"He who does not risk does not munch": the first app to flirt in Catalan is born

Barcelona"It is very hard to find people who speak Catalan, it depends on the environment you move in –claims Martí Vila from Manresa–. And it is also a drag to hook up at parties, it is very superficial and there are people who are wasted". Faced with this double problem, this 20-year-old programmer and his friend Teo Garcia, a mathematics student, decided to seek a solution. This summer they shut themselves in a house in Rupit to devise, from the epicenter of our beloved Catalonia, an application for hooking up exclusively in Catalan.

For the Diada they gave birth to Lliga.cat, the first application (coming soon in Android and Apple version) for dating someone "with whom you can cry over the farewell of Oques Grasses", as they say on social media. Right now they have 5,000 users, a sign-up rate of 100 people per day and half a million visits every week. This Friday they are opening the platform to the Valencian Community, thus covering all Catalan-speaking territories. There is also the option to register if you are a Catalan speaker in a foreign country. "People are doing very well with it", these modern matchmakers assure.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained" could be their professional motto, because the two young men have launched into creating the platform without the necessary funding tied up or any business structure. But their goal is not business, but to be useful. They are growing the team as the project grows. "There are those who are embarrassed for people from their town or their environment to see that they are on one of these apps", explains Vila. For this reason, they have designed an app different from the most popular platforms, like Tinder, because it allows you to keep your identity in hidden mode, it does not geolocate, and you can only chat after making a match. It also does not work with algorithms that condition the people you see.

"For many Catalan speakers, it feels strange to have relationships with people who do not speak their language. And in apps, there are very few Catalan speakers, or they are hard to find. Even if you look at a region like the Bages. And speaking the same language is like being a Barça fan, where you know you share things and have common ground from the start," argues Vila. One of the requirements to join Lliga.cat is knowing Catalan. In fact, they have a small three-question test at the B2 level to ensure that conversations can be held in Catalan and to filter out fake profiles. "It's a symbolic thing, more as a declaration of principles than anything else," states Vila, anticipating criticism. "We have already received some," he confirms. "There are people who get angry and say it is discrimination. But everyone is welcome if they are interested in dating in Catalan." Registration is free and premium access costs 15 euros per year or 8 per month.

Dating apps based on shared characteristics are very common. There are dating apps for people who hike or for specific musical tastes. Since 2000, there have also been very successful websites for Catalan-speaking profiles, such as GentComTu, but it is outdated. The Lliga.cat interface is entirely in Catalan. You can look for all types of partners and connections: a "relationship," a "hookup," or "we'll see." The majority of the public is aged 25 to 34, and one of the filters indicated is the region, because "dating in Catalan should be as natural as having a coffee in the square.".