Guide di grammatica rumena

Romanian stress is usually on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable, but many common words break the rule. There are no written accent marks, so stress…

Romanian has four common diphthongs: ea, oa, ie, ia. Each is one syllable, two glided vowels.

Cardinal numerals 1–10 are unique words; 11–19 use the structure digit + spre + zece ("digit on top of ten"). Numerals one and two agree in gender.

The verb a fi (to be) has three irregular singular forms: sunt (I am), ești (you are), este/e (he/she is).

din + country/city = "from" (origin). Example: "Eu sunt din România."

Nationality adjectives agree with the speaker's gender: român (masc.) / româncă (fem.), american / americancă, francez / franțuzoaică.

The verb a fi (to be) is irregular across all six persons. Singular: sunt, ești, este/e. Plural: suntem, sunteți, sunt.

Subject pronouns: eu (I), tu (you sg. informal), el (he), ea (she), noi (we), voi (you pl.), ei (they masc./mixed), ele (they fem.).

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…

Possessive adjectives agree with the possessed noun: meu (masc. sg.), mea (fem. sg.), mei (masc. pl.), mele (fem. pl.). Position: usually AFTER the noun with…

A avea (to have) in 1sg/2sg: eu am (I have), tu ai (you have). Used for possession and age.

Age is expressed with a avea, not a fi: Am X ani ("I have X years") = "I am X years old."

Tens are built on -zeci ("tens"): douăzeci (20), treizeci (30)… nouăzeci (90), o sută (100). In-between numbers use și: douăzeci și cinci (25).

Verbs ending in -i in the infinitive (a locui, a vorbi, a citi) follow a regular pattern: stem + -esc, -ești, -ește, -im, -iți, -esc in the present tense.

în + city/country name = "in" (location). Example: "Locuiesc în București."

The indefinite article is un (masculine) or o (feminine): un băiat (a boy), o fată (a girl). Plural: niște (some).

Romanian nouns form their plural with three main endings: -e, -uri, or -i. The choice depends on the noun's gender and shape: masculine often takes -i…

Romanian places the definite article at the end of the noun as a suffix: băiat (a boy) → băiatul (the boy), fată (a girl) → fata (the girl), casă → casa…

Câți (masc.) / câte (fem.) + noun = "how many ?" Example: Câți ani ai? (How many years do you have?) — How old are you?

Trebuie să + subjunctive verb = "must / have to ." Trebuie să plec (I must leave). At A1, recognize the pattern — full production comes at B1.

O sută (100), două sute (200) … nouă sute (900), o mie (1000). For compound numbers: o sută douăzeci și cinci (125).

Cât costă ? = "How much does cost?" Answer: Costă lei.

A bea (to drink) is irregular in the present tense. Singular: beau, bei, bea. Plural: bem, beți, beau.

A mânca (to eat) is a regular -a verb. Singular: mănânc, mănânci, mănâncă. Plural: mâncăm, mâncați, mănâncă.

States like hunger, thirst, sleepiness use mi-e + noun: mi-e foame (I'm hungry), mi-e sete (I'm thirsty), mi-e somn (I'm sleepy).

Aș vrea + noun/infinitive = "I would like ." The polite way to order or request. At A1, recognize the pattern; production comes later.

Fără + noun = "without ." Example: O cafea fără zahăr (a coffee without sugar).

For a specific date, use pe + day + month: pe 15 martie (on March 15th).

The four seasons: primăvară (spring), vară (summer), toamnă (autumn), iarnă (winter). With "in": primăvara, vara, toamna, iarna (definite article = "in…

Affirmative imperatives: singular often = 2nd person present (vino!, mergi!), plural usually = 2nd person plural (veniți!, mergeți!).

Quantities use de between the measure and the substance: un kilogram de roșii (a kilo of tomatoes), o sticlă de apă (a bottle of water).

Cât e ceasul? = "What time is it?" Answer: E ora (it's o'clock) or E și un sfert / și jumătate / fără un sfert.

Time of day uses the definite article on the noun: dimineața (in the morning), seara (in the evening), noaptea (at night). No preposition needed.

Reflexive verbs take a reflexive clitic before the verb that matches the subject: mă, te, se, ne, vă, se. Example: a se trezi (to wake up) → eu mă trezesc, tu…

Verbs with infinitive in -e (a merge, a face, a spune) take present endings: -, -i, -e, -em, -eți, - (often with stem changes).

în + month name = "in [month]." Example: în martie (in March), în iunie (in June).

în + season (with definite article) = "in [season]." Example: în primăvară (in spring), în iarnă (in winter).

pe + day + month = "on [date]." Example: pe 15 martie (on March 15th), pe 7 august (on August 7th).

Ordinals agree in gender: primul / prima (first), al doilea / a doua (second), al treilea / a treia (third). Masculine uses al -lea; feminine uses a -a.

Weather verbs are impersonal — used only in the third person singular: plouă (it's raining), ninge (it's snowing), e cald (it's hot), e frig (it's cold).

Ce vreme e? / Cum e vremea? = "What's the weather like?" Answer: E + adjective or Plouă / Ninge.

Unde = where; cum = how. Place at the start of the question: Unde ești? (Where are you?), Cum te simți? (How do you feel?).

A merge (to go) is technically an -e verb but with stem stress and some irregular features. Present: merg, mergi, merge, mergem, mergeți, merg.

Imperative of a merge: singular mergi! (go!), plural mergeți!. Imperative of a întoarce: singular întoarce!, plural întoarceți! (used with reflexive…

Place prepositions: lângă (next to), în fața (in front of), în spatele (behind), pe (on), sub (under), între (between).

Aș dori + noun/infinitive = "I would like " (very polite, slightly more formal than aș vrea).

Cât costă ? = "How much does cost?" Singular subject takes costă; plural also takes costă in casual speech.

O să + subjunctive verb = future tense ("I will "). O să merg la magazin (I'll go to the store). At A1, recognize the pattern; full production at A2.

States and feelings use mi-e / ți-e / îi e / ne e / vă e / le e + noun: mi-e rău (I feel sick), mi-e foame (I'm hungry), mi-e sete (I'm thirsty), mi-e somn…

Mă doare + body part = "my hurts." Mă doare capul (My head hurts), Mă doare stomacul (My stomach hurts). The body part takes the definite article.

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.

Adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: un băiat bun (a good boy), o fată bună (a good girl), doi băieți buni (two good boys), două fete bune…

A-i plăcea (to like) is an inverted dative experiencer verb. The thing liked is the subject; the experiencer takes a dative clitic: Îmi place cafeaua (I like…

Dative clitic pronouns: îmi (to me), îți (to you), îi (to him/her), ne (to us), vă (to you pl.), le (to them). They go BEFORE the verb: Îmi dai cartea? (Give…

Perfect compus = present of a avea (auxiliary) + past participle. Am mers (I went), Ai mâncat (You ate), A spus (He/she said).

Past participles are formed by adding a suffix to the verb stem: -at (a-verbs), -ut (most e/ea-verbs), -it (i-verbs). Many irregular: a face → făcut, a merge…

A avea (to have) is irregular. Present: am, ai, are, avem, aveți, au.

Past time expressions: ieri (yesterday), alaltăieri (the day before yesterday), acum o săptămână (a week ago), weekend-ul trecut (last weekend), anul trecut…

Imperfect tense is formed from the verb stem + endings -am, -ai, -a, -am, -ați, -au. Example a vorbi: vorbeam, vorbeai, vorbea, vorbeam, vorbeați, vorbeau.

Imperfect = ongoing, habitual, or background past ("I was doing," "I used to do"). Perfect compus = completed past action ("I did," "I have done"). They often…

The vocative is the case used to address someone directly. Forms: masc. names → -e (Ioane!), fem. names → -o (Mario!), nouns → -ule/-o (băiatule!, mamă!).

The genitive-dative case of definite nouns is formed by changing the article ending: masc. băiatul → băiatului (of/to the boy), fem. fata → fetei (of/to the…

Care = "who, which, that" — relative pronoun joining clauses. Băiatul care vine e fratele meu (The boy who's coming is my brother).

Common subordinating conjunctions: că (that), dacă (if/whether), când (when). They introduce dependent clauses with normal indicative verbs.

Accusative clitics: mă (me), te (you), îl (him/it m.), o (her/it f.), ne (us), vă (you pl.), îi (them m.), le (them f.). Position: BEFORE the verb in present.

Definite human direct objects are marked with pe AND doubled with an accusative clitic. Îl văd pe Ion (I see Ion), O cunosc pe Maria (I know Maria).

Adjective agreement extends to all four forms (m.sg., f.sg., m.pl., f.pl.) with stem changes (vowel alternations, consonant softening). Example negru →…

Comparative: mai + adjective + decât (more than). Superlative: cel/cea/cei/cele mai + adjective (the most ). El e mai înalt decât mine / El e cel mai înalt.

Colloquial future: o să + subjunctive verb. O să merg (I will go), O să mâncăm (we will eat). The o să is invariable; the verb changes per person in…

Literary future: voi, vei, va, vom, veți, vor + infinitive. Voi cânta (I will sing), Vom merge (we will go). Used in formal writing, news, and literature…

Some prepositions take the nominative/accusative (în, la, pe, cu, fără, de): în casă, la școală, cu mama. Compound prepositions take the genitive (în fața, în…

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).

Negative singular imperative = nu + infinitive (without a): Nu pleca! (Don't leave!), Nu vorbi! (Don't speak!). Negative plural = nu + 2pl present: Nu…

Reported speech uses că + indicative verb. Spune că vine (He says that he's coming). A spus că vine (He said that he's coming).

Common opinion phrases: cred că (I think that), mi se pare că (it seems to me that), după părerea mea (in my opinion), eu zic că (I say that), din punctul meu…

The subjunctive uses să + special verb form. For most persons, the verb looks like the indicative; the 3rd person (sg./pl.) takes a special subjunctive form…

Modal verbs always trigger the subjunctive: a vrea, a putea, a trebui, a începe, a încerca, a reuși. Vreau să plec (I want to leave), Trebuie să mergi (You…

Conditional-optative: invariable conditional auxiliary aș, ai, ar, am, ați, ar + short infinitive (verb without "a"). Aș merge (I would go), Am merge (We…

In hypothetical "if" clauses, Romanian uses dacă + conditional in both clauses: Dacă aș avea timp, aș merge (If I had time, I would go).

Wishes and toasts use the subjunctive: Să trăiești! (May you live!), Să ai noroc! (May you have luck!), Să ne vedem cu bine! (May we see each other in good…

Complex relative clauses: unde (where), când (when), de ce (why), al cărui / a cărei (whose). Orașul unde locuiesc..., Ziua când ne-am cunoscut..., Motivul…

Conditional perfect = aș/ai/ar/am/ați/ar + fi + past participle. Aș fi mers (I would have gone), Ar fi venit (He/she would have come).

Romanian reported speech keeps the original tense when reporting (unlike English backshift): El a spus că vine (He said he was coming — Romanian uses present…

The impersonal/passive se is used for general statements without a specific subject: Se vorbește românește aici (Romanian is spoken here / One speaks Romanian…