Pattern
A avea (to have) in 1sg/2sg: eu am (I have), tu ai (you have). Used for possession and age.
Explanation
A avea is the second most important verb after a fi. In Romanian, a avea covers possession ("I have a car"), states ("I am hungry" = mi-e foame, but "I have ___" structures use am), and notably age: Am 30 de ani (I am 30 years old, literally "I have 30 years").
The first-person am is a single short syllable, easy to remember but easy to slur. The second-person ai is a diphthong glide ("eye" sound). Don't split it into "a-i" — it's one quick syllable.
Like a fi, a avea is heavily irregular. Once you know am and ai, the third-person singular is are (he/she has). The plural forms (avem, aveți, au) come next. These two singular forms alone unlock dozens of useful sentences: Am o întrebare (I have a question), Ai timp? (Do you have time?), Am 30 de ani (I'm 30).
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| Eu am o pisică. | I have a cat. |
| Tu ai mașină? | Do you have a car? |
| Am o întrebare. | I have a question. |
| Ai timp acum? | Do you have time now? |
| Am 30 de ani. | I am 30 years old. |
Common mistakes
- Saying "eu are": Third-person are never goes with eu. It's eu am.
- Pronouncing "ai" as two syllables: It's one — like English "eye."
- Translating "I am 30" literally: Romanian uses am (have), not sunt (am). Sunt 30 de ani is wrong.