catalana

Catalana is the feminine form of Catalan in several Romance languages, used to refer to things related to Catalonia or to describe a female person from Catalonia. In Spanish and Italian, catalana functions as an adjective and a feminine noun form, matching the gender of the noun it describes.

As a demonym, catalana denotes a woman from Catalonia, the autonomous region in northeastern Spain, where the Catalan language and culture are centered. Beyond demonyms, catalana is widely used as an adjective to describe feminine nouns associated with Catalonia or the Catalan culture. Examples include comida catalana (Catalan food), cultura catalana (Catalan culture), and literatura catalana (Catalan literature). It can also appear in phrases such as gente catalana or música catalana, where it agrees in gender with the noun it modifies.

The masculine form in these languages is catalán (Spanish), catalano (Italian), with catalan(a) representing the feminine form. The term is not a separate language or a place; rather, it is a gendered linguistic form that appears in descriptions of language, culture, cuisine, and identity linked to Catalonia. In Catalan itself, the corresponding feminine is catalana, and the masculine is català.

Overall, catalana functions as a flexible, gendered descriptor tied to Catalonia and the Catalan heritage, used across Spanish and Italian, and in related contexts to indicate feminine association with the Catalan world.