Pattern
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.
Explanation
Romanian has two main future tenses. The colloquial one — what everyone uses in conversation — is built with o să + the subjunctive form of the verb. O să merg (I will go), O să mâncăm (we will eat), O să pleci (you will leave). The o să part is invariable; only the verb changes by person.
This is the "going to" future of Romanian. It expresses near-term, planned, or expected actions. The literary form (voi merge, vei merge, va merge…) exists but is reserved for writing, formal speech, and news. In daily life, o să dominates.
At A1, you just need to recognize o să + verb means future. At A2, you'll learn to produce it actively across all persons. For now, when you hear O să vină mâine (He'll come tomorrow) or O să fie frumos (It will be beautiful), you can decode it as future.
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| O să merg la magazin. | I'll go to the store. |
| O să plouă mâine. | It will rain tomorrow. |
| O să vin la ora opt. | I'll come at 8 o'clock. |
| O să mâncăm la restaurant. | We'll eat at a restaurant. |
| O să fie o zi frumoasă. | It will be a beautiful day. |
Common mistakes
- Conjugating "o să": It's invariable — never eu om să, tu oi să.
- Forgetting subjunctive forms: The verb after o să uses subjunctive, not indicative.
- Using English "going to" structure: Don't translate literally; Romanian future is o să + verb.