This is the 50th most frequent Catalan word.
primer
"Primer" in Catalan means "first" in English.
Here, 'primer' is used as an adjective, meaning 'first,' to describe the initial day among others.
El primer dia de classe sempre és emocionant.
The first day of class is always exciting.
In this case, 'primer que res' is a phrase used as an introductory statement to emphasize prioritization before addressing the main topic.
Primer que res, gràcies per venir.
First of all, thank you for coming.
In this sentence, 'primer' is used as an adverb meaning 'first' to indicate the initial step in a sequence.