Pattern
Verbs ending in -ea (a vedea, a plăcea, a putea) have a unique paradigm with stem changes. Example a plăcea: plac, placi, place, plăcem, plăceți, plac.
Explanation
The -ea verb class is small but contains very common verbs: a vedea (to see), a putea (to be able to), a plăcea (to please / like), a ședea (to sit). The infinitive ends in -ea, but the present stem often differs.
A plăcea is essential because it's how Romanians say "to like." It works inversely: Îmi place ___ literally means "___ pleases me," and the thing liked becomes the subject. Îmi place cafeaua (I like coffee — literally "Coffee pleases me"). The verb agrees with what's pleasing: Îmi plac merele (I like apples — plural).
A vedea: văd, vezi, vede, vedem, vedeți, văd. A putea: pot, poți, poate, putem, puteți, pot. These are all 1sg = 3pl pattern (one of Romanian's recurring features).
Conjugation
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu (I) | plac |
| tu (you, informal) | placi |
| el/ea (he/she) | place |
| noi (we) | plăcem |
| voi (you pl.) | plăceți |
| ei/ele (they) | plac |
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Îmi place cafeaua. | I like coffee. |
| Îmi plac merele. | I like apples. |
| Văd o pasăre afară. | I see a bird outside. |
| Nu pot veni mâine. | I can't come tomorrow. |
| Noi vedem filmul împreună. | We watch the movie together. |
Common mistakes
- Saying "iubesc cafeaua" for "I like coffee": Iubesc means "I love" (strong). For "like," use îmi place.
- Agreement on place: For plural things you like, use plac: Îmi plac filmele.
- Adding -esc to -ea verbs: Vedesc is wrong; the 1sg of a vedea is văd.