Pattern
For masculine proper names, use lui + name: cartea lui Ion (Ion's book). For feminine names, use the genitive form of the name: cartea Mariei (Maria's book).
Explanation
Romanian proper-name genitives split by gender. Masculine names keep their base form, preceded by the article lui: lui Ion, lui Andrei, lui Mihai. So casa lui Andrei (Andrei's house), prietenul lui Ion (Ion's friend). This lui is the masculine genitive-dative article — same form in both cases.
Feminine names add a genitive ending. Names ending in -a take -ei: Maria → Mariei, Ana → Anei, Elena → Elenei. So cartea Mariei (Maria's book), prietena Anei (Ana's friend). Names ending in other vowels follow similar patterns: Carmen → Carmenei.
Foreign names: for masculine foreign names, also use lui: cartea lui John, telefonul lui Smith. For feminine foreign names ending in -a, add -ei: cartea Sarei. For foreign names ending in consonants, conventions vary; lui is often used.
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Cartea lui Ion e pe masă. | Ion's book is on the table. |
| Casa Mariei e mare. | Maria's house is big. |
| Prietenul lui Andrei vine mâine. | Andrei's friend is coming tomorrow. |
| Telefonul Anei sună. | Ana's phone is ringing. |
| Bunica lui Mihai locuiește în Sibiu. | Mihai's grandmother lives in Sibiu. |
Common mistakes
- Adding "lui" to feminine names: Cartea lui Maria is non-standard; use cartea Mariei.
- Using nominative for feminine genitive: Cartea Maria is wrong; it's cartea Mariei.
- Dropping "lui" for masculine names: Cartea Ion is wrong; it must be cartea lui Ion.
Heritage learner note
Heritage speakers often use lui for both genders in casual speech (cartea lui Maria). This is colloquial but considered non-standard in writing and formal speech. The "proper" form for feminine names is the inflected genitive (Mariei, Anei, Elenei). Standard Romanian taught in schools strongly prefers the inflected form for women. When in doubt, use lui for masculine names and the inflected genitive for feminine names. Also, you may hear regional variants — Moldovans sometimes use a + genitive — but Mariei, Anei is the textbook standard.