Shopping in Romanian takes one question, a few numbers and a handful of polite phrases. The same words work in a supermarket, a bakery, a pharmacy or at a market stall. The currency is the leu, and the way Romanian puts numbers before lei is the one small rule worth learning before you pay.
Asking the price
Cât costă? (How much is it?) is the question you will use most. Point, or name the thing, and add vă rog to be polite.
Cât costă?
How much is it?
Cât costă un kilogram?
How much is a kilo?
E prea scump.
It's too expensive.
Aveți ceva mai ieftin?
Do you have anything cheaper?
Mă uit doar, mulțumesc.
I'm just looking, thank you.
Lei and bani
The Romanian currency is the leu (plural lei). One leu is 100 bani (singular ban). Coins are bani; notes go from 1 leu up to 500 lei.
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| un leu | one leu |
| doi lei | two lei |
| cinci lei | five lei |
| douăzeci de lei | twenty lei |
| o sută de lei | a hundred lei |
| o sută cinci lei | a hundred and five lei |
| cincizeci de bani | fifty bani, half a leu |
From twenty upwards, Romanian puts de between the number and the noun: douăzeci de lei, o sută de lei. Below twenty there is no de: doi lei, cinci lei, cincisprezece lei. In bigger numbers the last two digits decide (00 and 20 to 99 take de, 01 to 19 do not): o sută de lei, but o sută cinci lei. A price written 7,50 lei is said șapte lei și cincizeci de bani, or simply șapte cincizeci.
Paying
Most shops take cards, but markets and kiosks often prefer cash. At the till you will be asked whether you want a bag, and you will be given a receipt.
Pot plăti cu cardul?
Can I pay by card?
numerar
cash
Aveți mărunt?
Do you have small change?
restul
the change
Păstrați restul.
Keep the change.
bonul
the receipt
o pungă
a bag
Doriți pungă? (Would you like a bag?) is the question at almost every till. Da, vă rog or Nu, mulțumesc is all you need.
At the market
At a market (piață) prices are by the kilo, and you can ask for exactly what you want. Vendors are used to tasting and small talk; a greeting first, Bună ziua, makes everything easier.
un kilogram de roșii
a kilo of tomatoes
jumătate de kilogram
half a kilo
Pot să gust?
Can I taste it?
reducere
discount, sale
Further reading
- Banknotes and coins in circulation (opens in a new tab), from the National Bank of Romania.
- leu on dexonline (opens in a new tab), the dictionary entry for the currency.