quadern

Quadern is a Catalan noun meaning notebook or exercise book. It denotes a bound or loose-leaf book used for writing, note-taking, or completing school exercises. In everyday usage, a quadern may be blank, ruled, or gridded, and it can be employed for personal writing as well as formal study.

Etymology and cognates: The word belongs to a family of Romance-language terms for a bound writing book, with cognates such as cuaderno in Spanish and cahier in French. These terms share a common general origin related to a bound collection of written sheets, and they are part of the historical development of writing practice in the Romance languages.

Usage and forms: In Catalan, quadern is used in phrases such as quadern d'exercicis (exercise book), quadern de notes (notebook for notes), or quadern escolar (school notebook). There are variations like quadern de quadres (grid notebook) for mathematics or technical work. The form is masculine; singular is un quadern and plural is uns quaderns, with adjectives agreeing in gender and number.

Cultural context: In Catalan-speaking regions, the quadern is a standard classroom object and a common means of organizing study and coursework. Publishers produce numerous quaderns aligned with curricula, and the term is widely understood across education and everyday writing alike.