With March well underway, Spain is gearing up for one of its most spectacular celebrations—Las Fallas! Fallas is a five-day festival in Valencia that honours Saint Joseph with an electrifying mix of fire, artistry, and tradition.
If you’re experiencing Las Fallas for the first time, the scale and excitement of the festivities might feel a little overwhelming!
That’s why the experts at Catalan and Spanish classes platform Preply have put together the ultimate guide to the festival’s essential lingo, explaining exactly how to say each word in Catalan or ‘Valenciano’ along with their meanings, so you can immerse yourself in the celebrations like a true local
Fallas
Pronunciation: FAH-yas
The term ‘Fallas’ has multiple meanings. It refers both to the festival itself, which takes place annually, and to the elaborate sculptures created for the occasion.
Traditionally, these sculptures are made from wood or papier-mâché, then painted in bright colours to stand out during parades. They typically depict entire scenes and are composed of multiple characters.
Ninots
Pronunciation: nee-NOTS
While ‘Fallas’ refers to the sculptures as a whole, ‘ninots’ are the individual figures or puppets that make up each falla scene. These can vary in size and shape and often represent famous personalities or social themes.
Before the festival begins, the ninots are displayed in an exhibition where the public votes to save one from burning. The winning ninot is preserved in Valencia’s Fallas Museum.
Cremà
Pronunciation: kreh-MAH
The Cremà is the grand finale of the festival, taking place on the last day of the nearly month-long celebrations (19th March, St Joseph’s Day).
During this event, all Fallas are burnt as part of ceremonies across Valencia. The burning starts with the children’s Fallas at 8 pm, before culminating with the final one at 11 pm. This symbolic act represents the arrival of spring and purification.
Nit del Foc
Pronunciation: neet dehl FOHK
Nit del Foc, meaning ‘Night of the Fire’, takes place in the early hours of 18th March, marking the beginning of the festival’s final days.
This is the most spectacular fireworks display of the festival, lasting over 20 minutes. It starts gently before building to a crescendo of colour, noise, and light.
Cavalcada del Foc
Pronunciation: kah-val-KAH-dah del FOHK
The Cavalcada del Foc is a fire parade that takes place across Valencia just before the Cremà. It features dancers, jugglers, and floats parading through the streets amidst dazzling fireworks displays.
This parade happens on the evening of 19th March, following a route along Calle Ruzafa, Calle Colón, and Plaza Porta de la Mar.
Despertà
Pronunciation: des-per-TAH
Keeping with the festival’s lively spirit, the Despertà (which means the wake-up) is a loud morning parade held across Valencia between 16th and 19th March.
Its purpose is to wake the entire neighbourhood for the celebrations, achieved through the deafening sound of bombetas and trons de bac, accompanied by lively marching bands.
Bombetas
Pronunciation: bom-BEH-tas
Bombetas are small firecrackers commonly used during the Despertà parades, especially by children.
Unlike traditional fireworks, they do not have a wick; instead, they explode with a loud bang when thrown on the ground.
