ROMANIAN GRAMMAR

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This Grammar Section is designed to help you understand the essential rules as quickly as possible, so you can begin forming your own sentences from day one. Unlike other courses that overwhelm you with theory, our approach focuses on the most important rules that will allow you to speak Hungarian confidently and naturally — starting today. Listen to the audio lessons and review them to master the foundational rules.

In the lessons ahead, you’ll find everything you need to master Romanian grammar. Each topic is explained with practical, easy-to-understand examples to help you not only learn the rules but also remember and apply them. We recommend learning the core 3000 Romanian Vocabulary words first — this will make the examples much easier to follow and understand.

The grammar topics covered include the Romanian alphabet, nouns, articles, pronouns, conjunctions and prepositions. You’ll also dive into adjectives, adverbs, adjectives, present, past and future tenses, as well as the imperative, modal verbs, negation, sentence structure, questions, and relative clauses. Click on any section title to jump directly to the topic you're interested in, or start from the beginning and let your knowledge grow naturally.

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Romanian Alphabet

The Romanian alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet and has thirty-one letters. It uses the same general writing system as English, French, Italian, Spanish, and many other European languages, but it also includes five important letters with diacritics: ă, â, î, ș, and ț. These letters are not decorative variations. They represent real Romanian sounds and must be treated as separate letters when reading, writing, typing, and using dictionaries.

For learners, the Romanian alphabet is usually easier to approach than the spelling systems of many other languages because Romanian pronunciation is relatively consistent. In most cases, a letter has one main sound, and a written word can be pronounced accurately once the basic rules are understood. Romanian spelling is not completely identical to pronunciation in every situation, but it is generally much more predictable than English spelling.

The Romanian alphabet includes the following letters (listen to the audio):

a - automobil (automobile)
ă - ăsta (this one)
â - România (Romania)
b - bicicletă (bicycle)
c - casă (house)
d - drum (road)
e - elefant (elephant)
f - floare (flower)
g - gară (train station)
h - hotel (hotel)
i - inimă (heart)
î - înger (angel)
j - jucărie (toy)
k - kilogram (kilogram)
l - lampă (lamp)
m - mașină (car)
n - nor (cloud)
o - oraș (city)
p - pâine (bread)
q - quiz (quiz)
r - restaurant (restaurant)
s - soare (sun)
ș - școală (school)
t - tren (train)
ț - țară (country)
u - urs (bear)
v - vapor (ship)
w - weekend (weekend)
x - xerox (photocopy)
y - yoga (yoga)
z - zebră (zebra)

The letters K, Q, W, and Y occur mostly in foreign names, international words, technical vocabulary, brand names, and newer borrowings. The rest are widely used in native Romanian words.

The Importance of Romanian Diacritics

Romanian diacritics are essential. A diacritic is the small mark added to a letter that changes its sound or grammatical role. Romanian uses the breve in ă, the circumflex in â and î, the comma below in ș and ț, and in some older texts or keyboards, the cedilla-like forms ş and ţ may still appear.

The correct modern Romanian forms are ș and ț, with a comma below the letter. The older forms ş and ţ are common in older documents, websites, scanned books, and some computer systems, but they are not the preferred modern spelling. Learners should recognise both versions, while using ș and ț whenever possible.

The difference is important because changing or removing a diacritic can create a different word, an unclear word, or a spelling mistake.

Fata este în cameră.
The girl is in the room.

Fată, vino aici.
Girl, come here.

The first sentence contains fata, meaning “the girl.” The second sentence contains fată, a direct form of address meaning “girl.” The difference is small in writing, but it changes the meaning and grammatical function.

Diacritics are especially important in formal texts, schoolwork, business documents, legal documents, websites, books, and language-learning materials. In informal online messages, some Romanian speakers may omit them because of keyboard limitations or habit. However, correct Romanian writing should include them.

Letter A

The letter a usually represents a clear open vowel, similar to the a in “father” for many English speakers. It is one of the easiest Romanian sounds to recognise and appears in many very common words.

Ana are o carte.
Ana has a book.

Casa este mare.
The house is big.

The sound of a normally remains stable. Romanian does not usually change the pronunciation of a as dramatically as English changes the pronunciation of the letter A in words such as “cat,” “cake,” “father,” and “water.”

Mama gătește cina.
Mother is cooking dinner.

Apa este rece.
The water is cold.

Letter Ă

The letter ă is one of the most characteristic Romanian letters. It represents a short central vowel, often compared to the English sound in the first syllable of “about” or “sofa.” It is usually written as ă and should never be replaced with ordinary a in correct spelling.

For English speakers, this sound can seem unfamiliar at first because it is often weak and short. It is not pronounced like a full a. Instead, it is produced with a relaxed mouth position.

Mă cheamă Andrei.
My name is Andrei.

Fată, ascultă cu atenție.
Girl, listen carefully.

Părinții sunt acasă.
The parents are at home.

The letter ă can appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a word. In many words, it appears in unstressed syllables, but it can also be clearly heard in stressed positions.

Ăsta este fratele meu.
This is my brother.

Mâine mergem la țară.
Tomorrow we are going to the countryside.

The word țară contains both ț and ă, which makes it useful for practising Romanian pronunciation. The final ă should remain audible and should not become an English-style “uh” that disappears completely.

Letters  and Î

The letters â and î represent the same Romanian sound. This sound does not exist in standard English, so it often needs special practice. It is pronounced with the tongue high in the mouth, but without rounding the lips. It can sound somewhat like a mixture between the English vowel in “bit” and the vowel in “food,” but it is not exactly the same as either one.

The difference between â and î is mainly a spelling rule, not a pronunciation rule. Both letters represent the same sound.

The letter î is generally used at the beginning and end of Romanian words.

Încep cursul mâine.
I am starting the course tomorrow.

Îmi place limba română.
I like the Romanian language.

A hotărî este uneori dificil.
To decide is sometimes difficult.

The letter â is generally used inside Romanian words.

România este în Europa.
Romania is in Europe.

Când ajungi acasă?
When are you arriving home?

Pâinea este pe masă.
The bread is on the table.

A very important exception is the word România and related words such as român, românește, and românesc. These are written with â, even when the letter appears near the beginning of the word.

Learners do not need to worry too much about every spelling rule at the beginning. The most important first step is to understand that â and î make the same sound. With reading practice, the normal spelling patterns become easier to remember.

Letter B

The letter b is pronounced similarly to English b. It is a voiced sound made by closing the lips and releasing air. Romanian b is usually clear and stable.

Bună dimineața.
Good morning.

Băiatul bea apă.
The boy is drinking water.

Biblioteca este aproape.
The library is nearby.

Romanian words beginning with b are often easy for English speakers to recognise because many are related to international vocabulary.

Banana este galbenă.
The banana is yellow.

Biletul este în buzunar.
The ticket is in the pocket.

Letter C

The letter c has two main pronunciations in Romanian. Before a, ă, â, o, and u, it is usually pronounced like the English k sound. Before e and i, it is usually pronounced like the English ch sound in “chair.”

Casa este nouă.
The house is new.

Copilul citește.
The child is reading.

Cursul începe la ora nouă.
The course starts at nine o’clock.

In these examples, c has a hard sound similar to k. However, before e and i, it changes.

Cerul este albastru.
The sky is blue.

Cinci persoane așteaptă afară.
Five people are waiting outside.

The word cer begins with a sound similar to “chair” without the final English r sound. The word cinci also begins with the same Romanian sound.

Romanian also uses combinations such as ce and ci very frequently. Learners should remember that they are not pronounced like English “see” or “sigh.”

Ce faci astăzi?
What are you doing today?

Cine este la ușă?
Who is at the door?

Letter D

The letter d is pronounced similarly to English d, although Romanian pronunciation is often slightly more direct and less softened than in some English accents.

Dan deschide ușa.
Dan is opening the door.

Doctorul este ocupat.
The doctor is busy.

Duminică mergem la bunici.
On Sunday we are going to our grandparents.

The Romanian d should be pronounced clearly, especially at the beginning of words. Avoid turning it into a very soft sound.

Doi copii desenează.
Two children are drawing.

Letter E

The letter e usually represents a sound similar to the vowel in English “bed,” but it is often more stable and clearly pronounced. It can also combine with nearby letters to create special sounds.

El este acasă.
He is at home.

Eu învăț română.
I am learning Romanian.

Elevii intră în clasă.
The pupils are entering the classroom.

At the beginning of some words, e may be pronounced with a slight ye sound, especially in words such as eu, el, ea, and este. This can depend on speed, region, and natural speech patterns.

Ea este profesoară.
She is a teacher.

Eu sunt pregătit.
I am ready.

The important point is that Romanian spelling remains fairly regular. Once you become familiar with common words, the pronunciation becomes natural.

Letter F

The letter f is pronounced like English f. It is made by placing the lower lip against the upper teeth and allowing air to pass through.

Familia mea este mare.
My family is big.

Fereastra este deschisă.
The window is open.

Florile sunt frumoase.
The flowers are beautiful.

Romanian f appears in many useful everyday words and is normally easy for English speakers.

Facem o fotografie.
We are taking a photograph.

Letter G

Like the letter c, the letter g has two main pronunciations. Before a, ă, â, o, and u, it usually has a hard sound similar to the g in English “go.” Before e and i, it usually has a softer sound similar to the English j in “job.”

Garajul este lângă casă.
The garage is next to the house.

Gata, plecăm acum.
Ready, we are leaving now.

Gura copilului este murdară.
The child’s mouth is dirty.

Before e and i, the pronunciation changes.

Gemul este dulce.
The jam is sweet.

Gina merge la magazin.
Gina is going to the shop.

The word gem begins with a sound similar to English “jam.” The word Gina begins with a sound similar to the English letter J.

Romanian also uses combinations such as ghe and ghi to keep the hard g sound before e and i.

Gheorghe este vecinul meu.
Gheorghe is my neighbour.

Ghiozdanul este sub masă.
The schoolbag is under the table.

In these examples, gh creates a hard sound, like the g in “go.” The letter h in these combinations is not pronounced separately.

Letter H

The Romanian letter h is generally pronounced as a soft breathy sound, similar to English h in “house.” However, its pronunciation can be weaker in fast speech, especially in some regional accents.

Hotelul este aproape de gară.
The hotel is near the station.

Harta este pe perete.
The map is on the wall.

Haina este pe scaun.
The coat is on the chair.

In certain letter combinations, especially che, chi, ghe, and ghi, the letter h changes the pronunciation of the preceding consonant rather than being pronounced by itself.

Cheia este în geantă.
The key is in the bag.

Chiar îmi place orașul.
I really like the city.

Letter I

The letter i is one of the most important and sometimes most difficult Romanian letters. It can represent a clear vowel similar to the English vowel in “machine,” but it can also be very short or almost silent at the end of certain words.

Ion este prietenul meu.
Ion is my friend.

Micul magazin este în centru.
The small shop is in the centre.

Copiii se joacă afară.
The children are playing outside.

In the word copiii, there are three written letters i. The first belongs to the root of the word, the second helps form the plural, and the third forms the definite article. The pronunciation is shorter than English speakers may expect, but the letters are important for correct spelling and grammar.

The final i in some masculine plural forms can be very light. It may sound almost like a soft whisper or a slight palatal effect on the preceding consonant.

Lupi sunt în pădure.
Wolves are in the forest.

Băieții vin mai târziu.
The boys are coming later.

The word băieții contains a clearly pronounced vowel sequence, but the final letters still need practice. Listening to native speakers is especially helpful for mastering words with several consecutive letters i.

Letter Î

The letter î has the same sound as â, but it follows different spelling rules. It is commonly found at the beginning of a word.

Întrebarea este simplă.
The question is simple.

Învățăm în fiecare zi.
We are learning every day.

Îmi amintesc numele tău.
I remember your name.

The letter î is also found in some words where it appears after a prefix or at the end of the word. It is essential to learn the correct spelling through repeated reading and writing.

Letter J

The letter j is pronounced like the sound in English “measure,” “vision,” or the French word “jour.” It is not pronounced like English j in “job.” This is an important difference.

Jocul este interesant.
The game is interesting.

Jurnalistul scrie un articol.
The journalist is writing an article.

Joi avem curs.
On Thursday we have a lesson.

The Romanian j is a softer sound than the English letter J. Learners should avoid pronouncing joc like “jock.” It should sound closer to the beginning of “genre” in some English pronunciations.

Letters K, Q, W, and Y

The letters k, q, w, and y are part of the Romanian alphabet but occur mainly in foreign words, names, international terms, scientific vocabulary, technical expressions, and commercial names.

Kevin este colegul meu.
Kevin is my colleague.

Qatar este o țară din Asia.
Qatar is a country in Asia.

Weekendul începe vineri seara.
The weekend begins on Friday evening.

Yoga este populară în multe țări.
Yoga is popular in many countries.

In normal Romanian speech, borrowed words are often adapted to Romanian pronunciation. However, the exact pronunciation may depend on how familiar the word is and whether speakers use a more Romanian or international style.

Letter L

The letter l is pronounced similarly to English l, but Romanian speakers often use a clearer and lighter sound. It appears in many essential Romanian words.

Lumina este aprinsă.
The light is on.

Limba română este frumoasă.
The Romanian language is beautiful.

Lucrăm la lecția nouă.
We are working on the new lesson.

The sound should remain distinct in the middle and at the end of words.

Hotelul are un lift.
The hotel has a lift.

Letter M

The letter m is pronounced like English m. It is produced by closing the lips and allowing air to pass through the nose.

Mama mea este acasă.
My mother is at home.

Masa este în bucătărie.
The table is in the kitchen.

Mâine mergem la mare.
Tomorrow we are going to the sea.

The Romanian m is stable and clear. It often appears before vowels and consonants without major pronunciation changes.

Letter N

The letter n is pronounced similarly to English n. It is very common in Romanian and appears in many grammatical endings.

Noi învățăm împreună.
We are learning together.

Numele meu este Elena.
My name is Elena.

Nu înțeleg această întrebare.
I do not understand this question.

In some contexts, n may be influenced by the following sound, but learners can normally pronounce it as a regular clear n.

Letter O

The Romanian letter o is usually pronounced like a pure vowel, similar to the sound in Italian or Spanish. It is more stable than English o, which can have many different pronunciations.

Oamenii așteaptă autobuzul.
People are waiting for the bus.

Ora este aproape zece.
It is almost ten o’clock.

Ochii copilului sunt albaștri.
The child’s eyes are blue.

Romanian o should usually be pronounced clearly and fully, without turning into a diphthong as in some English pronunciations of “go.”

Letter P

The letter p is pronounced similarly to English p, but it is often less strongly aspirated. This means there is usually less extra air after the sound than in English.

Pâinea este proaspătă.
The bread is fresh.

Profesorul pune o întrebare.
The teacher asks a question.

Parcul este plin de copii.
The park is full of children.

The Romanian p should remain clear and direct.

Letter R

The Romanian letter r is usually rolled or tapped with the tongue. It is stronger and more active than the English R. English speakers often need practice because they may naturally use the back-of-the-mouth English R sound.

România are multe regiuni frumoase.
Romania has many beautiful regions.

Restaurantul este rezervat.
The restaurant is booked.

Râul trece prin oraș.
The river passes through the city.

The Romanian r can appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a word. Even a light tap is better than an English-style R. Learners do not need to exaggerate the sound, but they should aim for a clear tongue movement.

Letter S

The letter s is pronounced like the English s in “sun.” It is always voiceless and does not normally change into the English z sound.

Soarele strălucește.
The sun is shining.

Sora mea studiază medicina.
My sister studies medicine.

Seara citim împreună.
In the evening we read together.

Romanian s remains a sharp, clear sound. This is useful because English sometimes pronounces the letter S as z, such as in “rose” or “music.” Romanian spelling is usually more regular.

Letter Ș

The letter ș is pronounced like the English sh sound in “she,” “shop,” or “fish.” It is a separate Romanian letter and must not be confused with ordinary s.

Școala este lângă piață.
The school is near the market.

Știu răspunsul.
I know the answer.

Mașina este nouă.
The car is new.

The combination șt appears often in Romanian and is pronounced like “sht.”

Știm unde este gara.
We know where the station is.

Aștept autobuzul.
I am waiting for the bus.

The letter ș is very common and should be learned early. Writing s instead of ș can make a word incorrect or change its meaning.

Letter T

The letter t is pronounced similarly to English t, but Romanian t is often more direct and less aspirated. It should be pronounced with a clear touch of the tongue near the upper teeth.

Tatăl meu lucrează mult.
My father works a lot.

Trenul pleacă la timp.
The train leaves on time.

Telefonul este pe masă.
The telephone is on the table.

The Romanian t does not normally become a soft sound like the American English T in words such as “water” or “better.”

Letter Ț

The letter ț is pronounced like the English ts sound in “cats” or “bits.” It is a separate Romanian letter and appears in many important words.

Țara mea este România.
My country is Romania.

Piața este foarte aglomerată.
The market is very busy.

Învățăm cu plăcere.
We learn with pleasure.

The sound of ț is made by combining a quick t sound with an s sound. Learners should practise it slowly at first: t plus s, then combine them into one smooth sound.

Toți elevii sunt aici.
All the pupils are here.

Letter U

The letter u is usually pronounced like the vowel in English “food,” but shorter and more stable. It can also form combinations with other vowels.

Ușa este deschisă.
The door is open.

Un student pune o întrebare.
A student asks a question.

Bunicul locuiește la sat.
Grandfather lives in the village.

Romanian u is normally clear. In some words, it can combine with e or i to create a glide-like sound.

Eu sunt acasă.
I am at home.

Iunie este o lună de vară.
June is a summer month.

Letter V

The letter v is pronounced similarly to English v. It is made with the lower lip touching the upper teeth.

Vara este caldă.
Summer is warm.

Vineri avem o întâlnire.
On Friday we have a meeting.

Vecinul meu este amabil.
My neighbour is kind.

Romanian v is generally easy for English speakers because the sound is very similar.

Letter X

The letter x can represent two main sound combinations. It can sound like ks, as in English “taxi,” or like gz, as in English “exam.” The exact pronunciation depends on the word.

Taxiurile sunt în fața hotelului.
Taxis are in front of the hotel.

Examenul începe dimineață.
The examination starts in the morning.

Explicația este clară.
The explanation is clear.

Learners should listen carefully to new words containing x, but many Romanian words with this letter are international and may already look familiar.

Letter Z

The letter z is pronounced like the English z in “zoo.” It is a voiced sound and should not be pronounced like Romanian s.

Ziua este frumoasă.
The day is beautiful.

Ziarul este pe masă.
The newspaper is on the table.

Zece minute sunt suficiente.
Ten minutes are enough.

Romanian z is clear and appears in many common words, especially words related to time, numbers, and everyday objects.

Romanian Vowels

Romanian has several important vowel sounds: a, ă, â, e, i, î, o, and u. Although â and î are written differently, they represent the same sound. Vowels are central to Romanian pronunciation because they help define syllables and word stress.

A Romanian word is usually pronounced by clearly hearing each vowel. Unlike English, Romanian generally does not reduce vowels as heavily in unstressed syllables. This means that learners should avoid swallowing vowels or making them unclear.

Maria are o familie mare.
Maria has a large family.

Telefonul este în bucătărie.
The telephone is in the kitchen.

In the first example, the vowels in Maria, are, o, familie, and mare should all remain audible. In the second example, the vowels in telefonul, este, în, and bucătărie should also be pronounced carefully.

Romanian Diphthongs and Vowel Combinations

Romanian often combines vowels in the same word. These combinations can create diphthongs, where two vowel sounds are pronounced together in one syllable, or they can remain in separate syllables. Learners do not need to analyse every combination immediately, but they should become familiar with common patterns.

The combination ea is frequent in Romanian.

Ea citește o carte.
She is reading a book.

Seara mergem la plimbare.
In the evening we go for a walk.

The combination oa is also common.

Oamenii vorbesc în piață.
People are talking in the market.

Floarea este frumoasă.
The flower is beautiful.

The combination ia appears in many names and everyday words.

Maria locuiește aici.
Maria lives here.

Iarna este rece.
Winter is cold.

Reading these words aloud slowly helps learners hear how the vowel sounds connect naturally.

Stress in Romanian Words

Romanian word stress is not always marked in normal writing. This means that learners often need to hear a new word to know which syllable receives the strongest emphasis. In many cases, stress falls naturally on one of the middle syllables, but there are no simple rules that work for every word.

The best method is to learn new vocabulary with audio whenever possible. Listen to the word, repeat it, and notice which syllable sounds stronger.

Profesorul explică lecția.
The teacher explains the lesson.

Universitatea este în centru.
The university is in the centre.

Biblioteca se închide la șase.
The library closes at six.

Even when the stress is not written, Romanian pronunciation remains more predictable than English in many other respects. With repeated listening and reading, the rhythm of the language becomes easier to recognise.

Capital Letters in Romanian

Romanian uses capital letters for names of people, countries, cities, institutions, companies, and the first word of a sentence. However, Romanian does not capitalise all the same categories as English.

Days of the week, months, languages, nationalities, and school subjects are usually written with lower-case letters in Romanian unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Vorbesc română și engleză.
I speak Romanian and English.

Luni avem curs de istorie.
On Monday we have a history lesson.

În august mergem la mare.
In August we are going to the seaside.

The word Luni is capitalised because it begins the sentence. In the middle of a sentence, it would usually be written as luni.

Ne vedem luni dimineață.
We will see each other on Monday morning.

Nouns in Romanian

Romanian nouns are called substantive and they name people, animals, places, objects, ideas, feelings, materials, and groups. They are one of the most important parts of Romanian grammar because they determine the form of articles, adjectives, possessive words, numbers, and sometimes verbs. Learning how Romanian nouns work helps learners build accurate sentences and understand why a word changes form depending on whether it is singular, plural, definite, indefinite, masculine, feminine, or neuter.

Like English nouns, Romanian nouns can refer to concrete things, such as a house, a book, a person, or a city. They can also refer to abstract ideas, such as freedom, happiness, patience, or knowledge. However, Romanian differs from English in several important ways. Every Romanian noun has a grammatical gender, most nouns change in the plural, and the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun rather than placed before it.

What Romanian Nouns Can Name

A noun may identify a person, an object, an animal, a location, an occupation, a quality, or an idea. In Romanian, common nouns are normally written with a lower-case letter, while proper nouns are capitalised.

Common nouns include words for ordinary people, things, places, and concepts. Proper nouns include personal names, geographical names, names of institutions, holidays, and organisations.

Fata citește o carte.
The girl is reading a book.

București este capitala României.
Bucharest is the capital of Romania.

In the first example, fata and carte are common nouns. In the second example, București and României are proper nouns. The word capitala is a common noun, even though it appears in a sentence with proper names.

Romanian also has abstract nouns that refer to ideas, states, or qualities rather than physical objects. These nouns are often important in formal writing and daily conversation.

Libertatea este importantă pentru fiecare om.
Freedom is important for every person.

Răbdarea poate rezolva multe probleme.
Patience can solve many problems.

The Three Genders of Romanian Nouns

Romanian has three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Gender is a grammatical category, so it does not always describe whether something is biologically male or female. For people and many animals, grammatical gender often corresponds to natural gender. For objects and abstract concepts, gender must usually be learned together with the noun.

Masculine nouns generally refer to male people or animals, but many non-living things are also masculine. Feminine nouns often refer to female people or animals, but many objects and ideas are feminine as well. Neuter nouns are especially important in Romanian because they behave like masculine nouns in the singular and feminine nouns in the plural.

A useful way to identify gender is to look at the words used with the noun. Masculine nouns can normally be used with un in the singular and doi in the plural. Feminine nouns can normally be used with o in the singular and două in the plural. Neuter nouns usually use un in the singular but două in the plural.

Un băiat, doi băieți.
One boy, two boys.

O fată, două fete.
One girl, two girls.

Un hotel, două hoteluri.
One hotel, two hotels.

The word băiat is masculine because it takes un and doi. The word fată is feminine because it takes o and două. The word hotel is neuter because it takes un in the singular but două in the plural.

This test is useful, but learners should still memorise the gender of each noun. Word endings can provide clues, but they do not always give a completely reliable answer.

Masculine Nouns

Many masculine nouns refer to men, male relatives, male animals, professions, and objects. Common masculine endings include consonants, -e, -i, -or, and sometimes -u. However, a noun ending in a certain letter is not always masculine, so it is better to learn the gender with the singular and plural forms.

Un profesor vorbește cu studenții.
A teacher is speaking with the students.

Fratele meu locuiește în Cluj.
My brother lives in Cluj.

Câinele aleargă în grădină.
The dog is running in the garden.

The nouns profesor, frate, and câine are masculine. Notice that the definite forms are profesorul, fratele, and câinele. Romanian attaches the definite article to the end of the noun.

Some masculine nouns change significantly in the plural. For example, om becomes oameni, copil becomes copii, and frate becomes frați. These forms need to be learned individually because they do not always follow a predictable pattern.

Un om așteaptă autobuzul.
One person is waiting for the bus.

Mulți oameni așteaptă autobuzul.
Many people are waiting for the bus.

Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns often refer to women, female animals, objects, places, and abstract ideas. Many feminine nouns end in -ă, -a, -e, -ie, or -iune, although there are exceptions. Words such as casă, femeie, stradă, întrebare, and libertate are feminine.

O femeie cumpără flori.
A woman is buying flowers.

Casa are o grădină mare.
The house has a large garden.

Întrebarea este foarte importantă.
The question is very important.

Feminine nouns often take the plural endings -e, -i, or -uri, depending on the word. For example, casă becomes case, femeie becomes femei, and întrebare becomes întrebări. The plural must be learned carefully because the spelling and pronunciation may change.

Femeile discută în fața magazinului.
The women are talking in front of the shop.

Casele de pe stradă sunt vechi.
The houses on the street are old.

Neuter Nouns

Neuter nouns are one of the most distinctive features of Romanian grammar. A neuter noun behaves like a masculine noun in the singular and like a feminine noun in the plural. This means that it takes un in the singular but două in the plural.

Many objects, tools, places, concepts, and modern borrowed words are neuter. Common examples include scaun, telefon, oraș, hotel, exercițiu, and spectacol.

Un scaun este lângă fereastră.
One chair is next to the window.

Două scaune sunt lângă fereastră.
Two chairs are next to the window.

Telefonul este pe masă.
The telephone is on the table.

Telefoanele sunt pe masă.
The telephones are on the table.

The singular noun telefon behaves like a masculine noun, while the plural telefoane behaves like a feminine plural form. This is why learners should not think of neuter nouns as a completely separate form in every situation. Instead, it is helpful to remember the pattern: masculine singular and feminine plural.

Singular and Plural Forms

Romanian nouns have singular and plural forms. The singular refers to one person, object, animal, or idea, while the plural refers to more than one. Unlike English, Romanian plural forms can vary greatly. There is no single ending that works for every noun.

Some masculine nouns form the plural with -i or -e. Some feminine nouns form the plural with -e, -i, or -uri. Neuter nouns often form the plural with -e or -uri, but there are many exceptions.

Un student învață limba română.
One student is learning Romanian.

Doi studenți învață limba română.
Two students are learning Romanian.

O carte este pe birou.
One book is on the desk.

Cărțile sunt pe birou.
The books are on the desk.

The noun student becomes studenți, while carte becomes cărți. In the second example, both the noun and the definite article change. The singular definite form is cartea, while the plural definite form is cărțile.

Romanian plural forms may also involve changes in the vowel inside the word. For example, copil becomes copii, om becomes oameni, and soră becomes surori. Learners should record every new noun with its plural form rather than trying to guess it later.

Copilul se joacă în parc.
The child is playing in the park.

Copiii se joacă în parc.
The children are playing in the park.

The Indefinite Article

Romanian uses indefinite articles in a similar way to English a and an. The singular indefinite articles are un for masculine and neuter nouns and o for feminine nouns.

Un medic lucrează la spital.
A doctor works at the hospital.

O doctoriță lucrează la spital.
A female doctor works at the hospital.

Un muzeu este aproape de aici.
A museum is near here.

Romanian also uses niște as a common plural indefinite article. It often means “some” in English, but it can also simply introduce plural nouns when the exact number is not important.

Niște copii se joacă afară.
Some children are playing outside.

Cumpăr niște mere pentru cină.
I am buying some apples for dinner.

In many situations, Romanian can use a noun without an article, especially when talking generally about a profession, nationality, material, or category.

El este profesor.
He is a teacher.

Ea este româncă.
She is Romanian.

In these examples, Romanian does not normally need an indefinite article before the profession or nationality. English often requires a or an, so this is an important difference for learners.

The Definite Article Attached to the Noun

One of the most recognisable features of Romanian is the definite article. In English, the word the appears before the noun. In Romanian, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun.

For masculine singular nouns, the ending is often -ul or -le. For feminine singular nouns, the ending is often -a or -ua. For plural nouns, the ending is commonly -ii, -i, or -le, depending on the gender and the noun form.

Băiatul merge la școală.
The boy is going to school.

Fata merge la școală.
The girl is going to school.

Scaunul este confortabil.
The chair is comfortable.

Fetele citesc în bibliotecă.
The girls are reading in the library.

The definite article is not always added in exactly the same way. The final form depends on the gender, number, ending, and sometimes the spelling of the noun. This may seem difficult at first, but frequent exposure helps learners recognise common patterns.

For example, băiat becomes băiatul, profesor becomes profesorul, fată becomes fata, carte becomes cartea, and hotel becomes hotelul.

Profesorul explică lecția.
The teacher explains the lesson.

Cartea este interesantă.
The book is interesting.

Nouns with Adjectives

When a noun has an adjective, the adjective must agree with the noun in gender and number. This means that the form of the adjective may change depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, neuter, singular, or plural.

In Romanian, the definite article is normally attached to the noun, not to the adjective. However, adjective agreement remains essential.

Un băiat inteligent răspunde corect.
An intelligent boy answers correctly.

O fată inteligentă răspunde corect.
An intelligent girl answers correctly.

Doi băieți inteligenți răspund corect.
Two intelligent boys answer correctly.

Două fete inteligente răspund corect.
Two intelligent girls answer correctly.

The noun determines the adjective ending. The masculine singular form is inteligent, the feminine singular form is inteligentă, the masculine plural form is inteligenți, and the feminine plural form is inteligente.

With neuter nouns, the adjective usually follows masculine agreement in the singular and feminine agreement in the plural.

Un hotel modern este în centrul orașului.
A modern hotel is in the city centre.

Două hoteluri moderne sunt în centrul orașului.
Two modern hotels are in the city centre.

Nouns and Numbers

Romanian nouns are often used with numbers. After the number one, the noun remains singular. After higher numbers, the noun usually appears in the plural. The noun form must match the grammatical gender where the number changes according to gender.

Un copil are o întrebare.
One child has a question.

Doi copii au întrebări.
Two children have questions.

O fată are o idee bună.
One girl has a good idea.

Două fete au idei bune.
Two girls have good ideas.

The numbers doi and două are especially important because they show gender. Doi is used with masculine plural nouns, while două is used with feminine and neuter plural nouns.

Some larger numbers are followed by the preposition de before the noun, especially from twenty onward in many standard constructions.

Douăzeci de studenți participă la curs.
Twenty students are taking part in the course.

O sută de persoane așteaptă afară.
One hundred people are waiting outside.

Possession and Nouns

Romanian can show possession through possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns, or noun forms that express ownership. A common structure is to place the possessed noun first and the owner after it.

Cartea profesorului este pe masă.
The teacher’s book is on the table.

Mașina vecinei este nouă.
The neighbour’s car is new.

In these examples, profesorului and vecinei show who owns the object. Romanian often changes the ending of the owner noun in this type of structure. These forms are related to the genitive and dative cases, which are studied in greater detail in Romanian case grammar.

Romanian can also use possessive words such as meu, mea, tău, ta, nostru, and noastră. These words agree with the thing that is owned, not necessarily with the owner.

Fratele meu lucrează în străinătate.
My brother works abroad.

Sora mea lucrează în străinătate.
My sister works abroad.

Prietenii noștri vin diseară.
Our friends are coming this evening.

Proper Nouns and Capital Letters

Proper nouns are names of specific people, places, organisations, countries, rivers, mountains, and holidays. They are generally capitalised in Romanian, just as in English.

Maria locuiește în România.
Maria lives in Romania.

Dunărea trece prin mai multe țări.
The Danube passes through several countries.

Crăciunul este o sărbătoare importantă.
Christmas is an important holiday.

Names of days, months, languages, nationalities, and school subjects are generally written with lower-case letters in Romanian unless they begin a sentence. This differs from English, where days, months, languages, and nationalities are often capitalised.

Vorbim română în fiecare zi.
We speak Romanian every day.

Luni începem cursul nou.
On Monday we begin the new course.

In the second example, Luni is capitalised because it appears at the beginning of the sentence. In the middle of a Romanian sentence, the day name would normally be written with a lower-case letter.

Collective and Material Nouns

Some Romanian nouns refer to groups, materials, or substances. Collective nouns describe groups of people, animals, or objects as one unit. Material nouns refer to substances that are not usually counted individually, such as water, milk, sugar, wood, or air.

Familia mea locuiește aproape.
My family lives nearby.

Apa este rece.
The water is cold.

Lemnul este un material natural.
Wood is a natural material.

Material nouns can be used with quantities when the speaker wants to show a measurable amount.

Beau un pahar de apă.
I am drinking a glass of water.

Cumpăr un kilogram de zahăr.
I am buying one kilogram of sugar.

The quantity word is the main countable noun, while the material noun usually stays in a form that describes the substance.

The Vocative Form

Romanian has a vocative form used when directly addressing a person. In everyday speech, speakers often use the ordinary noun or name form, especially in informal contexts. However, some vocative forms are common and useful to recognise.

Maria, vino aici.
Maria, come here.

Domnule profesor, am o întrebare.
Mr Teacher, I have a question.

Mamă, unde ești?
Mum, where are you?

The word domnule is used when politely addressing a man, while doamnă is used when addressing a woman. These forms are especially useful in formal speech, professional situations, shops, schools, and public institutions.

Romanian cases are called cazuri and they show the grammatical role of a noun, pronoun, adjective, or article in a sentence. In English, word order and prepositions usually make relationships clear. Romanian also uses word order and prepositions, but it can change the form of a noun or the words around it to show whether someone is the subject, the direct object, the owner of something, the recipient of an action, or the person being addressed.

Romanian has five traditional cases: nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and vocative. In everyday grammar, however, the most important distinction is often between the nominative–accusative forms and the genitive–dative forms. This is because nominative and accusative are often identical in form, while genitive and dative are also often identical in form.

For learners, Romanian cases can seem difficult at first because nouns may change endings, articles may change, and prepositions can require specific constructions. The best approach is to learn cases through complete phrases rather than isolated rules. Instead of memorising a single noun, learn how it appears in real sentences.

Băiatul citește o carte.
The boy is reading a book.

Cartea băiatului este pe masă.
The boy’s book is on the table.

In the first sentence, băiatul is the subject. In the second sentence, băiatului shows possession. The noun has changed form because its role in the sentence has changed.

The Five Romanian Cases

The five main Romanian cases are nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, and vocative. Each case has a different basic function.

The nominative case is mainly used for the subject of the sentence. The accusative case is used for direct objects and after many prepositions. The genitive case often shows possession or belonging. The dative case usually shows the indirect object, meaning the person or thing that receives something, benefits from something, or is affected by an action. The vocative case is used when directly addressing someone.

Romanian grammar books often group nominative and accusative together because they frequently have the same form. They also group genitive and dative together because these forms are often identical.

Profesorul explică lecția.
The teacher explains the lesson.

Văd profesorul în clasă.
I see the teacher in the classroom.

Cartea profesorului este interesantă.
The teacher’s book is interesting.

Îi dau profesorului un document.
I give the teacher a document.

The forms profesorul and profesorului show an important pattern. The nominative and accusative forms are often the same, while the genitive and dative forms often have the same ending.

The Nominative Case

The nominative case is primarily used for the subject of a sentence. The subject is the person, animal, object, or idea that performs the action or is described by the verb. In Romanian, the subject can appear before or after the verb, but it is often easy to identify because the verb agrees with it.

Fata cântă foarte frumos.
The girl sings very beautifully.

Copiii se joacă în parc.
The children are playing in the park.

Mașina este în fața casei.
The car is in front of the house.

In these examples, fata, copiii, and mașina are in the nominative case because they are the subjects of the sentence.

The nominative is also used after the verb a fi, meaning “to be,” when a noun identifies or describes the subject. This is sometimes called a predicate noun.

Maria este medic.
Maria is a doctor.

Fratele meu este student.
My brother is a student.

Aceasta este casa noastră.
This is our house.

The nouns medic, student, and casa remain in the nominative because they identify what the subject is.

Romanian often omits the subject pronoun because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

Lucrez în fiecare zi.
I work every day.

Mergem la piață dimineața.
We go to the market in the morning.

Even when the pronoun is omitted, the verb ending gives enough information to understand the subject. In the first example, lucrez means “I work,” and in the second example, mergem means “we go.”

The Accusative Case

The accusative case is mainly used for the direct object of a verb. The direct object receives the action directly. In English, it often answers the questions “what?” or “whom?”

Citesc cartea.
I am reading the book.

Văd un câine.
I see a dog.

Ascult muzică românească.
I listen to Romanian music.

In these examples, cartea, un câine, and muzică românească are direct objects. The action is directed toward them.

For many Romanian nouns, the accusative form is identical to the nominative form. This means that word order, the verb, and the context often show whether a noun is the subject or the object.

Fata vede băiatul.
The girl sees the boy.

Băiatul vede fata.
The boy sees the girl.

The forms of fata and băiatul do not change between nominative and accusative in these examples. The word order and the meaning of the sentence show who is doing the action and who receives it.

Romanian may use the personal marker pe before a direct object that refers to a specific person. This is especially common when the person is definite, known, named, or represented by a personal pronoun.

O văd pe Maria în fiecare zi.
I see Maria every day.

Îl cunosc pe profesorul nou.
I know the new teacher.

Îi invităm pe prietenii noștri la cină.
We are inviting our friends to dinner.

The word pe in these examples does not mean “on.” It is a grammatical marker used before certain direct objects. It helps show that the person is directly affected by the action.

This use of pe is important because English does not use an equivalent marker. Learners should notice it especially with personal names, definite people, and plural groups of people.

O chem pe sora mea.
I am calling my sister.

Îl aștept pe domnul Popescu.
I am waiting for Mr Popescu.

The Accusative After Prepositions

The accusative case is also used after many Romanian prepositions. Some of the most common prepositions followed by the accusative are cu, fără, pentru, la, în, pe, sub, peste, lângă, după, între, despre, and prin.

Merg cu prietenii mei la muzeu.
I am going to the museum with my friends.

Pleacă fără telefon.
He is leaving without a telephone.

Acest cadou este pentru mama mea.
This gift is for my mother.

Cartea este pe masă.
The book is on the table.

In these examples, the noun after the preposition is in the accusative construction. The form may look the same as nominative, but its grammatical role is different because it follows a preposition.

The preposition la is extremely common. It can mean “to,” “at,” or “near,” depending on the context.

Merg la școală.
I am going to school.

Sunt la birou.
I am at the office.

Stăm la hotel.
We are staying at the hotel.

The preposition în often means “in” or “into.”

Copilul este în cameră.
The child is in the room.

Pun cheia în geantă.
I am putting the key in the bag.

The preposition pe can mean “on,” “upon,” “through,” or it can act as the marker for a personal direct object.

Telefonul este pe birou.
The telephone is on the desk.

Mergem pe stradă.
We are walking on the street.

O văd pe Ana la magazin.
I see Ana at the shop.

The Genitive Case

The genitive case usually expresses possession, belonging, origin, relation, or association. In English, this is often expressed with “of” or with the possessive ending apostrophe-s.

Casa vecinului este mare.
The neighbour’s house is big.

Numele orașului este cunoscut.
The name of the city is known.

Ușa camerei este deschisă.
The door of the room is open.

The noun that shows the owner or related item appears in the genitive. In the first example, vecinului means “of the neighbour.” In the second example, orașului means “of the city.” In the third example, camerei means “of the room.”

Romanian often places the thing that is owned first, followed by the person or thing that owns it.

Mașina fratelui meu este nouă.
My brother’s car is new.

Câinele familiei doarme afară.
The family’s dog is sleeping outside.

Profesorul copiilor este foarte răbdător.
The children’s teacher is very patient.

The genitive is common in everyday speech, especially when talking about family members, objects, places, institutions, and relationships.

Genitive Forms with Masculine and Neuter Nouns

Masculine and neuter nouns often use the ending -ului in the singular definite genitive-dative form. This is one of the most useful patterns for learners.

Cartea băiatului este nouă.
The boy’s book is new.

Acoperișul casei este roșu.
The roof of the house is red.

Directorul hotelului vorbește cu turiștii.
The director of the hotel is speaking with the tourists.

The words băiatului, hotelului, and many similar forms use the ending -ului.

For indefinite masculine and neuter nouns, Romanian often uses forms such as unui.

Cartea unui student este pe masă.
One student’s book is on the table.

Camera unui hotel este disponibilă.
A hotel room is available.

Telefonul unui copil sună.
A child’s telephone is ringing.

The forms unui student, unui hotel, and unui copil show the genitive relationship in an indefinite phrase.

Plural masculine and neuter nouns often use the ending -ilor.

Părinții copiilor sunt aici.
The children’s parents are here.

Opiniile studenților sunt importante.
The students’ opinions are important.

Ușile hotelurilor sunt închise.
The doors of the hotels are closed.

Genitive Forms with Feminine Nouns

Feminine nouns often change in the singular genitive-dative form. Common endings include -ei, -ii, or related spelling changes. These forms are important because they are often different from the nominative singular.

Cartea fetei este interesantă.
The girl’s book is interesting.

Ușa casei este deschisă.
The door of the house is open.

Culoarea mașinii este frumoasă.
The colour of the car is beautiful.

The nominative forms are fată, casă, and mașină. In the singular genitive-dative form, they become fetei, casei, and mașinii.

For indefinite feminine nouns, Romanian often uses unei.

Cartea unei femei este pe scaun.
A woman’s book is on the chair.

Adresa unei prietene este în telefon.
A female friend’s address is in the telephone.

Părerea unei profesoare contează mult.
A female teacher’s opinion matters a lot.

Plural feminine nouns often use the ending -lor.

Părinții fetelor sunt în sală.
The girls’ parents are in the room.

Ferestrele caselor sunt deschise.
The windows of the houses are open.

Ideile femeilor sunt importante.
The women’s ideas are important.

The Dative Case

The dative case usually shows the indirect object. It identifies the person, animal, group, or thing that receives something, benefits from an action, is affected by an action, or is the target of a feeling or statement.

In English, the dative meaning is often expressed with “to” or “for.”

Îi dau copilului o carte.
I give the child a book.

Trimit mamei mele un mesaj.
I send my mother a message.

Profesorul explică studenților exercițiul.
The teacher explains the exercise to the students.

The nouns copilului, mamei, and studenților are in the dative case because they receive something or are the people to whom the action is directed.

The dative form is often identical to the genitive form. This is why grammar books frequently use the label “genitive-dative.”

Cartea copilului este nouă.
The child’s book is new.

Îi dau copilului o carte nouă.
I give the child a new book.

In the first sentence, copilului is genitive because it shows possession. In the second sentence, copilului is dative because the child receives the book. The form is the same, but the grammatical function is different.

Dative Pronouns

Romanian often uses short unstressed pronouns with the dative. These pronouns are extremely common in daily speech. They usually appear before the verb, although their position can change in some constructions.

The most common dative pronouns include îmi, îți, îi, ne, vă, and le.

Îmi dai cheia, te rog?
Can you give me the key, please?

Îți trimit fotografia diseară.
I will send you the photograph this evening.

Îi explic regula colegului meu.
I explain the rule to my colleague.

Le oferim copiilor ceva de mâncare.
We offer the children something to eat.

Romanian frequently uses both a dative pronoun and the full noun phrase in the same sentence. This is called dative doubling. It may sound repetitive to English speakers, but it is natural and common in Romanian.

Îi dau Mariei o carte.
I give Maria a book.

Le spun părinților adevărul.
I tell the parents the truth.

The pronouns îi and le help make the sentence sound more natural and clearly show the recipient.

Verbs Commonly Used with the Dative

Many Romanian verbs are often used with the dative because they involve giving, telling, showing, explaining, offering, answering, helping, or speaking to someone.

Îi scriu bunicii mele în fiecare săptămână.
I write to my grandmother every week.

Le arăt turiștilor drumul.
I show the tourists the way.

Îți spun adevărul.
I am telling you the truth.

Profesorul le răspunde elevilor.
The teacher answers the pupils.

Some Romanian verbs require the dative even where English may use a different structure. Learning the verb together with its case pattern is very useful.

Îmi place această melodie.
I like this song.

Literally, the Romanian sentence means something closer to “This song is pleasing to me.” The person who experiences the liking appears in the dative form îmi.

Îi este frig.
He is cold.

Ne este foame.
We are hungry.

These are common Romanian structures in which the person experiencing a state is expressed with a dative pronoun.

The Vocative Case

The vocative case is used when directly addressing someone. It is common in greetings, calls, instructions, emotional statements, and polite forms of address.

Maria, vino aici.
Maria, come here.

Andrei, ai un minut?
Andrei, do you have a minute?

Mamă, unde este telefonul?
Mum, where is the telephone?

In many everyday situations, Romanian simply uses the normal form of a person’s name or noun when addressing someone. However, some traditional vocative forms are still common, especially in polite speech, family speech, and fixed expressions.

Domnule profesor, am o întrebare.
Mr Teacher, I have a question.

Doamnă, vă pot ajuta?
Madam, can I help you?

Băiete, fii atent.
Boy, pay attention.

Fato, vino repede.
Girl, come quickly.

The forms domnule, băiete, and fato are vocative forms. Some of them may sound formal, familiar, affectionate, old-fashioned, or regional depending on the situation and tone of voice.

Learners should use vocative forms carefully. In professional settings, polite forms such as domnule and doamnă are useful. In informal contexts, using a person’s name is usually safe and natural.

Cases with the Definite Article

Romanian definite articles are often attached to the end of the noun. When a noun changes into the genitive-dative form, the ending may also change.

Băiatul este în clasă.
The boy is in the classroom.

Cartea băiatului este în clasă.
The boy’s book is in the classroom.

Hotelul este aproape de gară.
The hotel is near the station.

Directorul hotelului vorbește cu noi.
The director of the hotel is speaking with us.

Fata citește.
The girl is reading.

Telefonul fetei sună.
The girl’s telephone is ringing.

The nominative-accusative definite forms include băiatul, hotelul, and fata. The genitive-dative forms include băiatului, hotelului, and fetei.

For plural nouns, the genitive-dative ending is often -lor or -ilor.

Copiii sunt în curte.
The children are in the yard.

Jucăriile copiilor sunt pe jos.
The children’s toys are on the floor.

Fetele sunt la școală.
The girls are at school.

Părinții fetelor așteaptă afară.
The girls’ parents are waiting outside.

Cases with Adjectives

When a noun is used with an adjective, the adjective must agree with the noun in gender, number, and sometimes case-related form. In many ordinary nominative and accusative structures, the adjective form is straightforward.

Un băiat inteligent răspunde corect.
An intelligent boy answers correctly.

O fată inteligentă răspunde corect.
An intelligent girl answers correctly.

Doi băieți inteligenți răspund corect.
Two intelligent boys answer correctly.

Două fete inteligente răspund corect.
Two intelligent girls answer correctly.

In genitive-dative phrases, Romanian often changes the article or adjective structure. This is particularly visible when using a definite noun with an adjective before it.

Cartea nouă a profesorului este pe masă.
The teacher’s new book is on the table.

Opiniile importante ale studenților sunt ascultate.
The important opinions of the students are listened to.

The words a and ale are possessive articles. They help connect the possessed noun with the genitive phrase, especially when the phrase includes an adjective or when the structure could otherwise be unclear.

The Possessive Articles Al, A, Ai, and Ale

Romanian often uses the possessive articles al, a, ai, and ale in genitive constructions. These forms agree with the noun that is owned, not with the owner.

Cartea este a profesorului.
The book is the teacher’s.

Mașina este a vecinei mele.
The car is my female neighbour’s.

Copiii sunt ai surorii mele.
The children are my sister’s.

Cheile sunt ale tatălui meu.
The keys are my father’s.

The form al is used with masculine singular nouns, a with feminine singular nouns, ai with masculine plural nouns, and ale with feminine or neuter plural nouns.

These forms are especially useful when the possessed noun is separated from the genitive phrase or when possession is the main information in the sentence.

Acesta este telefonul al fratelui meu.
This is my brother’s telephone.

Aceasta este camera a două fete.
This is the room of two girls.

In everyday speech, Romanian speakers may choose slightly different word orders depending on emphasis. However, the possessive articles remain an important part of formal and standard grammar.

Prepositions That Require the Genitive

Some Romanian prepositions are followed by the genitive case rather than the accusative. These include expressions such as în fața, în spatele, înaintea, după, deasupra, dedesubtul, în jurul, din cauza, and în timpul when they are used in certain constructions.

Mașina este în fața casei.
The car is in front of the house.

Grădina este în spatele blocului.
The garden is behind the apartment building.

Copiii aleargă în jurul școlii.
The children are running around the school.

Din cauza ploii, rămânem acasă.
Because of the rain, we are staying at home.

În timpul vacanței, citesc mai mult.
During the holiday, I read more.

The nouns casei, blocului, școlii, ploii, and vacanței are in genitive constructions after these expressions.

A useful habit is to learn the entire phrase, not just the preposition. For example, learn în fața casei, în spatele hotelului, and din cauza vremii as complete patterns.

Prepositions That Require the Dative

Some Romanian prepositions require the dative case. These are less common than accusative prepositions, but they are important in formal language and certain fixed expressions.

Common examples include datorită, grație, mulțumită, conform, and potrivit.

Datorită profesorului, am înțeles lecția.
Thanks to the teacher, I understood the lesson.

Conform regulamentului, trebuie să așteptăm.
According to the rules, we have to wait.

Mulțumită prietenilor mei, am găsit un apartament.
Thanks to my friends, I found an apartment.

Potrivit medicului, trebuie să mă odihnesc.
According to the doctor, I need to rest.

These prepositions are especially common in written Romanian, news reports, official texts, work communication, and formal conversation.

Cases in Romanian

Romanian pronouns are called pronume and they replace nouns or refer to people, objects, places, ideas, or groups without repeating the same noun again and again. They are essential in everyday conversation because Romanian speakers use pronouns constantly when speaking about themselves, other people, possessions, questions, actions, and relationships.

English also uses pronouns, such as “I,” “you,” “he,” “she,” “it,” “we,” “they,” “my,” “this,” and “who.” Romanian has equivalent words, but the system is more detailed in several ways. Romanian pronouns often change according to gender, number, grammatical case, politeness, and whether the pronoun is stressed or unstressed. Some pronouns can stand alone, while others normally appear next to the verb.

One important feature of Romanian is that subject pronouns are often omitted. The verb ending usually shows who is doing the action, so speakers do not need to say “I,” “you,” “we,” or “they” in every sentence. This makes Romanian sound more natural and less repetitive.

Lucrez în fiecare zi.
I work every day.

Mergem la piață dimineața.
We go to the market in the morning.

In the first example, the verb lucrez already shows that the subject is “I.” In the second example, mergem shows that the subject is “we.” The pronouns eu and noi are possible, but they are not necessary unless the speaker wants to add emphasis or contrast.

Personal Subject Pronouns

Romanian subject pronouns identify the person or thing that performs the action. The main subject pronouns are eu, tu, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, and ele.

Eu sunt student.
I am a student.

Tu ești pregătit.
You are ready.

El lucrează la birou.
He works at the office.

Ea locuiește în București.
She lives in Bucharest.

Noi învățăm română.
We are learning Romanian.

Voi aveți timp astăzi.
You have time today.

Ei merg la restaurant.
They are going to the restaurant.

Ele citesc o carte.
They are reading a book.

The pronouns ei and ele both mean “they,” but they are used differently. Ei is used for groups of men or mixed groups containing men and women. Ele is used for groups made up only of women or feminine nouns.

Ei sunt colegii mei.
They are my colleagues.

Ele sunt prietenele mele.
They are my female friends.

The same distinction is used with groups of objects. Masculine and neuter plural nouns normally use ele only if they are grammatically feminine or neuter plural, while masculine plural nouns generally use ei when referring to people. In ordinary conversation, the context usually makes the meaning clear.

Omitting Subject Pronouns

Romanian frequently leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already indicates the subject. This is one of the most important differences between Romanian and English.

Vorbesc cu mama mea.
I am speaking with my mother.

Înveți foarte repede.
You learn very quickly.

Merge la magazin după muncă.
He or she goes to the shop after work.

Locuim aproape de centru.
We live near the centre.

The subject pronoun is unnecessary when the verb form makes the person clear. However, Romanian speakers use subject pronouns when they want to stress who is acting, compare people, correct someone, or make a contrast.

Eu lucrez astăzi, dar tu nu lucrezi.
I am working today, but you are not working.

Ea vorbește română, iar el vorbește engleză.
She speaks Romanian, while he speaks English.

Noi mergem cu trenul, nu ei.
We are going by train, not them.

The pronouns add emphasis in these sentences. Without them, the sentences would still be grammatically correct, but the contrast would be less clear.

Formal and Informal “You”

Romanian has both informal and formal ways to say “you.” The informal singular form is tu, used with friends, family members, children, classmates, and people you know well. The informal plural form is voi, used when speaking to two or more people informally.

Tu vii diseară?
Are you coming this evening?

Voi mergeți la film?
Are you going to the cinema?

The formal form is based on dumneavoastră. It is used when speaking politely to one person or to several people. It is common in professional situations, customer service, schools, hospitals, offices, hotels, shops, and conversations with strangers.

Dumneavoastră lucrați aici?
Do you work here?

Dumneavoastră aveți o rezervare?
Do you have a reservation?

Although dumneavoastră can refer to one person or more than one person, the verb form is usually plural. This is similar to formal language in several other European languages.

Dumneavoastră sunteți medicul nou?
Are you the new doctor?

Dumneavoastră sunteți pregătiți pentru întâlnire?
Are you ready for the meeting?

Romanian also has more formal and respectful forms such as dumneata, dumnealui, dumneaei, dumnealor, and dumneavoastră, but learners most often need tu, voi, and dumneavoastră in daily communication.

Stressed Personal Pronouns

Stressed personal pronouns are full pronoun forms that can stand alone, follow a preposition, receive emphasis, or appear in answers. They are often used when the speaker wants to make the person or object especially clear.

Vin cu mine la muzeu.
He is coming with me to the museum.

Vorbește cu tine după curs.
She is speaking with you after the lesson.

Cadoul este pentru el.
The gift is for him.

Am o întrebare pentru ea.
I have a question for her.

The forms mine, tine, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, and ele are commonly used after prepositions.

Stă între noi.
He is sitting between us.

Merge cu voi la mare.
She is going to the seaside with you.

Profesorul vorbește despre ei.
The teacher is speaking about them.

Florile sunt pentru ele.
The flowers are for them.

In Romanian, the pronouns mine and tine are often used after prepositions instead of the subject forms eu and tu.

Vine cu mine.
He is coming with me.

Nu pleca fără mine.
Do not leave without me.

Vorbește cu tine mâine.
She will speak with you tomorrow.

Direct Object Pronouns

Direct object pronouns replace the person or thing that directly receives an action. In English, direct object pronouns include “me,” “you,” “him,” “her,” “it,” “us,” and “them.” Romanian uses short unstressed forms that normally appear before the verb.

The common direct object pronouns are mă, te, îl, o, ne, vă, îi, and le.

Mă vede în fiecare zi.
He sees me every day.

Te aștept la gară.
I am waiting for you at the station.

Îl cunosc pe fratele tău.
I know your brother.

O văd pe Maria la magazin.
I see Maria at the shop.

Ne invită la cină.
She is inviting us to dinner.

Vă chem mai târziu.
I will call you later.

Îi văd pe copii în parc.
I see the children in the park.

Le cumpăr pe toate.
I am buying all of them.

The forms îl and o usually refer to masculine or neuter singular nouns and feminine singular nouns. The forms îi and le usually refer to plural nouns. When the pronoun refers to people, it is often connected to the personal marker pe in the full noun phrase.

Îl văd pe Andrei.
I see Andrei.

O chem pe sora mea.
I am calling my sister.

Îi întâlnesc pe colegii mei.
I meet my colleagues.

Le invit pe prietenele mele.
I invite my female friends.

The short pronoun is very common even when the noun is also mentioned. This can seem repetitive to English speakers, but it is normal in Romanian.

Direct Object Pronouns and Word Order

Direct object pronouns normally come before the verb.

Îl citesc acum.
I am reading it now.

O cumpăr mâine.
I am buying it tomorrow.

Te văd de la fereastră.
I can see you from the window.

Ne așteaptă în fața hotelului.
He is waiting for us in front of the hotel.

With negative sentences, the pronoun usually remains before the verb and follows the word nu.

Nu îl cunosc.
I do not know him.

Nu o văd astăzi.
I do not see her today.

Nu ne cheamă la întâlnire.
He is not calling us to the meeting.

In fast speech and informal writing, nu îl may sometimes appear as nu-l, and nu o may occasionally be connected in spoken forms. Learners should first understand the full standard forms before becoming familiar with shortened conversational spelling.

Indirect Object Pronouns

Indirect object pronouns show the person or thing that receives something, benefits from something, is affected by something, or is the target of a feeling, statement, or action. They are connected to the dative case.

The most common indirect object pronouns are îmi, îți, îi, ne, vă, and le.

Îmi dai cheia, te rog?
Can you give me the key, please?

Îți trimit un mesaj diseară.
I will send you a message this evening.

Îi explic regula colegului meu.
I explain the rule to my colleague.

Ne aduce cafea dimineața.
He brings us coffee in the morning.

Vă ofer un loc la masă.
I offer you a place at the table.

Le spun copiilor adevărul.
I tell the children the truth.

Romanian often uses an indirect object pronoun together with a full noun. This is called dative doubling. It is natural and common in Romanian.

Îi dau Mariei o carte.
I give Maria a book.

Le trimit părinților mei fotografiile.
I send my parents the photographs.

Îi arăt profesorului exercițiul.
I show the teacher the exercise.

The short pronoun helps clarify who receives the action. In daily speech, Romanian speakers often use it even when the full person or noun is mentioned.

Pronouns with the Verb “A Plăcea”

The Romanian verb a plăcea, meaning “to like” or “to be pleasing,” uses indirect object pronouns. This is different from English sentence structure.

Îmi place această melodie.
I like this song.

Îți place cafeaua?
Do you like coffee?

Îi plac filmele românești.
He or she likes Romanian films.

Ne plac vacanțele la mare.
We like holidays at the seaside.

The thing that is liked acts grammatically as the subject. The person who likes it appears in the dative form.

Îmi place cartea.
I like the book.

Îmi plac cărțile.
I like the books.

The verb changes according to whether the liked thing is singular or plural. This is a very common pattern in Romanian and should be learned as a complete expression.

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of the action are the same person. In English, they appear in words such as “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” “herself,” “ourselves,” and “themselves.” Romanian often uses short pronouns with reflexive verbs.

Common reflexive forms include mă, te, se, ne, vă, and se.

Mă trezesc la șapte.
I wake up at seven.

Te pregătești pentru curs.
You are getting ready for the lesson.

El se spală pe mâini.
He is washing his hands.

Ea se îmbracă repede.
She gets dressed quickly.

Ne întâlnim după muncă.
We are meeting after work.

Vă odihniți în weekend.
You rest at the weekend.

The pronoun is part of the verb structure. For example, a se trezi means “to wake up,” a se pregăti means “to get ready,” and a se odihni means “to rest.”

Romanian reflexive verbs are very common. Some describe actions done to oneself, while others have a reflexive form even when the meaning is not literally “doing something to oneself.”

Se grăbește spre gară.
He or she is hurrying toward the station.

Se gândește la vacanță.
He or she is thinking about the holiday.

Se teme de câini.
He or she is afraid of dogs.

Se bucură de vremea frumoasă.
He or she enjoys the beautiful weather.

These verbs need to be learned together with the reflexive pronoun.

Strong Reflexive Forms

Romanian can also use stronger reflexive forms when the speaker wants to emphasise “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” or similar meanings. These forms include mine însumi, tine însuți, el însuși, ea însăși, noi înșine, and related forms.

Eu însumi am văzut filmul.
I myself saw the film.

Ea însăși a pregătit cina.
She herself prepared dinner.

Noi înșine am organizat evenimentul.
We ourselves organised the event.

These forms are used mainly for emphasis. They are less common in ordinary conversation than short reflexive pronouns, but they are useful in formal writing, speeches, and situations where the speaker wants to stress personal involvement.

Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives

Possessive forms show ownership or relationship. Romanian uses possessive adjectives before or after nouns, and possessive pronouns when the noun is omitted because it is already understood.

Common possessive forms include meu, mea, mei, mele, tău, ta, tăi, tale, său, sa, săi, sale, nostru, noastră, noștri, noastre, vostru, voastră, voștri, and voastre.

Fratele meu locuiește în Cluj.
My brother lives in Cluj.

Sora mea lucrează la spital.
My sister works at the hospital.

Prietenii mei vin diseară.
My friends are coming this evening.

Prietenele mele sunt aici.
My female friends are here.

The possessive form agrees with the noun that is owned, not with the owner.

Tatăl tău este acasă.
Your father is at home.

Mama ta este acasă.
Your mother is at home.

Părinții tăi sunt acasă.
Your parents are at home.

Surorile tale sunt acasă.
Your sisters are at home.

When the noun is omitted, Romanian can use possessive pronouns with the possessive articles al, a, ai, and ale.

Cartea aceasta este a mea.
This book is mine.

Mașina aceea este a lui.
That car is his.

Apartamentul este al nostru.
The apartment is ours.

Cheile sunt ale voastre.
The keys are yours.

The forms al, a, ai, and ale agree with the noun that is possessed.

Telefonul este al meu.
The telephone is mine.

Geanta este a mea.
The bag is mine.

Copiii sunt ai noștri.
The children are ours.

Fotografiile sunt ale lor.
The photographs are theirs.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns point to a person, object, place, or idea. They correspond to English words such as “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those.” Romanian has forms that agree with gender and number.

Common forms include acesta, aceasta, aceștia, acestea, acela, aceea, aceia, and acelea.

Acesta este fratele meu.
This is my brother.

Aceasta este sora mea.
This is my sister.

Aceștia sunt colegii mei.
These are my colleagues.

Acestea sunt cărțile mele.
These are my books.

The forms beginning with acest- usually refer to something near the speaker, current in the conversation, or immediate in meaning.

Acela este hotelul nostru.
That is our hotel.

Aceea este strada principală.
That is the main street.

Aceia sunt vecinii noștri.
Those are our neighbours.

Acele sunt fotografiile vechi.
Those are the old photographs.

The forms beginning with acel- often refer to something further away, less immediate, previously mentioned, or more distant in context.

Demonstrative Adjectives and Demonstrative Pronouns

A demonstrative adjective appears before a noun and describes which person or object the speaker means. A demonstrative pronoun replaces the noun entirely.

Acest restaurant este foarte bun.
This restaurant is very good.

Acesta este foarte bun.
This one is very good.

Această rochie este frumoasă.
This dress is beautiful.

Aceasta este frumoasă.
This one is beautiful.

The first sentence in each pair uses a demonstrative adjective because the noun is present. The second sentence uses a demonstrative pronoun because the noun has been omitted.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions. The most common Romanian interrogative pronouns are cine, ce, care, cât, câți, câte, al cui, a cui, ai cui, and ale cui.

Cine este la ușă?
Who is at the door?

Ce faci astăzi?
What are you doing today?

Care este numele tău?
What is your name?

Cât costă această carte?
How much does this book cost?

Câți copii sunt în parc?
How many children are in the park?

Câte camere are hotelul?
How many rooms does the hotel have?

The pronoun cine is used for people, while ce is used for things, actions, ideas, or general information.

Cine vine cu noi?
Who is coming with us?

Ce se întâmplă aici?
What is happening here?

The pronoun care often means “which” or “what” when selecting from a group.

Care este cartea ta?
Which is your book?

Care dintre voi vorbește română?
Which of you speaks Romanian?

The possessive question forms show ownership.

Al cui este telefonul?
Whose telephone is this?

A cui este geanta?
Whose bag is this?

Ale cui sunt cheile?
Whose keys are these?

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns connect a noun with additional information about that noun. The most common Romanian relative pronouns are care, cine, ce, cât, and forms built from care.

Bărbatul care vorbește este profesorul meu.
The man who is speaking is my teacher.

Cartea care este pe masă este nouă.
The book that is on the table is new.

Femeia cu care vorbesc este vecina mea.
The woman with whom I am speaking is my neighbour.

The word care is very common and can mean “who,” “which,” or “that,” depending on the context.

Orașul în care locuiesc este liniștit.
The city in which I live is quiet.

Persoana pe care o caut este aici.
The person whom I am looking for is here.

In the second example, Romanian uses both pe care and the short direct object pronoun o. This is a normal Romanian structure when the relative pronoun refers to a specific person.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things that are not identified exactly. They include words such as cineva, ceva, fiecare, oricine, orice, unii, alții, and nimeni in certain contexts.

Cineva bate la ușă.
Someone is knocking at the door.

Am nevoie de ceva de băut.
I need something to drink.

Fiecare are o opinie.
Everyone has an opinion.

Oricine poate învăța o limbă nouă.
Anyone can learn a new language.

Orice întrebare este importantă.
Any question is important.

The word cineva refers to an unspecified person. The word ceva refers to an unspecified thing. The word fiecare means “each” or “everyone” in the sense of every individual person or thing.

Fiecare student primește un certificat.
Each student receives a certificate.

Unii oameni preferă orașul.
Some people prefer the city.

Alții preferă satul.
Others prefer the village.

Negative Pronouns

Negative pronouns are used to express the absence of a person, object, or quantity. Common Romanian negative pronouns include nimeni, nimic, niciunul, nicio, niciunii, and niciunele.

Romanian normally uses negative concord. This means that a negative pronoun usually appears together with the negative word nu.

Nu vine nimeni astăzi.
No one is coming today.

Nu văd nimic în cameră.
I do not see anything in the room.

Nu am niciun ban la mine.
I do not have any money with me.

Nu este nicio problemă.
There is no problem.

This structure is different from English. English normally uses one negative word, while Romanian often uses nu together with another negative expression.

Nu spune nimeni adevărul.
Nobody is telling the truth.

Nu cumpăr nimic acum.
I am not buying anything now.

Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns show that two or more people perform an action toward one another. Romanian often uses expressions such as unul pe altul, una pe alta, unii pe alții, and unele pe altele.

Ei se ajută unul pe altul.
They help each other.

Ele se cunosc una pe alta.
They know each other.

Colegii se respectă unii pe alții.
The colleagues respect each other.

Fetele se invită unele pe altele la petrecere.
The girls invite each other to the party.

In everyday conversation, Romanian speakers may also use reflexive forms to express mutual actions.

Ne vedem mâine.
We will see each other tomorrow.

Se întâlnesc după muncă.
They meet each other after work.

The exact meaning depends on context. In many cases, the reflexive form naturally implies a mutual action.

Pronouns After Prepositions

Pronouns often change form after prepositions. The most common forms include mine, tine, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, and ele.

Vine fără mine.
He is coming without me.

Stă lângă tine.
She is sitting next to you.

Vorbește despre el.
She is speaking about him.

Am venit cu ea.
I came with her.

Este între noi.
It is between us.

Merge cu voi la restaurant.
He is going to the restaurant with you.

Prepositions such as cu, fără, pentru, despre, lângă, după, între, and pentru are common with these pronoun forms.

Cadoul este pentru tine.
The gift is for you.

Nu plec fără voi.
I am not leaving without you.

Pronoun Placement with Infinitives and Commands

Pronoun position can change with infinitives, commands, and some verb forms. In ordinary present-tense sentences, short pronouns usually come before the verb.

Îl văd acum.
I see him now.

O chem mai târziu.
I will call her later.

With affirmative commands, the short pronoun often attaches to the end of the verb with a hyphen.

Spune-mi adevărul.
Tell me the truth.

Dă-mi cartea, te rog.
Give me the book, please.

Sună-l pe Andrei.
Call Andrei.

Ajut-o pe sora ta.
Help your sister.

With negative commands, the pronoun normally stays before the verb.

Nu-mi spune acum.
Do not tell me now.

Nu-l suna prea târziu.
Do not call him too late.

Nu o aștepta afară.
Do not wait for her outside.

These forms are very common in daily Romanian. Learners should practise them as fixed sentence patterns.

Pronouns in Romanian

Romanian conjunctions are called conjuncții. They are words or short expressions that connect words, phrases, and clauses. You use them to show addition, contrast, choice, cause, condition, time, purpose, consequence, comparison, explanation, and other relationships between ideas.

Conjunctions are essential because they help you move beyond short, separate sentences. Instead of saying “I am tired. I am working,” you can connect the ideas and explain their relationship.

Sunt obosit, dar lucrez.
I am tired, but I am working.

Merg la magazin și cumpăr pâine.
I am going to the shop and buying bread.

Rămân acasă pentru că plouă.
I am staying at home because it is raining.

Romanian conjunctions can be divided into two main groups. Coordinating conjunctions connect ideas of equal grammatical importance. Subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause that adds information to a main clause.

Maria citește și Andrei scrie.
Maria is reading and Andrei is writing.

Rămân acasă deoarece mă simt rău.
I am staying at home because I feel unwell.

In the first sentence, both parts can stand alone as complete sentences. In the second sentence, the part introduced by deoarece explains the reason for the main action.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses that have equal importance. The most common Romanian coordinating conjunctions are și, sau, ori, dar, însă, iar, ci, deci, and căci.

These conjunctions are useful in everyday conversation because they allow you to add information, offer choices, contrast two ideas, correct a statement, or show a result.

Am pâine și lapte.
I have bread and milk.

Vii cu autobuzul sau cu trenul?
Are you coming by bus or by train?

Vreau să ies, dar plouă.
I want to go out, but it is raining.

Este târziu, deci plecăm.
It is late, so we are leaving.

The meaning of a coordinating conjunction depends on the relationship between the connected ideas.

“Și” — And

The conjunction și means “and.” It is the most common Romanian conjunction. You use it to add words, actions, descriptions, events, or clauses.

Am cumpărat pâine și lapte.
I bought bread and milk.

Maria citește și Andrei ascultă muzică.
Maria is reading and Andrei is listening to music.

Lucrez dimineața și învăț seara.
I work in the morning and study in the evening.

Am ajuns acasă și am pregătit cina.
I arrived home and prepared dinner.

The conjunction și can connect two nouns.

Avem cafea și ceai.
We have coffee and tea.

It can connect two adjectives.

Hotelul este curat și liniștit.
The hotel is clean and quiet.

It can connect two verbs.

Mănânc și beau apă.
I eat and drink water.

It can also connect two complete clauses.

Mergem la mare și stăm acolo trei zile.
We are going to the seaside and staying there for three days.

In Romanian, you do not normally use a comma before și when it simply connects two equal words or clauses.

Am nevoie de pașaport și de bilet.
I need a passport and a ticket.

Intră și închide ușa.
Come in and close the door.

However, a comma may appear before și when the second part is longer, explanatory, parenthetical, or strongly separated in meaning. In ordinary writing, the simple structure without a comma is the safest pattern.

Repeated “Și” — Both and / Either…Or

Romanian can repeat și for emphasis. The structure și... și... often means “both... and...” or “as well as.”

Și Maria, și Andrei vin diseară.
Both Maria and Andrei are coming this evening.

Îmi plac și munții, și marea.
I like both the mountains and the sea.

Și profesorul, și studenții sunt pregătiți.
Both the teacher and the students are ready.

This repeated structure gives equal emphasis to both items. In casual speech, Romanian speakers may simply use one și.

Maria și Andrei vin diseară.
Maria and Andrei are coming this evening.

The repeated version is more emphatic and is useful when you want to make it clear that both elements are included.

“Sau” — Or

The conjunction sau means “or.” You use it when there is a choice, alternative, possibility, or uncertainty.

Vrei cafea sau ceai?
Do you want coffee or tea?

Putem merge cu autobuzul sau cu taxiul.
We can go by bus or by taxi.

Vii mâine sau poimâine?
Are you coming tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?

Este acasă sau la serviciu.
He or she is at home or at work.

The conjunction sau can connect individual words, phrases, or complete clauses.

Mergi la stânga sau la dreapta?
Are you going left or right?

Poți să plătești cu cardul sau în numerar.
You can pay by card or in cash.

Rămânem aici sau mergem la restaurant?
Are we staying here or going to the restaurant?

Romanian often uses sau in questions because it helps present two or more alternatives clearly.

“Ori” — Or and Either

The conjunction ori can also mean “or.” It is similar to sau, but it can sound slightly more formal, more literary, or more emphatic depending on the context.

Poți veni luni ori marți.
You can come on Monday or Tuesday.

Este acasă ori la birou.
He or she is at home or at the office.

Alege trenul ori autobuzul.
Choose the train or the bus.

In everyday conversation, sau is generally more common. However, ori is useful in written Romanian, formal instructions, and expressions that present clear alternatives.

Romanian also uses the repeated form ori... ori..., meaning “either... or...”

Ori plecăm acum, ori pierdem trenul.
Either we leave now, or we miss the train.

Ori vorbești clar, ori nu te înțeleg.
Either you speak clearly, or I do not understand you.

Ori plouă, ori este foarte frig afară.
Either it is raining, or it is very cold outside.

This structure can make an alternative sound stronger or more dramatic.

“Dar” — But

The conjunction dar means “but.” You use it to show contrast, limitation, opposition, or an unexpected difference between two ideas.

Vreau să merg, dar nu am timp.
I want to go, but I do not have time.

Este mic, dar confortabil.
It is small, but comfortable.

Am sunat, dar nu a răspuns nimeni.
I called, but nobody answered.

Este obosită, dar continuă să lucreze.
She is tired, but she continues to work.

The conjunction dar is one of the most useful Romanian connectors because it allows you to combine positive and negative information in a natural way.

Hotelul este scump, dar foarte curat.
The hotel is expensive, but very clean.

Plouă, dar mergem la plimbare.
It is raining, but we are going for a walk.

Nu este ușor, dar este posibil.
It is not easy, but it is possible.

In writing, a comma is usually placed before dar when it connects two clauses.

“Însă” — However and But

The conjunction însă means “however,” “but,” or “nevertheless.” It often has a slightly more formal or written tone than dar, although it is also used in conversation.

Vreau să merg, însă nu am timp.
I want to go; however, I do not have time.

Camera este mică, însă foarte luminoasă.
The room is small, however very bright.

A încercat să sune, însă telefonul era închis.
He or she tried to call, but the telephone was switched off.

The word însă can appear after the first word or phrase of a clause, especially in formal writing.

Problema, însă, nu este simplă.
The problem, however, is not simple.

Eu, însă, prefer să merg pe jos.
I, however, prefer to walk.

This structure is common in writing, reports, essays, and carefully organised speech. In everyday conversation, dar is often easier and more direct.

“Iar” — While, Whereas, and On the Other Hand

The conjunction iar can mean “while,” “whereas,” “and,” or “on the other hand.” It often introduces a contrast between two people, actions, qualities, or situations. It is usually less strong than dar.

Eu lucrez dimineața, iar ea lucrează seara.
I work in the morning, whereas she works in the evening.

Maria preferă ceaiul, iar Andrei preferă cafeaua.
Maria prefers tea, while Andrei prefers coffee.

El locuiește în centru, iar părinții lui locuiesc la țară.
He lives in the centre, while his parents live in the countryside.

Restaurantul este mic, iar terasa este foarte mare.
The restaurant is small, while the terrace is very large.

The conjunction iar is useful when you compare two facts without expressing a strong disagreement. It often helps create balance between two parts of a sentence.

Eu merg cu trenul, iar prietenii mei merg cu mașina.
I am going by train, while my friends are going by car.

“Ci” — But Rather

The conjunction ci usually means “but rather,” “but instead,” or “but.” It is used after a negative statement to correct, replace, or contrast information.

Nu beau cafea, ci ceai.
I do not drink coffee, but tea.

Nu mergem la mare, ci la munte.
We are not going to the seaside, but to the mountains.

Nu este greu, ci diferit.
It is not difficult, but different.

Nu am cumpărat o carte, ci două cărți.
I did not buy one book, but two books.

The conjunction ci is different from dar. You use dar for general contrast. You use ci when the first idea is negated and then replaced by a more accurate or contrasting idea.

Este obosit, dar fericit.
He is tired, but happy.

Nu este obosit, ci bolnav.
He is not tired, but ill.

A common Romanian pattern is nu numai... ci și..., meaning “not only... but also...”

Nu numai că vorbește română, ci și scrie foarte bine.
Not only does he or she speak Romanian, but he or she also writes very well.

Nu numai Maria, ci și Andrei vine la întâlnire.
Not only Maria, but also Andrei is coming to the meeting.

Nu numai că plouă, ci și bate vântul.
Not only is it raining, but the wind is also blowing.

“Căci” — For and Because

The conjunction căci means “for,” “because,” or “since.” It gives an explanation or reason. It is more common in formal writing, literature, public speech, and careful Romanian than in everyday casual conversation.

Nu plecăm încă, căci așteptăm un răspuns.
We are not leaving yet, because we are waiting for an answer.

Este important să pleci devreme, căci traficul este aglomerat.
It is important to leave early, because traffic is busy.

Am rămas acasă, căci ploua foarte tare.
I stayed at home, because it was raining very heavily.

In ordinary conversation, Romanian speakers often prefer pentru că, fiindcă, or deoarece.

Am rămas acasă pentru că ploua foarte tare.
I stayed at home because it was raining very heavily.

“Deci” — So and Therefore

The conjunction deci means “so,” “therefore,” or “therefore then.” You use it to show a conclusion, result, logical consequence, or next step.

Este târziu, deci plecăm.
It is late, so we are leaving.

Nu are bilet, deci nu poate intra.
He or she does not have a ticket, so cannot enter.

Plouă, deci luăm umbrela.
It is raining, so we are taking the umbrella.

Ai terminat proiectul, deci poți pleca.
You have finished the project, so you can leave.

The word deci is extremely common in speech. It can also be used as a conversational filler, similar to English “so” or “well then.”

Deci, ce facem acum?
So, what are we doing now?

Deci, ajungi mâine?
So, are you arriving tomorrow?

In more formal writing, Romanian may use expressions such as așadar, prin urmare, or în consecință instead.

Așadar, trebuie să luăm o decizie.
Therefore, we need to make a decision.

Prin urmare, cererea a fost acceptată.
Consequently, the application was accepted.

“Că” — That

The conjunction că often means “that.” It introduces clauses that report thoughts, statements, knowledge, feelings, beliefs, information, and opinions.

Știu că este acasă.
I know that he or she is at home.

Cred că plouă.
I think that it is raining.

Spune că vine mâine.
He or she says that they will come tomorrow.

Am auzit că trenul întârzie.
I heard that the train is delayed.

Este clar că avem nevoie de ajutor.
It is clear that we need help.

In English, the word “that” is often optional. In Romanian, că is usually needed when you introduce this type of clause.

Cred că este o idee bună.
I think that it is a good idea.

Nu știu că unde este cheia.
I do not know that where the key is.

The second example is not correct Romanian. When you use a question word such as unde, când, cum, ce, or cine, you normally do not add că before it.

Nu știu unde este cheia.
I do not know where the key is.

Nu știu când vine trenul.
I do not know when the train is coming.

Nu înțeleg cum funcționează.
I do not understand how it works.

“Să” — The Subjunctive Connector

The word să is one of the most important Romanian connectors. It introduces the subjunctive mood and appears after many verbs, expressions, and conjunctions. It can correspond to English “to,” “that,” “should,” “let,” or no separate word at all, depending on the sentence.

Vreau să plec acum.
I want to leave now.

Trebuie să învăț mai mult.
I have to study more.

Poți să mă ajuți?
Can you help me?

Este bine să bei apă.
It is good to drink water.

Să plecăm acum.
Let us leave now.

The word să is not a simple equivalent of English “to.” It is a grammatical marker that introduces a verb form. The verb after să changes according to the person.

Vreau să merg.
I want to go.

Vrei să mergi.
You want to go.

Vrea să meargă.
He or she wants to go.

Vrem să mergem.
We want to go.

Vreți să mergeți.
You want to go.

Vor să meargă.
They want to go.

The connector să appears constantly in Romanian, especially after verbs such as a vrea, a putea, a trebui, a încerca, a reuși, a dori, a spera, a prefera, and a lăsa.

“Pentru Că” — Because

The conjunction pentru că means “because.” You use it to explain the reason for an action, decision, feeling, event, or situation.

Rămân acasă pentru că plouă.
I am staying at home because it is raining.

Nu pot veni pentru că lucrez.
I cannot come because I am working.

Mergem devreme pentru că trenul pleacă la ora opt.
We are leaving early because the train leaves at eight o’clock.

Este obosită pentru că nu a dormit bine.
She is tired because she did not sleep well.

The expression pentru că is one of the safest and most common ways to give a reason in Romanian. It is natural in conversation, messages, essays, explanations, and formal communication.

Am întârziat pentru că a fost trafic.
I was late because there was traffic.

Nu cumpărăm biletele acum pentru că site-ul nu funcționează.
We are not buying the tickets now because the website is not working.

“Fiindcă,” “Deoarece,” and “Întrucât” — Because and Since

Romanian has several alternatives to pentru că. They all express cause or explanation, but they differ slightly in tone and frequency.

Fiindcă means “because” and is common in both speech and writing.

Am rămas acasă fiindcă ploua.
I stayed at home because it was raining.

Nu poate veni fiindcă este bolnav.
He or she cannot come because they are ill.

Deoarece also means “because” or “since.” It often sounds more formal and is common in writing, explanations, reports, and professional communication.

Cererea a fost respinsă deoarece documentele erau incomplete.
The application was rejected because the documents were incomplete.

Nu am primit răspuns deoarece biroul este închis.
I did not receive an answer because the office is closed.

Întrucât means “since,” “because,” or “given that.” It is more formal and often appears in official writing, legal texts, reports, and structured explanations.

Întrucât nu avem toate informațiile, decizia va fi amânată.
Since we do not have all the information, the decision will be postponed.

Întrucât plouă, evenimentul are loc în interior.
Since it is raining, the event is taking place indoors.

In everyday conversation, pentru că and fiindcă are usually the most practical choices.

“Ca Să” — In Order To

The conjunction ca să means “in order to” or “so that.” You use it to express purpose. It explains why someone does something or what result they want to achieve.

Învăț română ca să pot vorbi cu familia mea.
I am learning Romanian in order to be able to speak with my family.

Merg la magazin ca să cumpăr pâine.
I am going to the shop in order to buy bread.

Plec devreme ca să ajung la timp.
I am leaving early in order to arrive on time.

Am sunat ca să confirm rezervarea.
I called in order to confirm the reservation.

The structure ca să is different from pentru că. Pentru că gives a reason that already exists. Ca să gives a purpose or intended result.

Rămân acasă pentru că plouă.
I am staying at home because it is raining.

Iau umbrela ca să nu mă ud.
I am taking an umbrella so that I do not get wet.

The first sentence explains the reason for staying home. The second sentence explains the purpose of taking the umbrella.

“Pentru Ca Să” — So That

The longer expression pentru ca să also expresses purpose. It is more formal than ca să and is often used when the subject changes between the main clause and the dependent clause.

Vorbesc mai încet pentru ca toți să înțeleagă.
I speak more slowly so that everyone can understand.

Am lăsat lumina aprinsă pentru ca ei să vadă drumul.
I left the light on so that they could see the way.

Profesorul explică regula pentru ca studenții să o înțeleagă.
The teacher explains the rule so that the students can understand it.

In everyday speech, ca să is often enough.

Vorbesc mai încet ca să înțelegeți.
I speak more slowly so that you understand.

“Dacă” — If and Whether

The conjunction dacă commonly means “if.” You use it to introduce a condition.

Dacă plouă, rămânem acasă.
If it rains, we are staying at home.

Dacă ai timp, vino la mine.
If you have time, come to my place.

Dacă ajungem devreme, bem o cafea.
If we arrive early, we will have a coffee.

Dacă nu găsesc hotelul, te sun.
If I do not find the hotel, I will call you.

When the conditional clause comes first, it is commonly followed by a comma.

Dacă plouă, luăm taxiul.
If it rains, we will take a taxi.

When the main clause comes first, the punctuation may be simpler.

Luăm taxiul dacă plouă.
We will take a taxi if it rains.

The word dacă can also mean “whether” after verbs such as “to know,” “to ask,” “to see,” or “to understand.”

Nu știu dacă vine mâine.
I do not know whether he or she is coming tomorrow.

Întreb dacă hotelul are parcare.
I am asking whether the hotel has parking.

Vreau să știu dacă este deschis magazinul.
I want to know whether the shop is open.

“În Caz Că” — In Case

The expression în caz că means “in case.” It introduces a possible situation that may happen and explains a precaution, plan, or response.

Ia umbrela în caz că plouă.
Take the umbrella in case it rains.

Păstrează numărul meu în caz că ai nevoie de ajutor.
Keep my number in case you need help.

Rezervăm camera din timp în caz că hotelul este plin.
We are booking the room in advance in case the hotel is full.

Adu pașaportul în caz că îl cer la recepție.
Bring your passport in case they ask for it at reception.

This expression is especially useful for travel, work, appointments, safety, and practical planning.

“Numai Dacă” — Only If

The expression numai dacă means “only if.” It introduces a strict condition that must be fulfilled.

Vin numai dacă am timp.
I will come only if I have time.

Poți intra numai dacă ai bilet.
You can enter only if you have a ticket.

Rezervarea este confirmată numai dacă plata este efectuată.
The reservation is confirmed only if payment is made.

Vom pleca numai dacă se oprește ploaia.
We will leave only if the rain stops.

This structure is useful when you need to state that an action depends on one essential condition.

“Cu Condiția Să” — On Condition That

The expression cu condiția să means “on condition that,” “provided that,” or “as long as.” It is more formal than dacă and is common in agreements, rules, contracts, notices, and careful written Romanian.

Poți folosi mașina cu condiția să fii atent.
You can use the car on condition that you are careful.

Vă oferim reducerea cu condiția să rezervați online.
We offer you the discount provided that you book online.

Poți pleca mai devreme cu condiția să termini proiectul.
You can leave earlier provided that you finish the project.

Camera poate fi anulată cu condiția să anunțați din timp.
The room can be cancelled provided that you notify us in advance.

The connector să is required because this expression introduces a subjunctive clause.

“Deși” — Although

The conjunction deși means “although” or “even though.” You use it to show that something happens despite another fact or circumstance.

Deși plouă, mergem la plimbare.
Although it is raining, we are going for a walk.

Deși este obosit, continuă să lucreze.
Although he is tired, he continues to work.

Deși hotelul este mic, camerele sunt confortabile.
Although the hotel is small, the rooms are comfortable.

Deși a întârziat, a terminat totul la timp.
Although he or she was late, they finished everything on time.

When the clause introduced by deși comes first, it is usually separated by a comma from the main clause.

Deși nu am timp, te ajut.
Although I do not have time, I will help you.

The conjunction deși is useful when you want to present an unexpected contrast without using a separate sentence.

“Chiar Dacă” — Even If and Even Though

The expression chiar dacă means “even if” or “even though.” It introduces a stronger condition or contrast than dacă.

Chiar dacă plouă, mergem la mare.
Even if it rains, we are going to the seaside.

Chiar dacă este târziu, continuăm să lucrăm.
Even though it is late, we continue to work.

Chiar dacă nu înțelegi totul, încearcă să vorbești.
Even if you do not understand everything, try to speak.

Chiar dacă nu vine nimeni, eu merg.
Even if nobody comes, I am going.

The difference between deși and chiar dacă is often small in everyday conversation. Deși usually presents a real fact. Chiar dacă can present either a real fact or a hypothetical possibility.

Deși plouă, plecăm.
Although it is raining, we are leaving.

Chiar dacă va ploua, vom pleca.
Even if it rains, we will leave.

“Cu Toate Că” — Although and Despite the Fact That

The expression cu toate că means “although,” “despite the fact that,” or “even though.” It is more formal and often appears in writing, public speech, reports, and structured explanations.

Cu toate că era târziu, am continuat să lucrăm.
Although it was late, we continued to work.

Cu toate că ploua, au mers pe jos.
Although it was raining, they went on foot.

Cu toate că este scump, hotelul este foarte popular.
Although it is expensive, the hotel is very popular.

In everyday conversation, deși is usually shorter and easier.

Deși era târziu, am continuat să lucrăm.
Although it was late, we continued to work.

“Când” — When

The conjunction când means “when.” You use it to connect actions or situations in time.

Sună-mă când ajungi acasă.
Call me when you get home.

Mănânc când am timp.
I eat when I have time.

Când plouă, stau acasă.
When it rains, I stay at home.

Am văzut-o când a intrat în cameră.
I saw her when she entered the room.

The word când can refer to a single moment, a repeated habit, or a time in the past, present, or future.

Când eram copil, mergeam des la bunici.
When I was a child, I often went to my grandparents.

Când termini, spune-mi.
When you finish, tell me.

Când ajungem la hotel, facem check-in.
When we arrive at the hotel, we check in.

“În Timp Ce” and “Pe Când” — While

The expression în timp ce means “while.” You use it to show that two actions happen at the same time.

Eu gătesc în timp ce ea pune masa.
I am cooking while she is setting the table.

Ascult muzică în timp ce lucrez.
I listen to music while I work.

În timp ce ploua, noi așteptam autobuzul.
While it was raining, we were waiting for the bus.

El citește în timp ce copiii se joacă.
He is reading while the children are playing.

The conjunction pe când can also mean “while,” especially when it compares or contrasts two simultaneous situations. It can sound slightly more literary or formal.

Eu prefer cafeaua, pe când ea preferă ceaiul.
I prefer coffee, while she prefers tea.

În oraș era cald, pe când la munte era frig.
It was warm in the city, while it was cold in the mountains.

“După Ce” — After

The expression după ce means “after.” You use it to show that one action happens later than another.

După ce termin munca, merg acasă.
After I finish work, I go home.

După ce ajungem la hotel, lăsăm bagajele în cameră.
After we arrive at the hotel, we leave the luggage in the room.

Am plecat după ce am plătit factura.
I left after I paid the bill.

După ce mănânci, poți lua medicamentul.
After you eat, you can take the medicine.

When după ce appears at the beginning of a sentence, the main clause is commonly separated with a comma.

După ce ajungi, sună-mă.
After you arrive, call me.

“Înainte Să” — Before

The expression înainte să means “before.” It is followed by the subjunctive form of the verb.

Sună-mă înainte să pleci.
Call me before you leave.

Spală-te pe mâini înainte să mănânci.
Wash your hands before you eat.

Verifică biletul înainte să urci în tren.
Check the ticket before you get on the train.

Am cumpărat apă înainte să plecăm.
I bought water before we left.

The use of să is important in this structure.

Pleacă înainte să înceapă ploaia.
Leave before the rain begins.

Termină proiectul înainte să vină managerul.
Finish the project before the manager comes.

“Până Când” — Until

The expression până când means “until.” You use it to show that an action continues up to a certain time or event.

Aștept aici până când vine autobuzul.
I am waiting here until the bus comes.

Rămânem la hotel până când se oprește ploaia.
We are staying at the hotel until the rain stops.

Lucrez până când termin raportul.
I am working until I finish the report.

Nu pleca până când nu te sun.
Do not leave until I call you.

The negative structure with până când nu is common when you mean that an action must not happen before another event occurs.

Nu deschide ușa până când nu auzi semnalul.
Do not open the door until you hear the signal.

“De Când” — Since

The expression de când means “since,” especially when talking about the time from which a situation began.

Nu l-am văzut de când s-a mutat.
I have not seen him or her since they moved.

De când lucrez aici, merg pe jos la birou.
Since I have been working here, I walk to the office.

Nu mai plouă de când am ajuns.
It has not rained since we arrived.

De când este deschis hotelul?
Since when has the hotel been open?

The phrase de când can also introduce a question about the beginning of a situation.

De când înveți română?
How long have you been learning Romanian?

“De Îndată Ce” and “Imediat Ce” — As Soon As

The expressions de îndată ce and imediat ce mean “as soon as.” They are useful when you want to show that one action happens immediately after another.

Te sun de îndată ce ajung acasă.
I will call you as soon as I get home.

Imediat ce primesc răspunsul, îți scriu.
As soon as I receive the answer, I will write to you.

De îndată ce se oprește ploaia, plecăm.
As soon as the rain stops, we are leaving.

Imediat ce termini, vino aici.
As soon as you finish, come here.

The expression de îndată ce can sound slightly more formal. Imediat ce is common and direct.

“Încât” and “Așa Că” — So That and As a Result

The conjunction încât often means “so that,” “to such an extent that,” or “so... that.” It usually expresses a result.

A vorbit atât de încet, încât nu l-am auzit.
He or she spoke so quietly that I did not hear them.

Era atât de obosită, încât a adormit imediat.
She was so tired that she fell asleep immediately.

Ploua atât de tare, încât străzile erau goale.
It was raining so heavily that the streets were empty.

The expression așa că means “so,” “therefore,” or “as a result.”

Nu am avut timp, așa că am plecat devreme.
I did not have time, so I left early.

Trenul a întârziat, așa că am luat taxiul.
The train was delayed, so I took a taxi.

Este frig, așa că închid fereastra.
It is cold, so I am closing the window.

The difference is that încât often follows expressions of degree, such as atât de, while așa că directly connects a cause and its result.

“Cum” — How and As

The word cum can mean “how,” “as,” or “the way that.” It is often used to introduce clauses about manner.

Nu știu cum funcționează aparatul.
I do not know how the device works.

Fă cum ți-am spus.
Do as I told you.

Îmi place cum vorbești română.
I like how you speak Romanian.

A făcut totul cum a putut mai bine.
He or she did everything as well as possible.

The phrase așa cum means “just as,” “exactly as,” or “the way that.”

Fă exact așa cum îți spun.
Do exactly as I tell you.

Totul s-a întâmplat așa cum am prevăzut.
Everything happened just as I predicted.

Am ajuns așa cum am promis.
I arrived as I promised.

“Ca și Cum” — As If

The expression ca și cum means “as if.” You use it to describe an appearance, feeling, or comparison that may not be literally true.

Vorbește ca și cum ar ști totul.
He or she speaks as if they knew everything.

Se comportă ca și cum nu s-ar fi întâmplat nimic.
He or she behaves as if nothing had happened.

Mă privește ca și cum m-ar cunoaște.
He or she looks at me as if they knew me.

Era ca și cum ploaia nu se mai oprea.
It was as if the rain would never stop.

The verb after ca și cum often appears in the conditional or another form that shows comparison, uncertainty, or unreality.

“Fără Să” — Without Doing Something

The expression fără să means “without doing something.” It is followed by the subjunctive.

A plecat fără să spună nimic.
He or she left without saying anything.

Am intrat fără să bat la ușă.
I came in without knocking on the door.

Nu pleca fără să-mi spui.
Do not leave without telling me.

A cumpărat biletele fără să întrebe prețul.
He or she bought the tickets without asking the price.

This expression is useful when an expected or possible action does not take place.

“În Loc Să” — Instead of Doing Something

The expression în loc să means “instead of doing something.” It is also followed by the subjunctive.

În loc să plece, a rămas acasă.
Instead of leaving, he or she stayed at home.

În loc să ia autobuzul, a mers pe jos.
Instead of taking the bus, he or she walked.

În loc să vorbești, ascultă.
Instead of speaking, listen.

În loc să cumpărăm mâncare, gătim acasă.
Instead of buying food, we cook at home.

This connector is useful when you compare an expected action with the action that actually happens.

“Atât... Cât Și...” — Both... And

The structure atât... cât și... means “both... and...” It is used to include two equally important elements, especially in formal writing, presentations, descriptions, and careful speech.

Atât hotelul, cât și restaurantul sunt deschise.
Both the hotel and the restaurant are open.

Atât Maria, cât și Andrei vor veni.
Both Maria and Andrei will come.

Atât trenul, cât și autobuzul ajung în centru.
Both the train and the bus reach the centre.

Atât clienții, cât și angajații trebuie informați.
Both the customers and the employees must be informed.

This structure often sounds more formal than simply using și.

Hotelul și restaurantul sunt deschise.
The hotel and the restaurant are open.

“Nici... Nici...” — Neither... Nor

The structure nici... nici... means “neither... nor.” Romanian normally uses it with nu.

Nu vreau nici cafea, nici ceai.
I want neither coffee nor tea.

Nu vine nici Maria, nici Andrei.
Neither Maria nor Andrei is coming.

Nu avem nici timp, nici bani.
We have neither time nor money.

Nu vorbește nici română, nici italiană.
He or she speaks neither Romanian nor Italian.

This is an important Romanian negative pattern. Do not remove nu when you use nici... nici...

“Fie... Fie...” — Either... Or

The structure fie... fie... means “either... or...” It often sounds formal, structured, or emphatic.

Fie mergem acum, fie așteptăm până mâine.
Either we go now, or we wait until tomorrow.

Poți alege fie trenul, fie autobuzul.
You can choose either the train or the bus.

Fie plouă, fie ninge.
Either it is raining or snowing.

Fie acceptă oferta, fie caută altă soluție.
Either he or she accepts the offer, or looks for another solution.

In casual speech, sau is often more common.

Poți alege trenul sau autobuzul.
You can choose the train or the bus.

“Ba... Ba...” — Now... Now / Either... Or

The structure ba... ba... can show alternating actions, changing situations, or emphatic alternatives. It can be translated as “now... now,” “sometimes... sometimes,” or occasionally “either... or,” depending on the context.

Ba plouă, ba iese soarele.
Now it rains, now the sun comes out.

Ba vrea să plece, ba vrea să rămână.
Sometimes he or she wants to leave, sometimes wants to stay.

Ba râde, ba plânge.
Now he or she laughs, now cries.

This structure is expressive and often appears in storytelling, conversation, and descriptions of changing moods or weather.

Conjunctions in Romanian

Prepositions in Romanian

Romanian prepositions are called prepoziții. They are short words or fixed expressions that connect nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases to other parts of a sentence. They can show location, direction, time, cause, possession, accompaniment, purpose, comparison, movement, and many other relationships.

English uses prepositions constantly in phrases such as “in the house,” “with my friend,” “after work,” “for you,” and “because of the rain.” Romanian works in a similar way, but prepositions are especially important because they often determine which grammatical case follows them. Some prepositions are followed by the accusative case, some by the genitive case, and a smaller group by the dative case.

Romanian learners should not study prepositions only as individual translated words. A single English preposition can have several Romanian equivalents depending on the situation. For example, English “in” can be translated as în, while “at” may be la, and “from” may be din or de la. The right choice depends on movement, location, origin, time, and the type of place being discussed.

Merg la școală dimineața.
I go to school in the morning.

Copilul este în cameră.
The child is in the room.

Vin din România.
I come from Romania.

Prepositions are small words, but they have a major effect on meaning. Learning them through complete phrases is one of the best ways to speak Romanian more naturally.

Prepositions and Romanian Cases

Romanian prepositions usually require one of three grammatical patterns: accusative, genitive, or dative. The nominative is normally used for subjects, so prepositions do not generally take nominative forms.

Many of the most common Romanian prepositions are followed by the accusative. These include cu, fără, pentru, la, în, pe, sub, peste, lângă, între, după, despre, prin, către, and printre.

Vorbesc cu profesorul meu.
I am speaking with my teacher.

Plec fără telefon.
I am leaving without a telephone.

Acest cadou este pentru mama mea.
This gift is for my mother.

Stau lângă fereastră.
I am sitting next to the window.

Some prepositions and prepositional expressions require the genitive case. These often show position, origin, cause, time, opposition, or relation.

Mașina este în fața casei.
The car is in front of the house.

Copiii se joacă în jurul școlii.
The children are playing around the school.

Din cauza ploii, rămânem acasă.
Because of the rain, we are staying at home.

A smaller number of prepositions require the dative case. These are more common in formal writing, official communication, news reports, and educated speech.

Datorită profesorului, am înțeles lecția.
Thanks to the teacher, I understood the lesson.

Conform regulamentului, trebuie să așteptăm.
According to the rules, we have to wait.

The Preposition “La”

The preposition la is one of the most useful and frequent Romanian prepositions. It can mean “to,” “at,” “near,” “on,” or sometimes “in,” depending on the context.

It is commonly used to show movement toward a place.

Merg la magazin după muncă.
I am going to the shop after work.

Mâine mergem la muzeu.
Tomorrow we are going to the museum.

Ea pleacă la București diseară.
She is leaving for Bucharest this evening.

It can also show that someone is located at a place.

Sunt la birou acum.
I am at the office now.

Copiii sunt la școală.
The children are at school.

Ne întâlnim la restaurant.
We are meeting at the restaurant.

The preposition la is often used with places where people normally perform an activity, such as school, work, the doctor, the cinema, the station, the market, or a restaurant.

Maria este la medic.
Maria is at the doctor’s.

Tatăl meu este la serviciu.
My father is at work.

Suntem la gară.
We are at the station.

Romanian also uses la with time expressions.

Cursul începe la ora nouă.
The lesson starts at nine o’clock.

Ne vedem la prânz.
We will see each other at noon.

Ajung la sfârșitul săptămânii.
I will arrive at the end of the week.

The Preposition “În”

The preposition în usually means “in” or “into.” It is used for being inside a place, entering a place, periods of time, languages, clothing, and many fixed expressions.

Cartea este în geantă.
The book is in the bag.

Bunica locuiește în sat.
Grandmother lives in the village.

Lucrăm într-un birou mic.
We work in a small office.

When movement goes from outside to inside, Romanian also uses în.

Pun telefonul în buzunar.
I am putting the telephone in my pocket.

Intrăm în hotel după ora șase.
We are entering the hotel after six o’clock.

Copilul aleargă în casă.
The child is running into the house.

The forms într-un and într-o are contractions of în with the indefinite articles un and o. They are very common in speech and writing.

Stau într-un apartament nou.
I live in a new apartment.

Ea lucrează într-o cafenea liniștită.
She works in a quiet café.

Romanian also uses în with months, years, seasons, parts of the day, and languages.

Mergem în România în august.
We are going to Romania in August.

În iarnă, zilele sunt mai scurte.
In winter, the days are shorter.

Vorbesc în română cu profesorul meu.
I speak in Romanian with my teacher.

“La” and “În” Compared

English speakers often confuse la and în because English can use “at,” “in,” or “to” in different ways. A useful basic rule is that la often refers to a destination, activity, institution, or general location, while în often refers to being physically inside something or entering it.

Sunt la școală.
I am at school.

Sunt în școală.
I am inside the school building.

The first sentence usually means that the speaker is attending school, working there, or present there generally. The second sentence focuses more clearly on the physical inside of the building.

Merg la bancă.
I am going to the bank.

Sunt în bancă.
I am inside the bank.

Ne întâlnim la hotel.
We are meeting at the hotel.

Ne așteptăm în hotel.
We are waiting for each other inside the hotel.

In normal daily speech, context often makes the intended meaning clear. Learners should listen to common expressions and memorise them as whole phrases.

The Preposition “Cu”

The preposition cu usually means “with.” It expresses accompaniment, instruments, materials, manner, and sometimes relationships.

Merg cu prietenii mei la cinema.
I am going to the cinema with my friends.

Vorbesc cu vecina mea.
I am speaking with my neighbour.

Beau cafea cu lapte.
I drink coffee with milk.

Scriu cu un pix albastru.
I write with a blue pen.

The preposition cu is used when referring to a person who accompanies someone.

Vii cu noi la mare?
Are you coming to the seaside with us?

Ea merge cu sora ei la cumpărături.
She is going shopping with her sister.

It can also show the tool used to perform an action.

Deschid ușa cu cheia.
I open the door with the key.

Taie pâinea cu un cuțit.
He cuts the bread with a knife.

Romanian also uses cu in many everyday expressions.

Cu plăcere.
With pleasure.

Cu siguranță.
Certainly.

Cu grijă.
Carefully.

Cu noroc.
Luckily.

The Preposition “Fără”

The preposition fără means “without.” It is followed by the accusative case and is used to show the absence of a person, object, quality, or action.

Nu pot lucra fără internet.
I cannot work without internet.

A plecat fără bagaj.
He left without luggage.

Nu pleca fără mine.
Do not leave without me.

The pronouns after fără use the strong forms mine, tine, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, and ele.

Ea nu poate veni fără tine.
She cannot come without you.

Nu începem fără ei.
We are not starting without them.

Fără ajutor, problema este dificilă.
Without help, the problem is difficult.

The Preposition “Pentru”

The preposition pentru usually means “for.” It can show purpose, destination, benefit, duration in some contexts, and the person for whom something is intended.

Acest mesaj este pentru tine.
This message is for you.

Cumpăr flori pentru mama mea.
I am buying flowers for my mother.

Învăț română pentru serviciu.
I am learning Romanian for work.

Avem nevoie de o masă pentru șase persoane.
We need a table for six people.

The preposition pentru is also common in phrases about purpose.

Merg la magazin pentru pâine.
I am going to the shop for bread.

Am venit pentru o întâlnire.
I came for a meeting.

Fac exerciții pentru sănătate.
I exercise for health.

When used with a pronoun, pentru takes the strong pronoun forms.

Cadoul este pentru ea.
The gift is for her.

Aceste bilete sunt pentru noi.
These tickets are for us.

The Preposition “Pe”

The Romanian preposition pe has several important functions. Its most literal meaning is usually “on.”

Telefonul este pe masă.
The telephone is on the table.

Pisica doarme pe canapea.
The cat is sleeping on the sofa.

Tabloul este pe perete.
The painting is on the wall.

It can also mean “along,” “through,” or “via” in expressions involving movement.

Mergem pe stradă.
We are walking along the street.

Călătorim pe autostradă.
We are travelling on the motorway.

Trimite documentul pe e-mail.
Send the document by email.

One of the most important uses of pe is as a marker before specific people who are direct objects. In this use, it does not mean “on.” It helps show that a person is directly affected by the action.

O văd pe Maria în fiecare zi.
I see Maria every day.

Îl cunosc pe profesorul nou.
I know the new teacher.

Îi invităm pe prietenii noștri la cină.
We are inviting our friends to dinner.

This use is especially common with names, specific people, definite people, and groups of people. It is a central feature of Romanian grammar.

O sun pe mama mea după muncă.
I call my mother after work.

Îl aștept pe domnul Popescu.
I am waiting for Mr Popescu.

The Preposition “De”

The preposition de has many meanings. It can correspond to “of,” “from,” “about,” “made of,” “for,” or “by,” depending on the phrase. It is one of the most flexible prepositions in Romanian.

It can show material.

Masa este de lemn.
The table is made of wood.

Inelul este de aur.
The ring is made of gold.

It can show origin, especially in descriptions of people, objects, or products.

Este un vin de România.
It is a wine from Romania.

Am un prieten de la universitate.
I have a friend from university.

It can introduce a type or category.

Am nevoie de apă.
I need water.

Cumpăr o sticlă de lapte.
I am buying a bottle of milk.

Vreau o felie de pâine.
I want a slice of bread.

The preposition de is very common after quantities and numbers.

Avem douăzeci de minute.
We have twenty minutes.

Sunt multe persoane în sală.
There are many people in the room.

Cumpăr un kilogram de mere.
I am buying one kilogram of apples.

Romanian also uses de in many fixed expressions.

De dimineață până seara.
From morning until evening.

De obicei, ajung devreme.
Usually, I arrive early.

De fapt, nu știu răspunsul.
In fact, I do not know the answer.

“Din” and “De La”

Romanian uses both din and de la to express origin, but they are not always interchangeable.

The preposition din usually means “from inside,” “out of,” or “from” when referring to a country, city, container, group, material, or interior space.

Vin din Italia.
I come from Italy.

Scoate cartea din geantă.
Take the book out of the bag.

Apa curge din sticlă.
The water is flowing from the bottle.

Este unul din cei mai buni studenți.
He is one of the best students.

The expression de la often means “from” when referring to a person, institution, starting point, event, source, or a place understood as a general point of origin.

Am primit un mesaj de la Ana.
I received a message from Ana.

Vin de la medic.
I am coming from the doctor’s.

Cumpăr pâine de la brutărie.
I buy bread from the bakery.

Trenul pleacă de la gară.
The train leaves from the station.

A useful distinction is that din often focuses on movement out of something, while de la often focuses on the source, person, institution, or departure point.

Ies din casă.
I am leaving the house.

Vin de la casă.
I am coming from the house.

The first sentence is more natural when emphasising movement out of the inside of the house. The second sentence would be used only in certain contexts and is less common unless “house” is being treated as a departure point.

The Prepositions “După” and “Înainte De”

The preposition după usually means “after,” “behind,” or “according to,” depending on the context.

Mergem la restaurant după muncă.
We are going to the restaurant after work.

Copilul se ascunde după ușă.
The child is hiding behind the door.

După părerea mea, filmul este bun.
In my opinion, the film is good.

It can also mean “according to” in expressions such as după program, după hartă, or după reguli.

După hartă, muzeul este aproape.
According to the map, the museum is nearby.

După reguli, trebuie să așteptăm.
According to the rules, we have to wait.

The expression înainte de means “before.”

Mă spăl pe mâini înainte de masă.
I wash my hands before the meal.

Sună-mă înainte de plecare.
Call me before leaving.

Ajungem înainte de ora opt.
We will arrive before eight o’clock.

The word after înainte de usually appears in the accusative form.

The Prepositions “Sub,” “Peste,” and “Deasupra”

The preposition sub means “under” or “below.”

Pisica este sub masă.
The cat is under the table.

Cheia este sub pernă.
The key is under the pillow.

Copilul stă sub umbrelă.
The child is standing under the umbrella.

The preposition peste can mean “over,” “across,” “on top of,” “after,” or “more than,” depending on the sentence.

Podul trece peste râu.
The bridge goes over the river.

Pun haina peste scaun.
I am putting the coat over the chair.

Vin peste două ore.
I am coming in two hours.

Sunt peste o sută de persoane aici.
There are more than one hundred people here.

The word deasupra means “above” or “over.” It is often used in longer structures that take the genitive case.

Lampa este deasupra mesei.
The lamp is above the table.

Apartamentul este deasupra magazinului.
The apartment is above the shop.

Numele este scris deasupra ușii.
The name is written above the door.

The Prepositions “Lângă,” “Între,” and “Printre”

The preposition lângă means “next to,” “near,” or “beside.”

Banca este lângă parc.
The bank is next to the park.

Stau lângă prietenul meu.
I am sitting next to my friend.

Hotelul este lângă gară.
The hotel is near the station.

The preposition între means “between” or “among,” usually when referring to two or more people, places, or objects.

Cartea este între telefon și cheie.
The book is between the telephone and the key.

Stă între părinții lui.
He is sitting between his parents.

Este o diferență mare între cele două orașe.
There is a big difference between the two cities.

The preposition printre means “among,” “through,” or “between” when describing movement or position within a larger group.

Copilul aleargă printre copaci.
The child is running among the trees.

Mergem printre oameni.
We are walking through the people.

Am găsit fotografia printre documente.
I found the photograph among the documents.

The Prepositions “Până La” and “Spre”

The expression până la usually means “until,” “up to,” or “as far as.” It is commonly used with time, distance, and limits.

Lucrez până la ora cinci.
I work until five o’clock.

Mergem până la magazin.
We are going as far as the shop.

Așteaptă până la sfârșitul filmului.
Wait until the end of the film.

Până la vară, vreau să vorbesc mai bine română.
By summer, I want to speak Romanian better.

The preposition spre usually means “toward” or “in the direction of.”

Mergem spre centru.
We are going toward the centre.

Trenul pleacă spre București.
The train is leaving for Bucharest.

Privește spre fereastră.
He is looking toward the window.

The difference between la and spre is useful. La usually indicates a destination, while spre focuses more on direction.

Merg la gară.
I am going to the station.

Merg spre gară.
I am heading toward the station.

The second sentence does not necessarily mean the speaker will arrive at the station. It simply shows the direction of movement.

The Preposition “Către”

The preposition către also means “toward,” “to,” or “in the direction of.” It is often more formal than spre and is common in writing, official announcements, literature, and formal speech.

Trimite scrisoarea către director.
Send the letter to the director.

Mergem către ieșire.
We are going toward the exit.

Toți se uită către scenă.
Everyone is looking toward the stage.

In ordinary conversation, speakers often use spre more frequently for physical direction. However, către is important to recognise and use in more formal contexts.

Prepositions of Time

Romanian uses prepositions to show when something happens, how long it lasts, or the relationship between events in time.

The preposition în is used with months, years, seasons, and parts of the day.

În iulie mergem la mare.
In July, we are going to the seaside.

În anul două mii douăzeci și șase, încep un curs nou.
In the year two thousand and twenty-six, I am starting a new course.

În fiecare dimineață, beau cafea.
Every morning, I drink coffee.

The preposition la is used with precise clock times and certain moments.

Ne vedem la ora șapte.
We will see each other at seven o’clock.

Ajung la prânz.
I will arrive at noon.

Mă culc la miezul nopții.
I go to bed at midnight.

The preposition după means “after.”

După cină, ieșim la plimbare.
After dinner, we go for a walk.

The expression înainte de means “before.”

Înainte de curs, citesc lecția.
Before the lesson, I read the lesson.

The expression de la… până la… shows a period of time.

Lucrez de la nouă până la cinci.
I work from nine until five.

Magazinul este deschis de la luni până vineri.
The shop is open from Monday to Friday.

Prepositions of Movement

Romanian prepositions can show where movement begins, where it goes, and how it happens.

Merg din bucătărie în sufragerie.
I am going from the kitchen into the living room.

Pleacă de la birou la ora șase.
He leaves the office at six o’clock.

Intrăm în muzeu prin ușa principală.
We are entering the museum through the main door.

Trecem peste pod spre centru.
We are crossing over the bridge toward the centre.

The preposition prin means “through,” “via,” or “by means of.”

Mergem prin parc.
We are going through the park.

Am aflat vestea printr-un prieten.
I heard the news through a friend.

Rezervăm biletele prin internet.
We book the tickets through the internet.

The expression din… în… is especially useful for movement from one place to another.

Mut lucrurile din cameră în mașină.
I am moving the things from the room into the car.

Copiii intră din curte în casă.
The children are coming in from the yard into the house.

Genitive Prepositional Expressions

Some of the most common Romanian location and relation expressions are formed with a preposition-like word plus a noun in the genitive case. These expressions should be learned as complete units.

The expression în fața means “in front of.”

Taxiurile sunt în fața hotelului.
The taxis are in front of the hotel.

Copiii așteaptă în fața școlii.
The children are waiting in front of the school.

The expression în spatele means “behind.”

Grădina este în spatele casei.
The garden is behind the house.

Parcarea este în spatele clădirii.
The car park is behind the building.

The expression în jurul means “around.”

Sunt multe cafenele în jurul pieței.
There are many cafés around the square.

Mergem în jurul lacului.
We are walking around the lake.

The expression în mijlocul means “in the middle of.”

Statuia este în mijlocul parcului.
The statue is in the middle of the park.

El stă în mijlocul camerei.
He is standing in the middle of the room.

The expression la capătul means “at the end of.”

Magazinul este la capătul străzii.
The shop is at the end of the street.

Stația este la capătul drumului.
The station is at the end of the road.

Cause, Purpose, and Reason

Romanian prepositions can show why something happens or what purpose an action has.

The expression din cauza means “because of” and is usually used for a negative cause or an unwanted situation.

Din cauza traficului, ajung târziu.
Because of the traffic, I am arriving late.

Din cauza ploii, meciul este amânat.
Because of the rain, the match is postponed.

The expression datorită means “thanks to” and is usually used for a positive cause. It requires the dative case.

Datorită ajutorului tău, termin proiectul la timp.
Thanks to your help, I am finishing the project on time.

Datorită medicului, mă simt mai bine.
Thanks to the doctor, I feel better.

The preposition pentru can show purpose.

Învăț pentru examen.
I am studying for the examination.

Cumpăr un cadou pentru ziua ei de naștere.
I am buying a gift for her birthday.

Folosesc telefonul pentru muncă.
I use the telephone for work.

The preposition cu can also show manner or means.

Rezolv problema cu răbdare.
I solve the problem with patience.

Vorbește cu respect despre colegii ei.
She speaks respectfully about her colleagues.

Dative Prepositions

Several Romanian prepositions are followed by the dative case. They are more formal than ordinary accusative prepositions, but they are important for reading and writing.

The preposition datorită means “thanks to.”

Datorită profesorului, am trecut examenul.
Thanks to the teacher, I passed the examination.

The preposition grație also means “thanks to,” often in a more formal style.

Grație experienței sale, găsește repede o soluție.
Thanks to his experience, he quickly finds a solution.

The preposition mulțumită means “thanks to.”

Mulțumită prietenilor mei, am găsit un apartament.
Thanks to my friends, I found an apartment.

The preposition conform means “according to.”

Conform contractului, plata se face lunar.
According to the contract, payment is made monthly.

The preposition contrar means “contrary to.”

Contrar așteptărilor, trenul ajunge devreme.
Contrary to expectations, the train arrives early.

The preposition potrivit can mean “according to” or “in accordance with.”

Potrivit medicului, trebuie să mă odihnesc.
According to the doctor, I need to rest.

These forms are common in professional Romanian, reports, official letters, legal texts, journalism, and formal conversations.

Prepositions with Pronouns

After many prepositions, Romanian uses strong pronoun forms. These include mine, tine, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, and ele.

Vine cu mine la restaurant.
He is coming with me to the restaurant.

Cadoul este pentru tine.
The gift is for you.

Vorbește despre ea.
He is speaking about her.

Stăm între noi până începe filmul.
We are staying among ourselves until the film begins.

Merg cu voi la gară.
I am going with you to the station.

Nu plec fără ei.
I am not leaving without them.

The pronouns eu and tu are not normally used after prepositions. Romanian uses mine and tine instead.

Vine cu mine.
He is coming with me.

Acest mesaj este pentru tine.
This message is for you.

Common Fixed Prepositional Expressions

Romanian has many fixed expressions that include prepositions. Learning them as complete phrases helps learners sound more natural.

De obicei, merg pe jos la serviciu.
Usually, I walk to work.

Din când în când, mergem la restaurant.
From time to time, we go to a restaurant.

În față este o stație de autobuz.
There is a bus stop in front.

La început, exercițiul pare dificil.
At the beginning, the exercise seems difficult.

La sfârșit, verific răspunsurile.
At the end, I check the answers.

În general, îmi place să citesc.
In general, I like reading.

Pe de altă parte, este foarte scump.
On the other hand, it is very expensive.

De exemplu, putem merge mâine.
For example, we can go tomorrow.

Romanian adjectives are called adjective and they describe or give more information about nouns. They can show a person’s appearance, an object’s size, a place’s quality, someone’s character, a colour, a condition, an origin, or an opinion. In English, adjectives usually stay the same regardless of the noun. In Romanian, however, adjectives often change their ending to agree with the noun they describe.

This agreement is one of the central features of Romanian grammar. An adjective may change according to gender and number. A masculine singular noun usually needs one adjective form, a feminine singular noun another, a masculine plural noun another, and a feminine or neuter plural noun another. Learning adjectives together with their different forms is therefore much more useful than memorising only one dictionary form.

Băiatul este inteligent.
The boy is intelligent.

Fata este inteligentă.
The girl is intelligent.

Băieții sunt inteligenți.
The boys are intelligent.

Fetele sunt inteligente.
The girls are intelligent.

The adjective changes from inteligent to inteligentă, inteligenți, and inteligente. The meaning stays the same, but the ending changes to match the noun.

What Romanian Adjectives Describe

Adjectives can describe physical qualities, colours, personality, age, size, condition, nationality, material, and many other characteristics. They usually answer questions such as “what kind?”, “which one?”, or “what is it like?”

O casă mare este lângă parc.
A large house is next to the park.

Un câine prietenos aleargă în grădină.
A friendly dog is running in the garden.

Avem o zi frumoasă.
We are having a beautiful day.

Copiii poartă haine groase.
The children are wearing thick clothes.

In each example, the adjective gives additional information about the noun. The word mare describes the house, prietenos describes the dog, frumoasă describes the day, and groase describes the clothes.

Romanian adjectives can appear directly next to a noun or after the verb a fi, meaning “to be.” Both structures are very common.

Am un apartament mic.
I have a small apartment.

Apartamentul este mic.
The apartment is small.

In the first sentence, the adjective is part of the noun phrase. In the second sentence, the adjective comes after the verb and describes the subject.

Gender Agreement with Adjectives

Romanian nouns have three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun. Neuter nouns behave like masculine nouns in the singular and feminine nouns in the plural, so adjective agreement follows the same pattern.

A common adjective pattern has four forms: masculine singular, feminine singular, masculine plural, and feminine or neuter plural.

Un băiat bun ajută pe toată lumea.
A good boy helps everyone.

O fată bună ajută pe toată lumea.
A good girl helps everyone.

Doi băieți buni ajută pe toată lumea.
Two good boys help everyone.

Două fete bune ajută pe toată lumea.
Two good girls help everyone.

The adjective bun changes to bună, buni, and bune. This pattern is very common in Romanian and appears in many useful adjectives.

Un profesor atent explică lecția.
An attentive teacher explains the lesson.

O profesoară atentă explică lecția.
An attentive female teacher explains the lesson.

Profesorii atenți explică lecția.
The attentive teachers explain the lesson.

Profesoarele atente explică lecția.
The attentive female teachers explain the lesson.

The adjective atent follows the same general system: atent, atentă, atenți, and atente.

Neuter Nouns and Adjective Agreement

Neuter nouns are especially important when learning Romanian adjectives. A neuter noun behaves like a masculine noun in the singular but like a feminine noun in the plural. This affects the adjective form.

Un hotel modern este în centru.
A modern hotel is in the centre.

Două hoteluri moderne sunt în centru.
Two modern hotels are in the centre.

Un oraș frumos atrage turiști.
A beautiful city attracts tourists.

Orașele frumoase atrag turiști.
Beautiful cities attract tourists.

The singular adjective forms modern and frumos look masculine. The plural adjective forms moderne and frumoase look feminine. This is the normal pattern for neuter nouns.

It is useful to learn neuter nouns with both singular and plural examples. Instead of learning only one phrase, practise both forms together.

Un exercițiu ușor este util.
An easy exercise is useful.

Exercițiile ușoare sunt utile.
Easy exercises are useful.

Adjectives with One Form in the Singular

Not every Romanian adjective has a visibly different masculine and feminine singular form. Some adjectives use one form for both masculine and feminine singular nouns but change in the plural.

One common example is mare, meaning “big” or “large.”

Un oraș mare are multe magazine.
A large city has many shops.

O casă mare are multe camere.
A large house has many rooms.

Orașele mari au multe magazine.
Large cities have many shops.

Casele mari au multe camere.
Large houses have many rooms.

The adjective mare remains the same in the singular, but becomes mari in the plural.

Other adjectives can work in a similar way. Learners should not assume that every adjective has four fully different forms. The important principle is agreement, even when the written form happens to be identical.

Un copil fericit zâmbește.
A happy child smiles.

O femeie fericită zâmbește.
A happy woman smiles.

Copiii fericiți zâmbesc.
The happy children smile.

Femeile fericite zâmbesc.
The happy women smile.

Adjective Position in Romanian

Romanian adjectives usually come after the noun. This is the most neutral and common word order in everyday speech.

Am o carte interesantă.
I have an interesting book.

Cumpăr o rochie nouă.
I am buying a new dress.

Vedem un film lung.
We are watching a long film.

Locuiesc într-un oraș liniștit.
I live in a quiet city.

Putting the adjective after the noun is a safe and natural choice for learners. It is the usual order in ordinary conversation, descriptions, advertisements, and simple written texts.

Romanian can also place an adjective before a noun. This often creates emphasis, a more literary style, an emotional tone, or a fixed expression. The meaning may become more subjective or expressive.

Frumoasa zi de vară ne-a făcut să ieșim afară.
The beautiful summer day made us go outside.

Vechiul oraș păstrează multe clădiri istorice.
The old city preserves many historical buildings.

Bunul meu prieten locuiește în Iași.
My good friend lives in Iași.

When the adjective comes before a definite noun, the definite article is often attached to the adjective rather than the noun. In frumoasa zi, the adjective carries the definite ending. In vechiul oraș, the adjective carries the definite ending. This structure is common in literary writing, journalism, public speeches, and formal descriptions.

For everyday communication, learners can usually place the adjective after the noun without difficulty.

Ziua frumoasă ne-a făcut să ieșim afară.
The beautiful day made us go outside.

Orașul vechi păstrează multe clădiri istorice.
The old city preserves many historical buildings.

Attributive and Predicate Adjectives

An attributive adjective appears directly beside the noun. It forms part of the noun phrase and helps identify or describe the noun.

Am un coleg amabil.
I have a kind colleague.

Ea poartă o geantă neagră.
She is carrying a black bag.

Vizităm un muzeu important.
We are visiting an important museum.

A predicate adjective appears after a linking verb, especially a fi, meaning “to be.” It describes the subject after the verb.

Colegul meu este amabil.
My colleague is kind.

Geanta este neagră.
The bag is black.

Muzeul este important.
The museum is important.

In both structures, the adjective must agree with the noun. The difference is mainly sentence structure rather than meaning.

Adjective Endings in Romanian

Many Romanian adjectives follow predictable patterns. A large number of masculine singular adjectives end in a consonant, while their feminine singular form ends in -ă. Masculine plural forms often end in -i, and feminine or neuter plural forms often end in -e.

Un băiat înalt joacă baschet.
A tall boy plays basketball.

O fată înaltă joacă baschet.
A tall girl plays basketball.

Băieții înalți joacă baschet.
The tall boys play basketball.

Fetele înalte joacă baschet.
The tall girls play basketball.

The adjective înalt follows the familiar pattern înalt, înaltă, înalți, and înalte.

Another common adjective is mic, meaning “small.”

Un copil mic doarme.
A small child is sleeping.

O cameră mică este liberă.
A small room is free.

Copiii mici dorm.
The small children are sleeping.

Camerele mici sunt libere.
The small rooms are free.

The adjective mic becomes mică, mici, and mici. Here, the masculine plural and feminine plural forms are identical in spelling.

Adjectives Ending in -os

Many Romanian adjectives ending in -os follow a regular pattern. They often describe qualities, appearances, conditions, or characteristics.

Un peisaj frumos atrage vizitatori.
A beautiful landscape attracts visitors.

O floare frumoasă crește în grădină.
A beautiful flower grows in the garden.

Peisajele frumoase atrag vizitatori.
Beautiful landscapes attract visitors.

Florile frumoase cresc în grădină.
Beautiful flowers grow in the garden.

The adjective frumos changes to frumoasă, frumoși, and frumoase. The masculine plural form is useful when describing masculine plural nouns, especially people.

Bărbații frumoși apar în film.
The handsome men appear in the film.

Femeile frumoase apar în film.
The beautiful women appear in the film.

Other adjectives in this family include periculos, curajos, nervos, serios, and generos.

Un om curajos spune adevărul.
A brave person tells the truth.

O femeie curajoasă spune adevărul.
A brave woman tells the truth.

Oamenii curajoși spun adevărul.
Brave people tell the truth.

Femeile curajoase spun adevărul.
Brave women tell the truth.

Colours as Adjectives

Colours are a common group of Romanian adjectives. Most colours agree with the noun in gender and number.

Un perete alb luminează camera.
A white wall brightens the room.

O cămașă albă este pe pat.
A white shirt is on the bed.

Pereții albi luminează camera.
The white walls brighten the room.

Cămășile albe sunt pe pat.
The white shirts are on the bed.

The adjective alb changes to albă, albi, and albe.

Un scaun roșu este lângă masă.
A red chair is next to the table.

O rochie roșie este în dulap.
A red dress is in the wardrobe.

Scaunele roșii sunt lângă masă.
The red chairs are next to the table.

Rochiile roșii sunt în dulap.
The red dresses are in the wardrobe.

The adjective roșu changes to roșie, roșii, and roșii.

Some colour words are often invariable, especially borrowed colours. Common examples include gri, maro, mov, bleu, and kaki. These words usually remain unchanged regardless of the noun.

Un sacou gri este pe scaun.
A grey jacket is on the chair.

O geantă gri este pe scaun.
A grey bag is on the chair.

Pantofii gri sunt curați.
The grey shoes are clean.

Gențile maro sunt scumpe.
The brown bags are expensive.

Because these adjectives are usually invariable, the form stays the same even though the noun changes.

Adjectives for Size, Age, and Condition

Romanian adjectives are frequently used to describe size, age, condition, temperature, and general quality.

Un drum lung duce spre sat.
A long road leads toward the village.

O zi lungă poate fi obositoare.
A long day can be tiring.

Drumurile lungi pot fi dificile.
Long roads can be difficult.

Zilele lungi pot fi obositoare.
Long days can be tiring.

The adjective lung changes to lungă, lungi, and lungi.

Un telefon vechi nu funcționează bine.
An old telephone does not work well.

O fotografie veche este pe perete.
An old photograph is on the wall.

Telefoanele vechi nu funcționează bine.
Old telephones do not work well.

Fotografiile vechi sunt pe perete.
Old photographs are on the wall.

The adjective vechi remains the same in masculine and feminine singular, as well as in plural forms in many contexts. The agreement is still present grammatically, even when the spelling does not change.

Supa este caldă.
The soup is hot.

Ceaiul este cald.
The tea is hot.

Băuturile sunt calde.
The drinks are hot.

Mâncărurile sunt calde.
The foods are hot.

Adjectives and Definite Nouns

Romanian definite articles are normally attached to the end of nouns. When an adjective follows the noun, the noun usually carries the definite article.

Băiatul inteligent răspunde primul.
The intelligent boy answers first.

Fata inteligentă răspunde prima.
The intelligent girl answers first.

Hotelul modern este aproape de gară.
The modern hotel is near the station.

Casele vechi sunt renovate.
The old houses are being renovated.

When the adjective comes before a definite noun, the adjective may carry the article. This creates a more formal, literary, or emphatic style.

Inteligentul băiat răspunde primul.
The intelligent boy answers first.

Moderna clădire este aproape de gară.
The modern building is near the station.

This word order is not usually necessary for simple daily communication. It is more useful to recognise it when reading Romanian books, articles, historical texts, advertisements, and official writing.

Adjectives with Indefinite Articles

With indefinite nouns, the article appears before the noun, and the adjective usually follows the noun.

Un restaurant bun este aproape.
A good restaurant is nearby.

O cafenea liniștită este pe strada aceasta.
A quiet café is on this street.

Un apartament luminos costă mai mult.
A bright apartment costs more.

O cameră luminoasă costă mai mult.
A bright room costs more.

The indefinite articles un and o agree with the gender of the noun. The adjective also agrees with the noun.

Un copil vesel cântă.
A cheerful child sings.

O fată veselă cântă.
A cheerful girl sings.

Niște copii veseli cântă.
Some cheerful children are singing.

Niște fete vesele cântă.
Some cheerful girls are singing.

Adjectives Used with Numbers

When a Romanian noun appears with a number, the adjective still needs to agree with the noun. The number does not remove the need for agreement.

Doi băieți înalți joacă fotbal.
Two tall boys are playing football.

Două fete înalte joacă fotbal.
Two tall girls are playing football.

Trei hoteluri moderne sunt în centru.
Three modern hotels are in the centre.

Patru case frumoase sunt pe această stradă.
Four beautiful houses are on this street.

With neuter nouns, remember that the plural adjective usually takes the feminine plural form.

Două scaune comode sunt lângă fereastră.
Two comfortable chairs are next to the window.

Trei exerciții ușoare sunt pe pagină.
Three easy exercises are on the page.

Comparative Adjectives

Romanian uses comparative forms to compare people, objects, places, actions, or qualities. The most common comparative structure uses mai, meaning “more.”

Acest hotel este mai modern decât celălalt.
This hotel is more modern than the other one.

Camera aceasta este mai mare decât prima cameră.
This room is bigger than the first room.

Fata este mai atentă decât fratele ei.
The girl is more attentive than her brother.

The word decât usually means “than” after a comparative adjective.

For comparisons of equality, Romanian often uses la fel de, meaning “as … as.”

Această carte este la fel de interesantă ca cealaltă.
This book is as interesting as the other one.

Orașul este la fel de aglomerat ca anul trecut.
The city is as busy as last year.

To say that something is less than another thing in a particular quality, Romanian uses mai puțin.

Filmul este mai puțin lung decât romanul.
The film is less long than the novel.

Această problemă este mai puțin complicată decât prima.
This problem is less complicated than the first one.

Superlative Adjectives

Romanian forms the relative superlative with cel mai for masculine singular and neuter singular nouns, cea mai for feminine singular nouns, cei mai for masculine plural nouns, and cele mai for feminine and neuter plural nouns.

Acesta este cel mai bun restaurant din oraș.
This is the best restaurant in the city.

Aceasta este cea mai bună cafenea din cartier.
This is the best café in the neighbourhood.

Ei sunt cei mai buni studenți din clasă.
They are the best students in the class.

Ele sunt cele mai bune eleve din clasă.
They are the best female pupils in the class.

The adjective must still agree with the noun after the superlative structure.

Acesta este cel mai frumos parc din oraș.
This is the most beautiful park in the city.

Aceasta este cea mai frumoasă grădină din oraș.
This is the most beautiful garden in the city.

Acestea sunt cele mai frumoase locuri din regiune.
These are the most beautiful places in the region.

Romanian can also form an absolute superlative with foarte, meaning “very.”

Este un film foarte bun.
It is a very good film.

Este o idee foarte bună.
It is a very good idea.

Sunt niște oameni foarte amabili.
They are very kind people.

Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms. These are common words and should be learned as complete expressions.

The adjective bun becomes mai bun in the comparative and cel mai bun in the superlative.

Acest plan este mai bun decât primul.
This plan is better than the first one.

Acesta este cel mai bun plan.
This is the best plan.

The adjective rău becomes mai rău and cel mai rău.

Vremea este mai rea astăzi.
The weather is worse today.

Aceasta este cea mai rea problemă.
This is the worst problem.

The adjective mic can become mai mic or, in some common expressions, mai mic rather than using a completely irregular English-style form such as “smaller.”

Apartamentul este mai mic decât casa.
The apartment is smaller than the house.

Aceasta este cea mai mică problemă.
This is the smallest problem.

Adjectives as Nouns

Romanian adjectives can sometimes be used as nouns. This happens especially when talking about groups of people, abstract ideas, or people with a certain characteristic. The adjective may receive a definite article and act as the main word in the phrase.

Bogații au alte probleme.
Rich people have different problems.

Săracii au nevoie de ajutor.
Poor people need help.

Tinerii ies des în oraș.
Young people often go out in the city.

Bătrânii merită respect.
Elderly people deserve respect.

These forms are common in news articles, social discussions, formal writing, and general statements. The adjective functions as a noun because it refers to people as a group.

Romanian also uses neuter adjective forms to express abstract ideas.

Binele este important în orice societate.
Goodness is important in every society.

Răul poate avea consecințe grave.
Evil can have serious consequences.

Frumosul este diferit pentru fiecare persoană.
Beauty is different for each person.

Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives show ownership or relationship. They agree with the noun that is owned, not with the person who owns it. This is an important rule for English speakers.

Fratele meu locuiește în București.
My brother lives in Bucharest.

Sora mea locuiește în București.
My sister lives in Bucharest.

Prietenii mei locuiesc în București.
My friends live in Bucharest.

Prietenele mele locuiesc în București.
My female friends live in Bucharest.

The forms meu, mea, mei, and mele all mean “my,” but they match the gender and number of the noun.

Tatăl tău este acasă.
Your father is at home.

Mama ta este acasă.
Your mother is at home.

Părinții tăi sunt acasă.
Your parents are at home.

Surorile tale sunt acasă.
Your sisters are at home.

Possessive adjectives are often used with the definite article in Romanian.

Cartea mea este pe masă.
My book is on the table.

Mașina noastră este în garaj.
Our car is in the garage.

Prietenii voștri vin diseară.
Your friends are coming this evening.

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives point to a specific noun. They correspond to words such as “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” in English.

Acest restaurant este foarte popular.
This restaurant is very popular.

Această stradă este liniștită.
This street is quiet.

Acești copii sunt foarte energici.
These children are very energetic.

Aceste case sunt foarte vechi.
These houses are very old.

The forms acest, această, acești, and aceste agree with the noun. They are often placed before the noun.

Romanian also has forms for things that are further away or less immediate in the conversation.

Acel hotel este foarte scump.
That hotel is very expensive.

Acea clădire este foarte înaltă.
That building is very tall.

Acei oameni sunt prietenoși.
Those people are friendly.

Acele flori sunt frumoase.
Those flowers are beautiful.

Multiple Adjectives with One Noun

Romanian can use more than one adjective to describe a noun. The adjectives usually come after the noun and are often connected with commas or conjunctions.

Am o cameră mică, luminoasă și liniștită.
I have a small, bright, and quiet room.

Căutăm un restaurant bun, ieftin și aproape.
We are looking for a good, cheap, and nearby restaurant.

Este un profesor calm, atent și răbdător.
He is a calm, attentive, and patient teacher.

When several adjectives describe one noun, each adjective should agree with that noun.

Este o profesoară calmă, atentă și răbdătoare.
She is a calm, attentive, and patient teacher.

Sunt niște profesori calmi, atenți și răbdători.
They are calm, attentive, and patient teachers.

Adjectives in Romanian

Romanian adverbs are called adverbe. An adverb is a word that gives more information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or sometimes an entire sentence. Adverbs can explain how an action happens, where it happens, when it happens, how often it happens, how much, to what degree, or with what level of certainty.

Vorbește clar.
He or she speaks clearly.

Lucrez aici.
I work here.

Plec mâine.
I am leaving tomorrow.

Învață foarte repede.
He or she learns very quickly.

In the first sentence, clar explains how someone speaks. In the second, aici explains where the action happens. In the third, mâine explains when the action will happen. In the fourth, foarte intensifies the adverb repede.

Adverbs are especially useful because they help you make Romanian sentences more precise. Instead of saying only that someone works, you can explain where, when, how, and how often the person works.

Lucrează.
He or she works.

Lucrează atent la birou în fiecare dimineață.
He or she works carefully at the office every morning.

The second sentence gives much more information. It tells you how the person works, where the person works, and when the action usually happens.

What Adverbs Can Describe

Romanian adverbs can modify different parts of a sentence. Most commonly, they describe verbs.

Merg repede.
I walk quickly.

Ajunge târziu.
He or she arrives late.

Locuim aproape.
We live nearby.

An adverb can also describe an adjective by showing degree or intensity.

Este foarte obosit.
He is very tired.

Camera este destul de mare.
The room is quite large.

Este prea scump.
It is too expensive.

Adverbs can also describe other adverbs.

Vorbește foarte încet.
He or she speaks very slowly.

Alergă extrem de repede.
He or she runs extremely quickly.

Ajung surprinzător de devreme.
I arrive surprisingly early.

Finally, some adverbs comment on the whole sentence by expressing certainty, possibility, opinion, or a connection between ideas.

Probabil vine mâine.
He or she will probably come tomorrow.

Desigur, vă ajut.
Of course, I will help you.

Din fericire, am găsit hotelul.
Fortunately, I found the hotel.

Poate plouă diseară.
Maybe it will rain this evening.

Adverbs and Adjectives

Romanian adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs usually describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. This difference is important because many Romanian adverbs look identical to masculine singular adjectives.

Este un restaurant bun.
It is a good restaurant.

Gătește bine.
He or she cooks well.

In the first sentence, bun is an adjective because it describes the noun restaurant. In the second sentence, bine is an adverb because it describes how someone cooks.

Another common example is frumos.

Este o zi frumoasă.
It is a beautiful day.

Cântă frumos.
He or she sings beautifully.

In the first sentence, frumoasă describes the noun zi. In the second sentence, frumos describes the verb cântă.

Romanian often uses the masculine singular adjective form as an adverb.

Un răspuns clar.
A clear answer.

Explică clar.
He or she explains clearly.

Un drum lung.
A long road.

Lucrează mult.
He or she works a lot.

O mașină rapidă.
A fast car.

Conduce rapid.
He or she drives quickly.

You should pay attention to the role of the word in the sentence rather than only its form.

Adverbs of Manner

Adverbs of manner explain how an action happens. They answer questions such as “How?”, “In what way?”, or “With what attitude?”

Common Romanian adverbs of manner include bine, rău, repede, încet, clar, atenți, frumos, ușor, greu, corect, greșit, direct, serios, calm, and politicos.

Vorbește clar.
He or she speaks clearly.

Conduce atent.
He or she drives carefully.

Lucrează serios.
He or she works seriously.

Merge încet.
He or she walks slowly.

Explică foarte bine.
He or she explains very well.

Răspunde politicos.
He or she answers politely.

The position of an adverb of manner is often after the verb or after the direct object.

Scrie frumos.
He or she writes beautifully.

Citește textul cu atenție.
He or she reads the text carefully.

Face exercițiile corect.
He or she does the exercises correctly.

Completează formularul rapid.
He or she completes the form quickly.

Some expressions of manner use a preposition and noun rather than a single adverb.

Vorbește cu grijă.
He or she speaks carefully.

Lucrează cu atenție.
He or she works carefully.

Răspunde cu calm.
He or she answers calmly.

Merge cu viteză.
He or she moves quickly.

These expressions are useful when no simple adverb sounds natural in the situation.

“Bine” and “Rău”

The adverbs bine and rău are among the most important Romanian adverbs. Bine means “well,” while rău can mean “badly,” “poorly,” “bad,” or “unwell,” depending on the context.

Vorbesc bine română.
I speak Romanian well.

Cântă foarte bine.
He or she sings very well.

Lucrăm bine împreună.
We work well together.

Nu mă simt bine.
I do not feel well.

The phrase mă simt bine is very common and means “I feel well” or “I feel good.”

Mă simt foarte bine astăzi.
I feel very well today.

Te simți bine?
Do you feel well?

Nu se simte bine.
He or she does not feel well.

The word rău is used in similar situations.

Vorbește rău despre colegii lui.
He or she speaks badly about his or her colleagues.

Am dormit rău noaptea trecută.
I slept badly last night.

Nu mă simt rău.
I do not feel unwell.

Mă doare rău capul.
My head hurts badly.

The phrase a face rău can mean “to harm” or “to make someone feel unwell.”

Fumatul face rău sănătății.
Smoking is harmful to health.

Cafeaua îmi face rău seara.
Coffee makes me feel unwell in the evening.

“Repede,” “Încet,” and Speed

The adverbs repede and încet describe speed. Repede means “quickly” or “fast,” while încet means “slowly,” “quietly,” or “softly,” depending on the context.

Aleargă repede.
He or she runs quickly.

Vino repede.
Come quickly.

Terminăm repede.
We are finishing quickly.

Vorbește încet.
He or she speaks slowly.

Mergi mai încet.
Walk more slowly.

Închide ușa încet.
Close the door quietly.

The word încet can refer to low volume as well as slow movement.

Vorbește mai încet, te rog.
Please speak more quietly.

Muzica se aude încet.
The music can be heard quietly.

Citește încet ca să înțelegem.
Read slowly so that we understand.

The phrase mai repede means “faster” or “more quickly.”

Vorbesc mai repede decât tine.
I speak faster than you.

Poți merge mai repede?
Can you walk faster?

Trenul ajunge mai repede cu această rută.
The train arrives faster by this route.

“Ușor” and “Greu”

The adverbs ușor and greu describe the level of difficulty or the manner in which something happens. Ușor can mean “easily,” “lightly,” or “gently.” Greu can mean “with difficulty,” “heavily,” or “hard.”

Înțeleg ușor regula.
I understand the rule easily.

Deschide ușa ușor.
Open the door gently.

Găsim ușor hotelul.
We find the hotel easily.

Respiră greu.
He or she breathes with difficulty.

Învață greu noile cuvinte.
He or she learns the new words with difficulty.

Bagajul cade greu.
The luggage falls heavily.

The adjective and adverb forms may look identical.

Este un exercițiu ușor.
It is an easy exercise.

Rezolv exercițiul ușor.
I solve the exercise easily.

Este o problemă grea.
It is a difficult problem.

Înțeleg greu problema.
I understand the problem with difficulty.

Adverbs Ending in “-mente”

Romanian has some adverbs ending in -mente, similar to English adverbs ending in “-ly.” These often come from feminine adjective forms. They are more common in formal language, writing, reports, advertising, news, and carefully structured speech than in informal daily conversation.

Common examples include probabilmente, exactmente, normalmente, specialmente, directamente, realmente, seriosmente, and evidentmente. However, Romanian often prefers shorter alternatives such as probabil, exact, normal, special, direct, realmente, or evident, depending on the word and context.

A răspuns exact.
He or she answered exactly.

Probabil vine mâine.
He or she will probably come tomorrow.

Lucrează direct cu clienții.
He or she works directly with customers.

Este realmente important.
It is really important.

Normal, ajungem devreme.
Normally, we arrive early.

Some -mente adverbs are entirely natural and useful.

Explică clar și simplu.
He or she explains clearly and simply.

Răspunde politicos.
He or she answers politely.

Acționează responsabil.
He or she acts responsibly.

Analizează atent situația.
He or she analyses the situation carefully.

In Romanian, using the simple adverb often sounds more natural than using a longer -mente form. It is best to use the form that Romanian speakers normally choose for that expression.

Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place explain where an action happens, where someone or something is located, where someone is going, or where someone is coming from.

Common adverbs of place include aici, acolo, aici jos, aici sus, aproape, departe, afară, înăuntru, înainte, înapoi, sus, jos, pretutindeni, nicăieri, and undeva.

Lucrez aici.
I work here.

Stă acolo.
He or she stays there.

Așteptăm afară.
We are waiting outside.

Vino înăuntru.
Come inside.

Merg înainte.
I am going forward.

Se întoarce înapoi.
He or she is returning back.

Privește sus.
Look up.

Geanta este jos.
The bag is down.

Romanian often combines adverbs of place with movement verbs.

Vino aici.
Come here.

Du-te acolo.
Go there.

Ieși afară.
Go outside.

Intră înăuntru.
Come inside.

Urcă sus.
Go upstairs.

Coboară jos.
Go downstairs.

In formal or careful language, some combinations may seem repetitive because the verb already implies direction. In ordinary conversation, however, they are very common and natural.

“Aici,” “Acolo,” and Related Forms

The adverb aici means “here,” while acolo means “there.” These are among the most useful Romanian words for location.

Sunt aici.
I am here.

Este acolo.
He or she is there.

Aici este recepția.
Here is the reception desk.

Acolo este stația de autobuz.
There is the bus stop.

Romanian also uses longer forms to show a more specific location.

Stai aici jos.
Stay down here.

Mergem acolo sus.
We are going up there.

Lasă bagajul aici.
Leave the luggage here.

Pune cartea acolo.
Put the book there.

The forms aici and acolo can come at the beginning or end of the sentence, depending on emphasis.

Aici lucrez eu.
This is where I work.

Eu lucrez aici.
I work here.

Acolo mergem mâine.
That is where we are going tomorrow.

Mergem acolo mâine.
We are going there tomorrow.

“Aproape” and “Departe”

The adverb aproape means “near,” “nearby,” or “almost.” The adverb departe means “far” or “far away.”

Locuiesc aproape.
I live nearby.

Hotelul este aproape de gară.
The hotel is near the station.

Stăm departe de centru.
We are staying far from the centre.

Aeroportul este foarte departe.
The airport is very far away.

The word aproape can also mean “almost.”

Am terminat aproape tot.
I have finished almost everything.

Este aproape gata.
It is almost ready.

Aproape am pierdut trenul.
I almost missed the train.

The meaning depends on context. When aproape is followed by de, it normally refers to physical distance.

Muzeul este aproape de parc.
The museum is near the park.

When it stands before a verb, adjective, quantity, or pronoun, it often means “almost.”

Aproape uitasem cheia.
I had almost forgotten the key.

Sunt aproape pregătit.
I am almost ready.

“Afară” and “Înăuntru”

The adverb afară means “outside” or “outdoors.” The adverb înăuntru means “inside” or “indoors.”

Este frig afară.
It is cold outside.

Așteaptă afară.
Wait outside.

Copiii se joacă afară.
The children are playing outside.

Intră înăuntru.
Come inside.

Este cald înăuntru.
It is warm inside.

Rămânem înăuntru din cauza ploii.
We are staying inside because of the rain.

The phrase afară din means “outside of” or “out of.”

Ieși afară din cameră.
Go out of the room.

Scoate cartea afară din geantă.
Take the book out of the bag.

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time explain when something happens, how long it happens, how recently it happened, or in what order events occur.

Common adverbs of time include acum, astăzi, mâine, ieri, alaltăieri, poimâine, devreme, târziu, curând, deja, încă, apoi, atunci, imediat, mereu, recent, and odată.

Lucrez acum.
I am working now.

Plec mâine.
I am leaving tomorrow.

Am fost acolo ieri.
I was there yesterday.

Ajungem poimâine.
We are arriving the day after tomorrow.

A venit devreme.
He or she came early.

A plecat târziu.
He or she left late.

Time adverbs can appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence.

Mâine merg la medic.
Tomorrow I am going to the doctor.

Merg mâine la medic.
I am going to the doctor tomorrow.

Merg la medic mâine.
I am going to the doctor tomorrow.

All three structures are correct, but the first gives the strongest emphasis to the time.

“Acum,” “Atunci,” and “Imediat”

The adverb acum means “now.” It can refer to the exact present moment or to a current period.

Sunt ocupat acum.
I am busy now.

Acum înțeleg.
Now I understand.

Nu pot vorbi acum.
I cannot talk now.

Acum două zile am primit mesajul.
I received the message two days ago.

The phrase acum două zile means “two days ago,” while peste două zile means “in two days.”

Peste două zile plecăm.
We are leaving in two days.

The adverb atunci means “then,” “at that time,” or “in that case.”

Atunci eram acasă.
I was at home then.

Dacă este târziu, atunci plecăm.
If it is late, then we are leaving.

Atunci nu știam adevărul.
At that time, I did not know the truth.

The adverb imediat means “immediately” or “right away.”

Vin imediat.
I am coming immediately.

Sună imediat la recepție.
Call reception immediately.

Am răspuns imediat.
I answered immediately.

“Deja,” “Încă,” and “Mai”

The adverbs deja, încă, and mai are extremely common and can change the meaning of a sentence significantly.

Deja means “already.”

Am terminat deja.
I have already finished.

A plecat deja.
He or she has already left.

Deja este târziu.
It is already late.

Încă can mean “still” or “yet,” depending on whether the sentence is affirmative or negative.

Încă lucrez.
I am still working.

Încă plouă.
It is still raining.

Nu am primit încă răspunsul.
I have not received the answer yet.

Nu este gata încă.
It is not ready yet.

The word mai has several meanings, including “more,” “again,” “still,” and “anymore” in negative sentences.

Mai vreau o cafea.
I want another coffee.

Mai citesc o pagină.
I am reading one more page.

Mai stai puțin?
Are you staying a little longer?

Nu mai lucrez acolo.
I no longer work there.

Nu mai plouă.
It is not raining anymore.

The phrase nu mai usually means “no longer” or “not anymore.”

Nu mai locuiesc în acel oraș.
I no longer live in that city.

Nu mai avem timp.
We no longer have time.

“Devreme,” “Târziu,” “Curând,” and “Recent”

The adverb devreme means “early,” while târziu means “late.”

Mă trezesc devreme.
I wake up early.

Trenul pleacă devreme.
The train leaves early.

Ajunge târziu.
He or she arrives late.

Este prea târziu acum.
It is too late now.

The adverb curând means “soon.”

Voi reveni curând.
I will return soon.

Vom primi un răspuns curând.
We will receive an answer soon.

Se va face curând ora zece.
It will soon be ten o’clock.

The adverb recent means “recently.”

Am vorbit recent cu ea.
I spoke with her recently.

Recent, s-a mutat într-un apartament nou.
Recently, he or she moved into a new apartment.

Am citit recent un articol interesant.
I recently read an interesting article.

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency explain how often something happens. They are important when you describe routines, habits, work, travel, preferences, and repeated actions.

Common frequency adverbs include întotdeauna, mereu, de obicei, adesea, des, uneori, câteodată, rar, rareori, aproape niciodată, and niciodată.

Întotdeauna verific ușa înainte să plec.
I always check the door before I leave.

Mereu uit unde pun cheia.
I always forget where I put the key.

De obicei, beau cafea dimineața.
Usually, I drink coffee in the morning.

Adesea merg pe jos la serviciu.
I often walk to work.

Uneori lucrez de acasă.
Sometimes I work from home.

Rareori merg la cinema.
I rarely go to the cinema.

Nu întârzii niciodată.
I am never late.

The exact position of these adverbs can vary. They often appear before the main verb or at the beginning of the sentence.

De obicei, ajung devreme.
Usually, I arrive early.

Ajung de obicei devreme.
I usually arrive early.

Uneori citesc seara.
Sometimes I read in the evening.

Citesc uneori seara.
I sometimes read in the evening.

With the verb a fi, the frequency adverb often comes after the verb.

Este întotdeauna politicos.
He is always polite.

Sunt uneori obosit seara.
I am sometimes tired in the evening.

Hotelul este rareori plin iarna.
The hotel is rarely full in winter.

“Întotdeauna,” “Mereu,” and “Tot Timpul”

The adverbs întotdeauna, mereu, and the expression tot timpul can all mean “always,” but they have slightly different tones.

Întotdeauna ajung la timp.
I always arrive on time.

Mereu vorbește despre muncă.
He or she is always talking about work.

Stă tot timpul pe telefon.
He or she is on the telephone all the time.

Întotdeauna is neutral and widely useful. Mereu can sound more conversational or more emphatic. Tot timpul often suggests continuity and may express annoyance, depending on tone.

Mereu întârzie.
He or she is always late.

Vorbește tot timpul.
He or she talks all the time.

“Uneori,” “Câteodată,” and “Din Când în Când”

The adverbs uneori and câteodată mean “sometimes.” The phrase din când în când means “from time to time” or “occasionally.”

Uneori lucrez până târziu.
Sometimes I work until late.

Câteodată merg la mare în weekend.
Sometimes I go to the seaside at the weekend.

Din când în când, mănânc la restaurant.
From time to time, I eat at a restaurant.

Uneori nu înțeleg toate cuvintele.
Sometimes I do not understand all the words.

Câteodată plouă mult primăvara.
Sometimes it rains a lot in spring.

The expressions are similar, but din când în când usually suggests less frequent events than uneori.

“Rar,” “Rareori,” and “Aproape Niciodată”

The adverb rar means “rarely” or “seldom.” Rareori also means “rarely,” often with a slightly more formal tone. Aproape niciodată means “almost never.”

Rar merg la cinema.
I rarely go to the cinema.

Rareori cumpăr haine online.
I rarely buy clothes online.

Aproape niciodată nu întârzie.
He or she is almost never late.

Rar plouă în această perioadă.
It rarely rains during this period.

Rareori vorbim despre acel subiect.
We rarely talk about that subject.

In negative contexts, Romanian normally uses nu together with niciodată.

Nu merg niciodată acolo.
I never go there.

Nu uit niciodată numele oamenilor.
I never forget people’s names.

Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree show intensity, quantity, extent, or level. They can describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Common adverbs of degree include foarte, prea, destul de, extrem de, atât de, cam, aproape, mai, mult, puțin, tot, and complet.

Este foarte cald.
It is very hot.

Camera este prea mică.
The room is too small.

Hotelul este destul de aproape.
The hotel is quite near.

Vorbește extrem de repede.
He or she speaks extremely quickly.

Este atât de frumos aici.
It is so beautiful here.

Sunt cam obosit.
I am rather tired.

These adverbs are important because they make descriptions more exact.

Este rece.
It is cold.

Este foarte rece.
It is very cold.

Este prea rece.
It is too cold.

Este destul de rece.
It is quite cold.

“Foarte,” “Prea,” and “Destul De”

The adverb foarte means “very.” It intensifies an adjective or adverb.

Este foarte interesant.
It is very interesting.

Vorbesc foarte clar.
I speak very clearly.

Mâncarea este foarte bună.
The food is very good.

The adverb prea means “too” or “excessively.” It often suggests that something is more than necessary, comfortable, acceptable, or desirable.

Este prea târziu.
It is too late.

Camera este prea scumpă.
The room is too expensive.

Vorbești prea repede.
You speak too quickly.

The phrase destul de means “quite,” “rather,” or “enough,” depending on context.

Este destul de aproape.
It is quite close.

Camera este destul de mare.
The room is quite large.

Vorbesc destul de bine română.
I speak Romanian fairly well.

Avem destul timp.
We have enough time.

“Mai,” “Cel Mai,” and Comparison

The adverb mai is used to form comparative expressions. It usually means “more” when placed before an adjective or adverb.

Vorbește mai clar.
He or she speaks more clearly.

Merg mai repede decât tine.
I walk faster than you.

Această cameră este mai mare.
This room is bigger.

Lucrează mai mult acum.
He or she works more now.

The phrase cel mai forms the superlative and means “the most.”

Vorbește cel mai clar din grup.
He or she speaks the most clearly in the group.

Este cel mai aproape hotel.
It is the nearest hotel.

Lucrează cel mai mult dintre toți.
He or she works the most of all.

With feminine and plural nouns or adjectives, the article may change form.

Este cea mai bună soluție.
It is the best solution.

Sunt cele mai ieftine bilete.
They are the cheapest tickets.

Aceștia sunt cei mai rapizi.
These are the fastest ones.

“Atât De,” “Așa De,” and Result Clauses

The expressions atât de and așa de mean “so” or “so much.” They are often used to intensify adjectives and adverbs.

Este atât de frumos aici.
It is so beautiful here.

Vorbește atât de repede.
He or she speaks so quickly.

Este așa de liniște în cameră.
It is so quiet in the room.

Mâncarea este așa de bună.
The food is so good.

These expressions can be followed by încât to show a result.

Vorbește atât de încet, încât nu îl aud.
He or she speaks so quietly that I cannot hear him or her.

Era atât de obosit, încât a adormit imediat.
He was so tired that he fell asleep immediately.

Plouă așa de tare, încât nu ieșim.
It is raining so heavily that we are not going out.

Adverbs of Quantity

Adverbs of quantity explain how much, how many, or to what extent something happens. Common examples include mult, puțin, destul, prea mult, mai mult, mai puțin, aproape tot, and deloc.

Lucrez mult.
I work a lot.

Dorm puțin.
I sleep little.

Mănâncă prea mult.
He or she eats too much.

Vorbim mai puțin acum.
We speak less now.

Am înțeles destul.
I understood enough.

Nu înțeleg deloc.
I do not understand at all.

The word mult can modify a verb.

Călătoresc mult.
I travel a lot.

It can also modify an adjective when combined with mai.

Este mult mai mare.
It is much bigger.

Vorbește mult mai clar acum.
He or she speaks much more clearly now.

The word puțin can mean “a little,” “little,” or “slightly.”

Așteaptă puțin.
Wait a little.

Vorbesc puțin română.
I speak a little Romanian.

Este puțin obosit.
He or she is slightly tired.

“Deloc” — Not at All

The adverb deloc means “at all” or “not at all.” It is normally used with nu.

Nu îmi place deloc această muzică.
I do not like this music at all.

Nu mă simt deloc bine.
I do not feel well at all.

Nu este deloc greu.
It is not difficult at all.

Nu înțeleg deloc explicația.
I do not understand the explanation at all.

Nu plouă deloc astăzi.
It is not raining at all today.

The word deloc makes the negative meaning stronger. It shows that there is no amount, no degree, or no occurrence of something.

Adverbs of Affirmation

Adverbs of affirmation express agreement, certainty, confirmation, or a positive answer. Common examples include da, desigur, bineînțeles, sigur, evident, într-adevăr, and exact.

Da, vin mâine.
Yes, I am coming tomorrow.

Desigur, vă ajut.
Of course, I will help you.

Bineînțeles că înțeleg.
Of course I understand.

Sigur că da.
Certainly.

Într-adevăr, este important.
Indeed, it is important.

Exact, aceasta este adresa.
Exactly, this is the address.

The expression sigur că da is especially common in conversation.

Sigur că da, puteți intra.
Of course, you can come in.

Sigur că da, vă trimit documentele.
Certainly, I will send you the documents.

Adverbs of Negation

Romanian has several important adverbs and expressions connected with negation. The main negative word is nu, but other words add more precise negative meaning.

Nu vin astăzi.
I am not coming today.

Nu văd nimic.
I do not see anything.

Nu vine nimeni.
No one is coming.

Nu merg nicăieri.
I am not going anywhere.

Nu întârzii niciodată.
I am never late.

The word niciodată means “never.”

Nu am fost niciodată acolo.
I have never been there.

The word nicăieri means “nowhere” or “anywhere” in a negative sentence.

Nu găsesc cheia nicăieri.
I cannot find the key anywhere.

The word nimic means “nothing” or “anything” in a negative sentence.

Nu am cumpărat nimic.
I did not buy anything.

The word nimeni means “nobody” or “no one.”

Nu mă așteaptă nimeni.
No one is waiting for me.

Adverbs of Doubt and Possibility

Adverbs of doubt and possibility show that something is uncertain, possible, likely, or only partly known. Common examples include poate, probabil, posibil, eventual, parcă, and aproximativ.

Poate vine mâine.
Maybe he or she will come tomorrow.

Probabil plouă diseară.
It will probably rain this evening.

Este posibil să întârzie.
It is possible that he or she will be late.

Eventual, putem pleca mai târziu.
Possibly, we can leave later.

Parcă este mai frig astăzi.
It seems colder today.

Ajung aproximativ la ora opt.
I will arrive at approximately eight o’clock.

The word poate can be an adverb meaning “maybe,” but it can also be a form of the verb a putea, meaning “can.” Context shows the difference.

Poate vine mâine.
Maybe he or she is coming tomorrow.

Poate să vină mâine.
He or she can come tomorrow.

The first sentence uses poate as an adverb of possibility. The second uses poate as a conjugated verb followed by să.

Sentence Adverbs

Sentence adverbs comment on the speaker’s attitude toward the entire statement. They can express certainty, opinion, emotion, connection, politeness, or evaluation.

Common sentence adverbs and expressions include din fericire, din păcate, probabil, desigur, evident, totuși, oricum, de fapt, în general, în mod normal, and în concluzie.

Din fericire, am găsit hotelul.
Fortunately, I found the hotel.

Din păcate, trenul a întârziat.
Unfortunately, the train was delayed.

De fapt, nu locuiește aici.
In fact, he or she does not live here.

Totuși, vrem să încercăm.
Nevertheless, we want to try.

Oricum, plecăm mâine.
Anyway, we are leaving tomorrow.

În general, restaurantele se deschid la prânz.
In general, restaurants open at noon.

These words often appear at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma in writing.

Probabil, vom ajunge târziu.
Probably, we will arrive late.

Desigur, puteți folosi cardul.
Of course, you can use a card.

În concluzie, trebuie să luăm o decizie.
In conclusion, we need to make a decision.

Interrogative Adverbs

Interrogative adverbs are used to ask questions. The most important Romanian interrogative adverbs are unde, când, cum, de ce, and cât.

Unde mergi?
Where are you going?