Si vostè veu gel sobre el pont, no corri.

Vostè is the formal singular word for you. It is used when speaking politely, respectfully, or in public instructions and notices.

A key point is that vostè takes third-person singular verb forms, not second-person ones. So you get:

• vostè veu
• not vostè veus

If the sentence were informal, it would use tu instead.

Yes. Catalan often drops subject pronouns when the verb already makes the person clear.

So this sentence could also appear as:

• Si veu gel sobre el pont, no corri.

Including vostè makes the formality extra explicit and can sound appropriate in a warning or official instruction.

Veu is the present tense form of veure meaning to see.

Here it matches vostè, which uses the same verb form as ell/ella:

• ell veu
• ella veu
• vostè veu

Also, after si meaning if, Catalan normally uses the present indicative for real or possible situations:

• Si veu gel... = If you see ice...

That is normal Catalan grammar.

Because gel is being used as a mass noun in a general sense, much like English ice.

So veu gel means you see ice in general, not a specific previously mentioned patch of ice.

If you wanted to refer to specific ice already known in the conversation, Catalan could use the article:

• veu el gel

But in a general warning, gel without an article is very natural.

Literally, sobre el pont means on the bridge or over the bridge. In this context, it means on the surface of the bridge.

So the idea is that there is ice on the bridge.

Be careful: sobre can have several meanings in Catalan, including:

• on top of
• above
• sometimes about/concerning

Here, context clearly gives the physical meaning on.

Because this is a negative command, and Catalan uses the subjunctive form in negative commands.

The verb is córrer (to run), and for vostè the negative command is:

• no corri

Compare:

• informal tu: no corris
• formal vostè: no corri

By contrast, corre is the affirmative command for tu:

• Corre! = Run!

So no corri is correct for a formal don’t run.

It would be:

• Si veus gel sobre el pont, no corris.

Changes:

• vostè veu → tu veus
• no corri → no corris

So the meaning stays the same, but the tone becomes informal.

No.

• si without an accent means if
• sí with an accent means yes

So in this sentence, Si vostè veu... means If you see..., not Yes you see...

This accent is important because it changes the meaning of the word.

The comma separates the if-clause from the main clause:

• Si vostè veu gel sobre el pont = condition
• no corri = command

This is also very natural in English:

• If you see ice on the bridge, don’t run.

The comma helps make the warning easier to read.