Pattern
Romanian is a pro-drop language: the subject pronoun is usually omitted because the verb ending already tells you who is doing the action. Sunt obosit = "I am tired" — no need for eu.
Explanation
Because Romanian verbs change their ending for each person (sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt), the subject pronoun becomes redundant in most sentences. Native speakers drop it. Vorbesc românește says "I speak Romanian" — the -esc ending already means "I." Saying Eu vorbesc românește is grammatically fine, but it places stress on eu and implies contrast ("I — as opposed to someone else — speak Romanian").
Use the pronoun only when you need emphasis, contrast, or disambiguation. After a question like "Cine vine?" (Who is coming?), the answer "Eu" is short for "Eu vin." When introducing yourself, "Eu sunt Maria" is normal because you're announcing who you are. But during a regular conversation, just say "Sunt Maria" or "Mă numesc Maria."
The same applies to all six persons. Mergem la mare = "We are going to the seaside." No noi needed. Sunt la birou = "I am at the office" OR "They are at the office," and context tells you which.
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Sunt acasă. | I am home. |
| Mergem la cinema. | We are going to the cinema. |
| Vorbesc românește. | I speak Romanian. |
| EU plătesc, nu tu. | I am paying, not you. (emphasis) |
| Cine vine? — Noi. | Who is coming? — Us. (contrast) |
Common mistakes
- Always including the pronoun: Sounds non-native and over-formal. Drop it unless you need emphasis.
- Dropping pronouns when meaning is ambiguous: Sunt could be "I am" or "they are." Add eu or ei if context isn't clear.
- Translating English literally: "I am happy" → just Sunt fericit, not Eu sunt fericit in normal speech.
Heritage learner note
Heritage speakers usually get this right by ear — you've heard your family drop pronouns thousands of times. The risk is the opposite direction: when you start studying Romanian formally, English-language textbooks may push you to include eu everywhere. Trust your ear. If your bunica didn't say eu, you don't need to either. Use the pronoun only when you'd naturally stress it in conversation.