lliure

Lliure is a Catalan adjective meaning free in the sense of not being constrained or occupied, or available for use. It is used to describe people who are autonomous or unenslaved, objects that are not occupied or reserved, and situations that are unrestricted. Common phrases include temps lliure (leisure time) and taula lliure (an unoccupied table). The term can also express freedom from obligation or restriction in certain contexts, such as "lliure de deutes" (free of debts) or "producte lliure de comerç" (duty-free product), though these uses may be more specialized and formal.

Etymology and related forms: Lliure derives from a Latin root related to liber, the ancestor of related words in Romance languages such as Spanish libre and French libre. In Catalan, the form lliure has been established since medieval times and remains the standard contemporary spelling. The noun corresponding to the concept of freedom is llibertat; lliure, by contrast, remains principally an adjective.

Usage notes: Lliure contrasts with llibertat, which denotes the state of being free or the condition of freedom itself, typically used as a noun. While lliure often indicates availability or lack of constraint, llibertat emphasizes the broad, abstract concept of freedom. Regional varieties of Catalan maintain the same spelling, including in Valencia and the Balearic Islands.

See also: Llibertat; Catalunya; Catalan language; Free time.