Pattern
Fără + noun = "without ___." Example: O cafea fără zahăr (a coffee without sugar).
Explanation
Fără is the preposition for "without." It takes the noun directly, with no article in most cases: fără zahăr (without sugar), fără lapte (without milk), fără sare (without salt). When ordering food and drinks, fără is essential vocabulary.
Compare with cu (with): cu zahăr (with sugar). The two are mirror opposites and appear constantly together: Cu sau fără lapte? (With or without milk?).
Fără can also combine with verbs: fără să spună nimic (without saying anything — using subjunctive). And it appears in fixed expressions: fără îndoială (without doubt), fără glumă (no joke), fără probleme (no problem).
Examples
| Romanian | English |
|---|---|
| O cafea fără zahăr, vă rog. | A coffee without sugar, please. |
| Beau ceaiul fără lapte. | I drink tea without milk. |
| Vreau o pizza fără ceapă. | I want a pizza without onions. |
| Fără probleme, mulțumesc. | No problem, thanks. |
| O zi fără soare e tristă. | A day without sun is sad. |
Common mistakes
- Adding an article: Fără zahărul is wrong unless you mean a specific sugar — usually just fără zahăr.
- Confusing fără with afară: Fără = without; afară = outside.
- Translating "without" with "nu cu": That's not Romanian — use fără.