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Romanian Grammar

The document provides a comprehensive overview of Romanian grammar, focusing on articles, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, personal pronouns, numbers, sentence construction, and verb conjugation. It explains the placement and usage of definite and indefinite articles, the classification of nouns by gender, and the formation of plurals and cases. Additionally, it covers the structure of sentences and the conjugation of verbs across different tenses, highlighting key rules and exceptions.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
8 views12 pages

Romanian Grammar

The document provides a comprehensive overview of Romanian grammar, focusing on articles, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, personal pronouns, numbers, sentence construction, and verb conjugation. It explains the placement and usage of definite and indefinite articles, the classification of nouns by gender, and the formation of plurals and cases. Additionally, it covers the structure of sentences and the conjugation of verbs across different tenses, highlighting key rules and exceptions.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What you need to know about the definite article in Romanian:

Unlike Spanish, the definite article in Romanian is placed after the noun.
noun.

In singular, the masculine and neuter definite article is: -(u)l or -le. Which of
the two use depends on how the noun ends: for nouns that
if it ends in a consonant, -ul is used; if the noun ends in -u, only is added
-l. Nouns that end in -e receive -le as the definite article.
the boy

For feminine nouns, - (u)a is used. If the noun ends in -e, it is


hang a -a. If it ends in -a, -ua will be hung. If the noun ends in -ă,
it will be replaced by -a.
the sea

The masculine plural definite article is -i.


the boys

In the feminine and neuter, the plural of the definite article is -le.
the coffees – cafele
the coffee

Use I: When is the definite article used?


The definite article appears:
to bring certain nouns, kinship pronouns closer
possessive pronouns and body parts
My car is old.
The uncle is old.
after the verbs to love, to like, to hate, so
how after the preposition cu (with)
I love coffee.
I am driving to Bucharest.

Usage II: When the definite article is not used


With other prepositions.
I am going to the mountain.

What you need to know about the indefinite article in Romanian:

For masculine and neuter nouns, the indefinite article is 'a', for
feminine nouns 'o'. Here, just like in Spanish, it is placed before the
noun.
a boy
The indefinite article in plural: it is the same for all genders 'nişte'.
some cars
the machine

Use I: When is the indefinite article used?


It is used for accounting purposes.
I bought a book.
If "nişte" is used for uncountable things in singular, then it would mean
something of, a little bit of
a little sugar

Use II: When is the indefinite article not used?


For a specific object, it is the same whether it has an article or not.
He has a car. – El are o maşină.

What you need to know about nouns in Romanian:

Types of nouns:

In Romanian, there are three genders of nouns: masculine, feminine, and neuter.
Neuter nouns 'change gender': in singular they behave like
masculine and in plural like feminine.
Since the gender does not match in Spanish, it must be learned!
As a general rule, for living beings, gender corresponds to sex.
Neutrals have no life.
grandfather

The cases:

Romanian recognizes four cases: nominative (subject), accusative (direct object), genitive
(of whom) dative (IO). The cases are expressed through the article. The forms
He/she has already learned the nominative and accusative, the forms of the genitive and dative.
son, for the indefinite article "unui" (m & n sg.), "unei" (f sg.) and "unor" (pl.).
The genitive and dative of the definite article is -(u)lui for masculine nouns.
and neuters in singular. For feminine nouns, the genitive and dative are formed
hanging an -i from the plural. The plural of the definite article is for everyone
genders -lor.
The parents' room has a balcony.
The parents have a balcony.
I give the boy (Dat.) a book (Ac.).
In Romanian, there is also the vocative (case of address). This is in plural like the
dative and the genitive. In feminine nouns, the singular vocative ends in -o.
For masculine singular, -(ul)e is added.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!
¡Abuela! – Bunico!; ¡Abuelo! – Bunicule!
The construction of the plural:

For masculine nouns, the plural always ends in -i, that is, the -i is
it will grab from the noun if it ends in a consonant or replaces the vowel if the
noun ends in a vowel. If the singular noun ends in -i, the plural
does not change.
e.g.: a student, two students – a pupil, two pupils; an uncle, two uncles – an
one member, two members – one member, two members

The formation of the plural for feminine nouns is a little more


complicated: the plural ending depends on the singular ending. If
a word that ends in -a will have -le added; if it ends in -ea it will be replaced by
-el. The endings -e and -le will be replaced by -i; if the singular ends in -i,
the plural does not change. For nouns that end in -ă the plural almost
always in -e or -i, sometimes in -uri.
Example: a sofa, two sofas - a sofa, two sofas; a coffee, two coffees - a coffee, two
coffee; one idea, two ideas – or idea, two ideas; one aunt, two aunts - or aunts, two
many; one house, two houses – one car, two cars – one
car, two cars

For neutral nouns, the plural ends in -e or -uri.


a train, two trains – a train, two trains; a city, two cities - a
city, two cities

Exceptions that you need to know:

Exception 1:
In Romanian, there are many changes in the formation of the plural, that is, they change
many vowels and consonants in the root of the noun.

a headphone
one cup (one cup) - two cups (two cups)
one street – two streets
one night
one station – two stations
one table – two tables
o seară
one person – two people
a tourist
a child
Exception 2:
Some plural formations are completely irregular and must be
to learn them.
one man – two men
a sister
a daughter-in-law (one daughter-in-law) – two daughters-in-law (two daughters-in-law)
one hand
one day - two days
a head
one egg
a seminar – two seminars

What you need to know about adjectives in Romanian:

How is the adjective used?

As an attribute
Generally, the adjective is placed after the noun. (if it is placed before the noun,
the definite article hangs from the adjective.
the handsome man

2. As a predicate
The man is beautiful.

The adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun, regardless of whether it is
used as an attribute or as a predicate.
e.g.: the handsome man – the beautiful man, the handsome men – the beautiful men, the
beautiful woman

Different adjectives - different number of endings.


4 endings
Ej.: bueno – bun (m/n sg.), bună (f sg.), buni (m pl.), bune (f/n pl.)
3 endings: two singular, one plural plural.
Ej.: pequeño – mic (m/n sg.), mică (f sg.), mici (pl.)
2 endings: one singular in -e, one plural in -i
Ej.:grande – mare (sg.), mari (pl.)
unalterable
gri

Gradation of the adjective:

The comparative (1st form of gradation) is formed:


me + adjective.
The word "that" will be translated into Romanian as "decât", "ca" or "de". So "ca"
It will have a more common use and "of" for numerals.
Arnold is smarter than Alexandru.
Alexandru.

If you want to express that Alexandru is less clever than Arnold, you will use 'more'
little instead of more.
Alexandru is less clever than Arnold.
than Arnold.

If, on the contrary, it is intended to say that both are equally smart, one can
use 'as well as', 'as much as' or 'just as'.
Arnold is as smart as Alexandru.
Alexandru.

The superlative (2. form of gradation it shape:


Demonstrative article + mai (little) + adjective
The demonstrative article has four different forms: cel (m./n. sg.), cea (f.
sg
The most beautiful hotel in the city is in the center.
the city is in the center.

What you need to know about adverbs in Romanian:

Types of adverbs:

As in Spanish, Romanian adverbs do not differ much from the


adjectives: the root is used (i.e., masculine singular).
I learn quickly.

Some nouns that describe people will form adverbs with the
termination -eşte.
manly

Gradation of the adverb:

It works exactly like the gradation of the adjective.


Arnold eats faster (less fast) than Alexandru.
eats (a little) faster than Alexandru.

For the superlative, the masculine form of the demonstrative article ('cel') will be used.
I am the one who speaks Romanian the best in my family. - I speak the best
Romanian from my family.

What you need to know about personal pronouns in Romanian:

Just like in Spanish, personal pronouns can be omitted.


He knows Romania very well.
Also, the personal pronouns in accusative (OD) and dative (OI) are
they will be used to reinforce after prepositions and comparisons.
I am faster than you.
Warning: If there is an object in the sentence that a person points to, then
the pronoun will be placed.
I love Sanda.
Just like in Spanish, the personal pronoun sometimes joins the verb.
for example: imperative, the gerund, auxiliary verb of the perfect and
conditional.
Ex. Hurry up! Hurry up!
The he sighted. I have it seen.
The there was seen. I will have it fi seen.
while I see him

Personal pronouns

Singular plural

1. 2. 3. 3. 1. 2. 3. 3.
male female masculine feminine

Name. I you the ea we you hey he

Ac. mine tin the ea we you hi he


reinforced
o

Ac. me you he o no you to him the

That. me you he hi nine you lor


reinforced
o

Dat. I to you to him ne you the


me you i you

What you need to know about numbers in Romanian:

Some cardinal numbers adjust to the gender of the noun.


"Unu" for masculine and neutral, "una" for feminine. This applies to all.
numbers ending in exception 1 of a the 11.
"Doi" will be used for masculine, "două" for feminine and neuter. This applies to
all numbers ending in 2.
a man
two cities

one

one, one, one, one one, a, an eleven once

two two twelve, twelve twelve


e

three three thirteen thirteen

four four bicycle fourteen

five five fifteen quince

chassis six seventeen sixteen

seven seven It will be too late seventeen

opt eight twelve eighteen

nine nine nineteen nineteen

ten ten twenty twenty

Formation of numbers starting from 21:


The rule of the pattern 'twenty-one', 'twenty-two', etc. is followed.
douăzeci şi unu

The cardinal numbers from 20 onwards

twenty 20 one hundred 100

thirty 30 a thousand 1000

forty 40 ten thousand 10,000


fifty 50 one hundred thousand 100,000

sixty 60 one million 1,000,000

seventy 70 one billion mill

eighty 80 one billion billion

ninety 90

What you need to know about sentence construction in Romanian:

Thanks to the cases, the meaning of the sentence is clear; therefore the
construction is relatively free. The order of the OD (accusative) does not matter.
and IO (dative), just like in Spanish.
Maria writes a letter to her father.
Maria writes a letter to her father.
The negation 'nu' (no) is placed in front of the conjugated verb; pronouns
Dative and accusative are found between 'nu' and the verb!
I do not help you. - Eu nu te ajut.
In Romanian, there is also double negation, meaning that "nu" appears with
advervios from denial.
I have never been to Romania.

What you need to know about active verbs in Romanian:

There are five classes of conjugation that end in different vowels: the first
conjugation class ends in -a: e.g. to work (trabajar), the second in -ea:
e.g. to be able (to poder), the third in -e: e.g. to write (to escribir), the fourth in -i: e.g.
to come and the fifth in -î: e.g. to decide.

Formation of the present:


Depending on the class of conjugation, different endings will be attached.
from the root.

Present endings for the five classes of


conjugation
I II (-ea) III (-e) IV (-i) V (- î)

I I - - - - -

you you -i -i -i -i -i

he/she he/she -ă -e -e -e -ă

we we -ăm -em -em -im -am

you (plural, informal)


you you have-you -you -you you

they/he/she -ă - - - -ă

Ej.: yo ayudo – eu ajut (I), tú apareces – tu pari (II), él trae – el aduce (III),
we sleep
they help

Some verbs with the expanded root have a specific ending.

Present tense endings for verbs with the expanded root:

I. Conjugation (-a) IV. Conjugation (-i) V. Conjugation (-î)

I -ez -esc -ăsc

you -ezi you are You

the -ease -stay wish

we -ăm -im -am

you you have -you -to you

hey squeeze -esc -ăsc

Ej.: él visita – el vizitează (I), yo amo – eu iubesc (IV), ellos deciden – ei


decide (V)
Formation of the imperative:
The imperative of the 2nd person plural corresponds to the 2nd.
person plural del present.
Ex.: Shut up! – Be quiet!
The imperative of the 2nd person singular corresponds to the
verbs of conjugation I, IV with expanded root, and class V of
conjugation as well as transitive verbs that can have an object
directly in 3. person del present.
For example: Believe me! - Believe me!

For all other verbs, the imperative corresponds to the 2nd person.
person del singular present.
Example: Sleep!
Formation of the perfect tense:
Auxiliary verb 'to have' (I have, you have, he/she/it has, we have, you (plural) have, they have) + past participle

I am silent
I have fled
Use: facts that have ended.

Formation of the imperfect:


Root + determined vowel + ending (-m, -i, ---, -m, -ţi, -u)
The "determined vowel" is for verbs of the first and fifth conjugation "a", for verbs
of the II., III., and IV. conjugation "ea". For verbs that end in -ui, an insertion is made
ia
Ej.: yo ayudaba – ajutam (I), tú brillabas – păreai (II), él traía – aducea (III),
we were sleeping
they lived
Usage: Customary facts that last and are repeated

Formation of the pluperfect:


Perfect participle + ending (-sem, -seşi, -se, -serăm, -serăţi, -seră)
If the perfect participle ends in -t or -ut, the 't' at the end disappears.
If it ends in -s, an -e will be added.
Ej.: había ayudado – ajutasem, habías callado – tăcuseşi, había dormido –
had slept
they had gone
Use: Describe an event that happened that is related to another event in the past.

Formation of the subjunctive:


to (not / pronoun / adverb) root + ending
The endings of the 1st and 2nd person singular and plural are like the
termination of the present. For the 3rd person of the singular and plural, it ends with
verb in subjunctive in -e (I. and V. conjugation) or in -a (II., III. and IV. conjugation).
aduce
bring him, that he sleeps - to sleep, that he goes down - to go down
Use: Possible facts, desires, unreal, fictitious.

Construction of the formal future:


Auxiliary verb "to want" (I will, you will, he/she/it will, we will, you (plural/formal) will, they will) + infinitive

Ej.: yo daré – voi da, tú dirás – vei spune, el visitará – va vizita


Use: in official statements or in written language about the future

Informal future formation:


1. possibility: "to have" + subjunctive
I am going to leave
we are going to love
let it go

2. possibility o+ subjunctive
o să plec
we love, you will help - or help,
to Iran to– go
o
Use: Future spoken in daily situations
By the way: the present can be used to talk about future situations.

Construction of the conditional:


to / to be / to have / to do / to go / to + infinitive

Ej.: yo diría – aş spune, tu quisieras – ai vrea, él sería – el ar fi, nosotros


we would do
Usage: formally request, conditions, wishes

Construction of the gerund:


Root + "-ing"
Only for conjugation IV. it is the ending "-ind". Pronouns and the adverb.
of negation 'nu' will hang with a hyphen from the gerund.
dormind
sleeping, going down - descending

Please note that this summary only contains the most formal times.
important as well as regular verbs! Please note that in Romanian
there are many exceptions.

What you need to know about the passive in Romanian:

General rule for the formation of the passive:


Construction with 'in order to' (to be) + perfect participle of the verb
The form of "to be" must be conjugated in active tense and mood.

The participle agrees in gender and number with the subject of the sentence. The form 'to finish'
if adjust a the person y Singular/plural to the subject.
The girls are invited. – They are invited.

Time Passive
present he is invited

perfect he has been invited

imperfect he was invited

past perfect he had been invited

tutoring he will be invited

present conditional he would be invited

present subjunctive he be invited

What you need to know about forming questions in Romanian:

Questions without an interrogative pronoun will be formed, just like in Spanish,


with the question mark, without changing the structure of the sentence.
Do you have snacks?
the possibility to...?

Questions with interrogative pronoun. The verb after the pronoun. The
negation 'nu' and the unstressed personal pronouns are among the
interrogative pronoun and the verb.
Who has it been?
Cine a fost?; ¿Cómo estás? – Cum îţi merge?; ¿Por qué no has llamado? – De
Why didn't you call?

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