Word
Al desembre, si neva, el parc queda blanc de neu i el carrer pot tenir gel.
Meaning
In December, if it snows, the park turns white with snow and the street can have ice.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Catalan grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Al desembre, si neva, el parc queda blanc de neu i el carrer pot tenir gel.
Why does the sentence start with al desembre?
Al is the contraction of a + el. In Catalan, months are often used with the article after a preposition, so al desembre is a very natural way to say in December.
So:
- a + el = al
- al desembre = in December
Can I also say en desembre?
Depending on region or style, you may sometimes hear other patterns, but al desembre is a very safe and standard choice for learners. If you want to say in December, al desembre is the form to remember first.
Why is it si neva and not si nevarà?
After si for a real or possible condition, Catalan normally uses the present indicative, not the future.
So:
- si neva = if it snows
- not si nevarà
This is similar to English, where we also say if it snows, not if it will snow, in normal conditional sentences.
Does neva have a subject?
Not really. Nevar is a weather verb, and here it is used impersonally, like English . The in English does not refer to anything specific, and Catalan simply leaves that kind of dummy subject out.