Des de fa una setmana, no puc dormir bé perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.

Des de fa una setmana means for a week now or for the past week.

This is a very common Catalan pattern:

• des de fa + time period = for / since ... ago up to now
• des de fa una setmana = for a week
• des de fa dos mesos = for two months
• des de fa molt temps = for a long time

It emphasizes that the situation started in the past and is still true now.

Not in this sentence if you want the idea for a week now.

• fa una setmana by itself usually means a week ago
• des de fa una setmana means for a week / since a week ago

So:

• Fa una setmana = A week ago
• Des de fa una setmana = For the last week / For a week now

That is why des de is important here.

Because puc dormir means I can sleep / I am able to sleep, so no puc dormir means I can’t sleep or I’m unable to sleep.

Catalan often uses poder + infinitive in places where English uses can:

• puc dormir = I can sleep
• no puc dormir = I can’t sleep

If you said no dormo bé, that would mean I don’t sleep well. That is also possible, but it is slightly different in nuance:

• no puc dormir bé = I can’t sleep well
• no dormo bé = I don’t sleep well

The first one highlights difficulty or inability.

Puc is the 1st person singular present tense of poder (to be able to / can).

Present tense of poder:

• jo puc = I can
• tu pots = you can
• ell/ella pot = he/she can
• nosaltres podem = we can
• vosaltres podeu = you all can
• ells/elles poden = they can

So no puc dormir literally means I cannot sleep.

Yes. Bé means well.

So:

• dormir bé = to sleep well
• menjar bé = to eat well
• parlar bé = to speak well

A useful distinction:

• bé = well
• bo / bona = good

So you say:

• Dormo bé = I sleep well
• És un bon llibre = It’s a good book

Here perquè means because.

In Catalan, perquè with an accent is commonly used to introduce a reason:

• No puc dormir bé perquè hi ha soroll = I can’t sleep well because there is noise

Learners often confuse similar forms:

• perquè = because
• per què = why / for what
• per a què = what for / for what purpose

So in this sentence, perquè is simply the conjunction because.

Hi ha means there is / there are.

It is one of the most important Catalan expressions:

• Hi ha un problema = There is a problem
• Hi ha dues persones = There are two people
• Hi ha soroll = There is noise

The hi is part of the fixed expression. You normally learn hi ha as a whole.

It comes from the verb haver, but in everyday Catalan you should think of hi ha as the standard way to say there is / there are.

Catalan can express the idea in different ways, just like English can.

This sentence uses:

• hi ha soroll al carrer = there is noise in the street

That focuses on the existence of noise.

Another possible sentence would be:

• El carrer és sorollós = The street is noisy

That focuses more on the street as having a quality.

The original sentence is very natural because it explains the cause directly: there is noise outside/in the street.

Soroll means noise.

In this sentence it is used as an uncountable noun, like English noise in a general sense:

• Hi ha soroll = There is noise

If you want to talk about a specific sound or noise, Catalan can also use un soroll:

• He sentit un soroll = I heard a noise

So both uses exist, just as in English.

Because al is the contraction of a + el.

• a + el = al
• de + el = del

So:

• al carrer = in/to the street
• del carrer = of/from the street

This contraction is required in standard Catalan.

Literally, al carrer is in the street / on the street.

In English, the best translation depends on context:

• hi ha soroll al carrer = there is noise in the street
• sometimes more naturally: there is noise outside

So al carrer refers to the street outside the speaker’s home or building.

Catalan often puts time expressions at the beginning for emphasis or for natural flow.

So:

• Des de fa una setmana, no puc dormir bé...
• No puc dormir bé des de fa una setmana...

Both are possible, but the first one sounds very natural because it sets the time frame immediately.

The comma after the opening phrase is also normal in writing.

Yes. That is completely normal in Catalan.

The idea is:

• the problem started in the past
• it is still happening now

So Catalan uses the present:

• no puc dormir bé = I can’t sleep well

Together with des de fa una setmana, the sentence clearly means the situation has been continuing for a week.

This is similar to how English can say I haven’t been sleeping well for a week, but Catalan often keeps the main verb in the present when the situation is still current.

A few natural alternatives are:

• Fa una setmana que no puc dormir bé perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.
• No puc dormir bé des de fa una setmana perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.
• Des de fa una setmana, dormo malament perquè hi ha soroll al carrer.

Notes:

• fa una setmana que... is another very common structure for I have been ... for a week
• dormo malament means I sleep badly / I’m sleeping badly
• dormir bé and dormir malament are very common everyday expressions