Catalan Typing Test · Català
Quan vaig arribar a la ciutat per primera vegada, em va sorprendre la barreja constant entre edificis antics i construccions modernes. Els carrers estrets del centre històric contrastaven amb les grans avingudes plenes de trànsit i de gent que caminava de pressa cap a la feina. Vaig passejar sense mapa, deixant-me guiar per la curiositat, i així vaig descobrir places amagades on el temps semblava avançar més lentament. En un racó tranquil, vaig trobar una petita llibreria plena de llibres vells, amb un propietari que parlava de literatura com si fos un vell amic. Més tard, vaig pujar fins a un mirador des d'on es veia tota la ciutat estesa fins al mar, amb els teulats vermells brillant sota el sol de la tarda. Aquella barreja de sorolls, olors i colors em va fer entendre que cada ciutat guarda històries diferents en cada carrer, i que cal caminar-hi a poc a poc per poder-les descobrir de veritat.
Click the box and start typing to begin.
Catalan is spoken by around 10 million people, with roughly 4 million native speakers concentrated in Catalonia, where it is co-official with Spanish, and significant speaker populations in Valencia (as Valencià), the Balearic Islands, Andorra (its sole official language), and parts of southern France and Sardinia's city of Alghero.
Typing speed in Catalan matters most directly in the public sector: Catalonia's own civil-service exams (oposicions de la Generalitat) and municipal administrative postings often include or expect strong keyboard skills, and many job listings for administratiu/administrativa roles specify a target speed. Beyond government work, Catalan-medium schools, universities like the Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and a growing Catalan-language media and publishing sector all rely on comfortable, accurate typing — including the accents and the distinctive l·l (ela geminada) that don't exist in Spanish.
This test measures your Catalan typing speed the way it's actually used — live, on real Català sentences, so your WPM and accuracy reflect genuine keyboard fluency.
How Catalan Typing Speed Is Measured
Catalan typing speed is measured in WPM (paraules per minut), the same standardized metric used across Latin-script languages: every five typed characters, including spaces, accents, and punctuation, counts as one word. Net WPM — the score that matters most — subtracts a penalty for uncorrected errors, so it reflects real, usable typing rather than raw speed.
Keyboard Layout and Special Characters
Catalan is typed on the Spanish (Spain) QWERTY keyboard layout, which most closely supports its accents, though it lacks a dedicated key for one uniquely Catalan character. Catalan uses grave accents (à, è,ò), acute accents (é, í, ó, ú), the cedilla (ç), the dieresis (ï, ü) for separated vowel sounds, and — most distinctively — l·l (ela geminada), a doubled L separated by an interpunct, found in words like 'col·lecció' and 'paral·lel'.
| Character | How to Type It (Windows / Spanish layout) |
|---|---|
| à è ò (grave accents) | Dead-key grave (`) then the vowel |
| é í ó ú (acute accents) | Dead-key acute (´) then the vowel |
| ç / Ç (cedilla) | Dedicated key on the Spanish layout, next to the Ñ |
| ï ü (dieresis) | Dead-key dieresis (¨), via Alt Gr + dieresis key then the vowel |
| l·l (interpunct L) | Type L, then the interpunct (·) via Alt Gr + 3 or a punctuation shortcut, then L again — many word processors also auto-correct 'l.l' to 'l·l' |
| Task | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Add Catalan keyboard | Settings → Time & Language → Language & region → Add a language → Català → Add keyboard | System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources → Edit → + → Catalan |
| Type ç on Mac | — | Option + C |
| Type l·l interpunct on Mac | — | Option + Shift + 9, or use the Catalan input source which maps it more directly |
Catalan Typing Speed Benchmarks (WPM)
| WPM | Level | Real-World Context |
|---|---|---|
| Below 20 WPM | Beginner | Still building finger placement, including reaching accent and cedilla keys |
| 20–35 WPM | Below Average | Functional but slower than most administrative job screens |
| 35–45 WPM | Average | Where most untrained adult typists land |
| 45–60 WPM | Good | Meets most Catalan administrative and office-job postings |
| 60–75 WPM | Professional | Comfortable for public-sector oposicions and legal/administrative work |
| 75+ WPM | Expert | Fast, accurate typing including full command of Catalan's accent system |
Real Jobs and Exams That Value Catalan Typing Speed
| Country / Region | Role or Sector | Typical Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Catalonia (Spain) | Administratiu/va — Generalitat de Catalunya oposicions | Administrative exams commonly test typed-document speed and accuracy as part of the process |
| Catalonia & Valencia | Municipal and local government clerical roles | Job postings for administrative assistants frequently specify a typing-speed expectation |
| Balearic Islands | Tourism-sector administration and customer service | Bilingual Catalan-Spanish typing is a practical asset in hiring |
| Andorra | Government and banking-sector clerical work | Catalan is the sole official language, making fluent typing a core office skill |
Catalan Around the World
| Country / Region | Context |
|---|---|
| Catalonia (Spain) | The largest population of speakers; co-official with Spanish, dominant in schools and local government |
| Valencia (Spain) | Spoken as Valencià, co-official regional variant with its own standardization body |
| Balearic Islands (Spain) | Spoken with local dialects (Mallorquí, Menorquí, Eivissenc), co-official with Spanish |
| Andorra | Catalan is the sole official language of the country |
| Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) & southern France (Roussillon) | Smaller historic Catalan-speaking communities outside Spain |
Catalan has one of the Iberian Peninsula's richest literary traditions, from the medieval philosopher-writer Ramon Llull to Ausiàs March's poetry and modern Nobel-nominated figures like Mercè Rodoreda, and it has been the language of a continuously active publishing and press industry in Catalonia since long before its official recognition — giving typists no shortage of real Catalan text to practice against.
Who Is This Test Built For
- ✓🏛️ Oposicions candidates preparing for Generalitat de Catalunya administrative exams
- ✓🏢 Public-sector job seekers across Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands
- ✓🎓 Catalan-medium school and university students typing essays and coursework
- ✓📰 Journalists and content writers producing Catalan-language copy
- ✓🌍 Andorran professionals typing in their sole official language daily
- ✓👨👩👧 Heritage speakers and learners building fluency with accents and l·l
- ✓💻 Administrative and customer-service staff typing in Catalan and Spanish
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Catalan typing speed?
45–60 WPM covers most Catalan administrative and office-job expectations, while 60–75+ WPM is considered professional-level, comparable to fast typing benchmarks in other Romance languages.
How do I type ç and l·l without a Catalan keyboard?
The Spanish (Spain) keyboard layout includes a dedicated ç key. For l·l, type L, then the interpunct character (·) — often via Alt Gr shortcuts or your system's Catalan input source — then L again; many editors also auto-correct 'l.l' typed with a period.
Is Catalan typing tested in Spain's civil-service exams?
In Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands, regional and municipal administrative exams (oposicions) often assess document-typing speed and accuracy as part of the hiring process for clerical roles.
How is WPM calculated on this test?
Every five typed characters, including spaces, accents, and punctuation, counts as one word. Net WPM, the primary score, subtracts a penalty for uncorrected errors so it reflects real, usable output.
Is this typing test free?
Yes — completely free, no signup, no download, and no limit on how many times you can test.
Tria la durada del teu test, comença a escriure i mira el teu WPM i precisió a l'instant.