La meva filla vol mirar el programa abans que comenci la funció.

Yes, Catalan very often uses the definite article before possessives:

• la meva filla = my daughter
• el meu pare = my father
• la seva casa = his/her house

This is normal Catalan structure. In English, you usually just say my daughter, without the, but in Catalan the article is commonly included.

That said, in some contexts, especially with close family members used as names of relationship, you may also hear forms without the article, but la meva filla is completely standard.

Because filla is a feminine singular noun.

The possessive has to agree with the noun it describes:

• el meu fill = my son
• la meva filla = my daughter
• els meus fills = my sons / my children
• les meves filles = my daughters

So:

• meu = masculine singular
• meva = feminine singular

This is a very common structure in Catalan, just like in English.

• vol = wants
• mirar = to watch / to look at

So vol mirar literally means wants to watch.

Catalan often uses a conjugated verb followed by an infinitive:

• vull menjar = I want to eat
• podem sortir = we can go out
• ella prefereix esperar = she prefers to wait

Here, vol is the conjugated verb, and mirar stays in the infinitive.

Both can relate to seeing, but they are not exactly the same.

• mirar = to look at, to watch
• veure = to see

In this sentence, mirar el programa means to watch the program, so mirar is the natural choice.

Compare:

• Miro la televisió = I watch TV
• Veig la televisió des d’aquí = I can see the television from here

So if the idea is actively watching something, mirar is usually better.

Not always. Programa can mean several things depending on context:

• a TV or radio program
• a printed program for an event
• a schedule or program of activities
• a computer program

In this sentence, since it is followed by abans que comenci la funció (before the performance begins), el programa could very naturally mean the printed program for a show or event. If the meaning you were shown is different, context decides.

So programa is a flexible word, just like program in English.

Abans que means before when it introduces a clause with a verb.

Compare these two patterns:

• abans de + infinitive
• abans que + conjugated verb

Examples:

• abans de sortir = before leaving
• abans que surti = before he/she leaves

In your sentence, there is a full clause after it:

• abans que comenci la funció = before the performance begins

So abans que is the correct structure here.

Because abans que normally triggers the subjunctive in Catalan.

So:

• comença = present indicative, it begins
• comenci = present subjunctive, roughly it begin

Catalan uses the subjunctive after expressions like abans que because the action is seen as not yet realized or still pending.

So:

• abans que comenci la funció = before the performance begins

This is one of the most important things to notice in the sentence.

It is the present subjunctive form of començar.

For començar, the present subjunctive forms are:

• jo comenci
• tu comencis
• ell/ella comenci
• nosaltres comencem
• vosaltres comenceu
• ells/elles comencin

In your sentence, the subject is la funció, which is third person singular, so the form is comenci.

Here funció usually means performance, show, or presentation, especially in a theater or event context.

Examples:

• la funció comença a les vuit = the performance starts at eight
• anar a una funció de teatre = to go to a theater performance

Be careful: in other contexts, funció can also mean function, as in mathematics or purpose, but in this sentence it almost certainly refers to an event or performance.

This word order is the most neutral and natural one.

Structure:

• La meva filla = subject
• vol = conjugated verb
• mirar el programa = infinitive phrase / object
• abans que comenci la funció = time clause

Catalan word order is often similar to English, though it can be more flexible for emphasis. For example, you might move the time phrase in some contexts:

• Abans que comenci la funció, la meva filla vol mirar el programa.

That changes the focus slightly, but the meaning stays basically the same.

Yes, but it would not mean exactly the same thing structurally.

• abans que comenci la funció = before the performance begins
• abans de començar la funció = before beginning the performance / before the performance starts, depending on context

The first one has a full clause with its own subject:

• la funció is the thing that begins

The second one uses an infinitive:

• començar is not conjugated

In many real situations, both can express a very similar idea, but the grammar is different. Your sentence uses the clause form, which is very common and idiomatic.

Not exactly. Vol in Catalan is usually pronounced roughly like bol with a clear o, not like English vole or vawl.

Also, remember that Catalan v and b are often pronounced very similarly in many accents.

So vol may sound close to bol for many speakers.

There are three verb forms:

• vol = present indicative of voler = wants
• mirar = infinitive = to watch / to look at
• comenci = present subjunctive of començar = begin

So the sentence combines:

1. a main conjugated verb
2. an infinitive after it
3. a subordinate clause with subjunctive

That makes it a very useful example of normal Catalan sentence structure.

A very close literal breakdown is:

• La meva filla = the my daughter
• vol mirar = wants to watch
• el programa = the program
• abans que = before
• comenci = begin / begins, in the subjunctive
• la funció = the performance

So a more literal English-style rendering would be:

My daughter wants to watch the program before the performance begins.

This helps show where Catalan matches English closely and where it differs, especially with:

• article + possessive: la meva filla
• subjunctive after abans que: comenci