sentence, la seva àvia most naturally means her grandmother, referring back to la meva filla.

So:

• el seu pare = his/her/their father
• la seva àvia = his/her/their grandmother

Catalan seu/seva/seus/seves is more ambiguous than English possessives. Usually the context tells you whose grandmother it is.

Here, the most natural reading is:

• My daughter wants to give her grandmother a kiss

Because the possessive agrees with the noun possessed, not with the owner.

Àvia is feminine singular, so the possessive must also be feminine singular:

• la seva àvia = her/his/their grandmother
• el seu avi = her/his/their grandfather

Compare:

• la seva mare = her/his mother
• el seu pare = her/his father
• les seves germanes = her/his sisters
• els seus germans = her/his brothers

So seva is used because àvia is feminine singular.

Because Abans de marxar is an introductory phrase placed at the beginning of the sentence.

The comma helps separate that opening time expression from the main clause:

• Abans de marxar, la meva filla vol fer un petó a la seva àvia.

This is similar to English punctuation in sentences like:

• Before leaving, my daughter wants to kiss her grandmother.

In short: the comma is there because the sentence begins with a fronted adverbial phrase.

Yes. Catalan allows some flexibility in word order.

For example, you could also say:

• La meva filla vol fer un petó a la seva àvia abans de marxar.

This means essentially the same thing: My daughter wants to give her grandmother a kiss before leaving.

The version with Abans de marxar at the beginning gives a little more emphasis to the time frame.

Both are natural, though the exact emphasis may shift slightly.

Àvia means grandmother.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

• AH-vee-uh

A bit more carefully:

• the first syllable is stressed: À
• v in Catalan is usually pronounced like b in many accents, so it may sound close to AH-bee-uh

The written accent in àvia shows the stress falls on the first syllable.

Not exactly.

In Catalan, ll is usually pronounced like the lli in million for many English speakers, though the exact sound depends somewhat on accent.

So filla sounds roughly like:

• FEE-lya

This is different from standard Spanish ll in many varieties.

Similarly:

• fill = son
• filla = daughter

So try to hear and repeat the Catalan ll sound rather than assuming the Spanish pronunciation.

Yes. In natural English, wants to kiss her grandmother is often the best translation.

But it is useful to remember the Catalan structure:

• vol = wants
• fer un petó = give a kiss

So there are two good English renderings:

• My daughter wants to give her grandmother a kiss
• My daughter wants to kiss her grandmother

Both are correct, but the first one reflects the Catalan wording more closely.