Romanian phrasebook
Sourced from Wikivoyage. Text is available under the CC-by-SA 3.0 license.
Romanian may or may not be difficult for speakers of other languages. It is very similar to Italian, and, to a similar extent, other Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, etc.), so speakers of these languages are more at an advantage.
Note that in Romanian, there is a formal and informal form when addressing people. The informal is tu (you, singular) or voi (you, plural) and the formal is dumneavoastră (for both singular and plural). There is also a formal way of speaking about other people, not just when addressing them. When referring to she use dumneaei; for he use dumnealui; for you use dumneata; and for them use dumnealor. Note that the formal form should be used with the plural form of the verb, at the appropriate person. This is similar to the construction in most other Romance languages, and, to an extent, German, although Germans usually make less use of the informal forms. Use tu when addressing friends or people you know well. When addressing strangers or speaking about strangers, use the formal forms.
Background
Romanian should not be confused with Romani or Romany, which is the language of the European Gypsies, or Roma. The similarity is coincidental; the English word for the European Gypsy stems from an Indian/Sanskrit root. The name Romania or Rumania and its derivatives come from the Latin word 'Romanus', and are etymologically related to Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire and now the capital city of Italy.
Romanian tends to be easy for speakers of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan to learn, since all these languages share a common root and influences and are all written as they are pronounced. Romanian is sometimes challenging because of the influx of loanwords, mostly Slavic words, as well as a few Hungarian, German and Turkish ones, even though most of these have fallen out of use for a very long time. Neologisms have been imported en masse from French, Italian, German, and recently English. The slang has either French, German or Gypsy origin. The language uses the Latin alphabet, and the Latinate roots can help tourists to understand some signs, such as Alimentara (a place where you can buy aliments, food) Farmacie (pharmacy, drugstore), and Poliție (police). Some signs, however, are false cognates or 'false friends' - for example, Librărie means a bookstore rather than a lending library (as it does in French); Teatru means a stage theatre rather than a cinema (as in British English); and so on, although if you have a decent conversation guide you can avoid such funny confusions. Helpfully, these "false friends" also apply in all of Romanian's sister languages.
The Romanian language is generally seen as a language with somewhat complicated grammar, but far simpler for speakers of Germanic languages than any of its Slavic neighbours or even Hungarian. Romanian has a phonetic alphabet, so a person can look at a word and know how it is pronounced. Romanian is abundant in vowels, and it can have series of diphthongs and even triphthongs, that gives the language a melodious and musical sound.
A foreigner trying to learn or speak Romanian can expect mostly positive reactions from native speakers. Most Romanian people will certainly love you for it and will greatly appreciate the fact that you are making an effort to speak their language. Others, however, may sneer at you for not properly being able to speak what they see as a very easy phonetic language. The Romanian alphabet is nearly exactly the same as the English alphabet, except for five additional accented letters, or 'diacriticals': ă, ș, ț, â, and î.
English has effectively become a requirement for getting a somewhat better job, and it is usually the second most popular non-Romance language spoken (on par with German). Consequently, it is usually good to ask before starting to speak English, but more often than not it will be safe to go ahead. Other Romance languages (especially French, Spanish and Italian) are also learnt by most people in schools and are therefore spoken with a pretty good level of fluency by many people, but make sure you ask before you start speaking to people in foreign tongues. In general, Romanians prefer speaking other Romance languages than the others. Globalization and the fact that Romania joined the Latin Union (Uniunea Latină), a linguistic association created in 1954, has made these closely-related languages more attractive.
Some people feel that Romanian is an extremely easy language to learn if you already speak a Latin-based language. This is especially so in contrast to Romania's Slavic and Hungarian neighbors. However, speakers of Slavic languages will find quite a few familiar words, especially in the more basic vocabulary of Romanian, such as "trebuie" ("need" - cf. Polish "trzeba"); "iubi" (love - cf. Czech lubi) etc.
Romanian tends to be easy for speakers of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan to learn, since all these languages share a common root and influences and are all written as they are pronounced. Romanian is sometimes challenging because of the influx of loanwords, mostly Slavic words, as well as a few Hungarian, German and Turkish ones, even though most of these have fallen out of use for a very long time. Neologisms have been imported en masse from French, Italian, German, and recently English. The slang has either French, German or Gypsy origin. The language uses the Latin alphabet, and the Latinate roots can help tourists to understand some signs, such as Alimentara (a place where you can buy aliments, food) Farmacie (pharmacy, drugstore), and Poliție (police). Some signs, however, are false cognates or 'false friends' - for example, Librărie means a bookstore rather than a lending library (as it does in French); Teatru means a stage theatre rather than a cinema (as in British English); and so on, although if you have a decent conversation guide you can avoid such funny confusions. Helpfully, these "false friends" also apply in all of Romanian's sister languages.
The Romanian language is generally seen as a language with somewhat complicated grammar, but far simpler for speakers of Germanic languages than any of its Slavic neighbours or even Hungarian. Romanian has a phonetic alphabet, so a person can look at a word and know how it is pronounced. Romanian is abundant in vowels, and it can have series of diphthongs and even triphthongs, that gives the language a melodious and musical sound.
A foreigner trying to learn or speak Romanian can expect mostly positive reactions from native speakers. Most Romanian people will certainly love you for it and will greatly appreciate the fact that you are making an effort to speak their language. Others, however, may sneer at you for not properly being able to speak what they see as a very easy phonetic language. The Romanian alphabet is nearly exactly the same as the English alphabet, except for five additional accented letters, or 'diacriticals': ă, ș, ț, â, and î.
English has effectively become a requirement for getting a somewhat better job, and it is usually the second most popular non-Romance language spoken (on par with German). Consequently, it is usually good to ask before starting to speak English, but more often than not it will be safe to go ahead. Other Romance languages (especially French, Spanish and Italian) are also learnt by most people in schools and are therefore spoken with a pretty good level of fluency by many people, but make sure you ask before you start speaking to people in foreign tongues. In general, Romanians prefer speaking other Romance languages than the others. Globalization and the fact that Romania joined the Latin Union (Uniunea Latină), a linguistic association created in 1954, has made these closely-related languages more attractive.
Some people feel that Romanian is an extremely easy language to learn if you already speak a Latin-based language. This is especially so in contrast to Romania's Slavic and Hungarian neighbors. However, speakers of Slavic languages will find quite a few familiar words, especially in the more basic vocabulary of Romanian, such as "trebuie" ("need" - cf. Polish "trzeba"); "iubi" (love - cf. Czech lubi) etc.
Pronunciation Guide
Romanian pronunciation is very phonetic. The accent and sounds are almost identical to Italian and other Romance languages (with very few, if any, Slavic influences), so remember to sound every letter clearly. Also, sounds very rarely differ between words (e.g. the letter i is always pronounced the same, every time, unlike in English or even French).
Like English, Romanian has secondary stresses in words. We have not attempted to represent those here. Stress usually falls on the second-last syllable if it ends in a vowel, and last if it ends in a consonant. If you know another Romance language, you shouldn't worry as the stress patterns are usually the same in similar-sounding words.
Questions in Romanian that end with a verb often use a rising tone on the last syllable or two.
; a : somewhat like lot or a curt palm
; e : in between dress and face . However, it is not a diphthong like the vowel in "face" is in most accents of English. When the word begins with an 'e' and it is a form of "a fi" (to be) or a pronoun, it is like yell
; i : like beep when in the middle or start of a word . When at the end, it is barely sounded - for example, in the word Bucureşti, it is pronounced Boo-KOO-resht with a very short and slight i - never pronounce it as Boo-KOO-reshtee. The terminal "i" causes a slight "softening" of the preceding consonant . (If this is too difficult, don't pronounce the i at all.) The few Romanian words with a very strong terminal "i" sound are spelled with a double "i" ("ii").
; o : like a curt port
; u : like a curt goose
; ă : like about
; â, î : somewhat like roses . î is used at the beginning and at the end of words, â in all other cases.
; b : like 'b' in "bed"
; c : like 'ch' in "cheese" (like Italian 'c') when followed by 'e' or 'i', otherwise like 'k'
; d : like 'd' in "dog"
; f : like 'f' in "federation"
; g : like 'g' in "gym" when followed by 'e' or 'i', otherwise like 'g' in "gear"
; h : like 'h' in "help" (never silent in Romanian)
; j : like the French 'j' in "Bonjour" - English equivalent is the "s" in "pleasure" Hear the sound for j ; k : like 'c' in "scan"
; l : like 'l' in "love"
; m : like 'm' in "mother"
; n : like 'n' in "nice"
; p : like 'p' in "spit"
; q : like 'k' in "sketch" (this letter is rarely used in Romanian)
; r : not like the 'r' in "row"; more like 't' of "pretty" in North American English (similar to the Italian r) Hear the word 'Reșița' in Romanian, note the 'r' sound ; s : like 's' in "snake"
; ș : like 'sh' in "lush"
; ț : similar to 'ts' in "thats"
; t : like 't' in "stand"
; v : like 'v' in "very"
; w : like 'v' in "very" or "w" in english loadwords
; x : like 'cks' in "picks", sometimes 'gs' in "pigs"
; y : like 'i' in "dip"
; z : like 'z' in "fizz"
; ea: diphthong beginning with a short Romanian "e" sound and ending with the Romanian "a" sound. These two sounds are pronounced smoothly and quickly together as one syllable. However, this letter pair is not always a diphthong.
; oa: diphthong beginning with a short Romanian "o" sound and ending with the Romanian "a sound. These two sounds are pronounced smoothly and quickly together as one syllable.
Like English, Romanian has secondary stresses in words. We have not attempted to represent those here. Stress usually falls on the second-last syllable if it ends in a vowel, and last if it ends in a consonant. If you know another Romance language, you shouldn't worry as the stress patterns are usually the same in similar-sounding words.
Questions in Romanian that end with a verb often use a rising tone on the last syllable or two.
Vowels
; a : somewhat like lot or a curt palm
; e : in between dress and face . However, it is not a diphthong like the vowel in "face" is in most accents of English. When the word begins with an 'e' and it is a form of "a fi" (to be) or a pronoun, it is like yell
; o : like a curt port
; u : like a curt goose
; ă : like about
; â, î : somewhat like roses . î is used at the beginning and at the end of words, â in all other cases.
Consonants
; b : like 'b' in "bed"
; c : like 'ch' in "cheese" (like Italian 'c') when followed by 'e' or 'i', otherwise like 'k'
; d : like 'd' in "dog"
; f : like 'f' in "federation"
; g : like 'g' in "gym" when followed by 'e' or 'i', otherwise like 'g' in "gear"
; h : like 'h' in "help" (never silent in Romanian)
; j : like the French 'j' in "Bonjour" - English equivalent is the "s" in "pleasure" Hear the sound for j ; k : like 'c' in "scan"
; l : like 'l' in "love"
; m : like 'm' in "mother"
; n : like 'n' in "nice"
; p : like 'p' in "spit"
; q : like 'k' in "sketch" (this letter is rarely used in Romanian)
; r : not like the 'r' in "row"; more like 't' of "pretty" in North American English (similar to the Italian r) Hear the word 'Reșița' in Romanian, note the 'r' sound ; s : like 's' in "snake"
; ș : like 'sh' in "lush"
; ț : similar to 'ts' in "thats"
; t : like 't' in "stand"
; v : like 'v' in "very"
; w : like 'v' in "very" or "w" in english loadwords
; x : like 'cks' in "picks", sometimes 'gs' in "pigs"
; y : like 'i' in "dip"
; z : like 'z' in "fizz"
Common diphthongs
; oi : like 'oy' in "boy"; ea: diphthong beginning with a short Romanian "e" sound and ending with the Romanian "a" sound. These two sounds are pronounced smoothly and quickly together as one syllable. However, this letter pair is not always a diphthong.
; oa: diphthong beginning with a short Romanian "o" sound and ending with the Romanian "a sound. These two sounds are pronounced smoothly and quickly together as one syllable.
Common digraphs
; ch : like 'c' in "collar" (hard sound). This is always followed by an e or i ; gh : like 'g' in "giving". Can only be used before an e or i ; gn : same as in French and Italian gn or Spanish ñ, although it is less often used than the aforementioned languagesPhrase list
NOTE: The pronunciation guides in brackets beside each word only act as guides, due to the fact that they will make the Romanian word have a strong English accent. To get a better pronunciation, it is generally better to look at the Pronunciation Guide above and learn the right pronunciation for each letter (this is easier than it sounds). Throughout the following, "ooh" is pronounced roughly as in "oo" in "book"; "oo" without the "h" is as in "boot".
Basics
;Hello.: "Salut." (sah-LOOT);How are you?: "Ce mai faci?" (cheh my FAHTCH)
;Fine, thank you.: "Mulţumesc, bine." (mool-tzu-MESK BEE-nay).
;What is your name? (formal): "Cum vă numiţi? (coom vuh noo-MEETZ)
;What's your name? (informal): "Cum te cheamă? (coom teh KYAHM-ah)
;What are you up to? (informal): "Ce faci?" (cheh FAHTCH)
;My name is ______.: "Numele meu e ______." (NOO-meh-leh MEH-oo yeh ______.)
;Nice to meet you.: "Încântat" (oohn-koohn-taht) or "Îmi pare bine" (OOHM pah-reh BEE-neh)
;Please: "Vă rog" (vuh ROHG; usually follows the request.)
;Thank you: "Mulţumesc" (mool-tzoo-MESK). "Mersi" is also popularly used.
;Thank you very much: "Mulţumesc mult." (mool-tzoo-MESK moolt)
;You're welcome: "Cu plăcere" (koo pluh-CHAIR-eh)
;Yes: "Da" (DAH)
;No: "Nu" (NOO)
;Excuse me. (Getting attention): "Pardon" (pahr-DOHN) or "Vă rog" (vuh ROHG)
;Excuse me. (begging pardon, moving through crowd): "Pardon" (pahr-DOHN)
;I'm sorry: "Îmi pare rău" (oohm pah-reh RUH-OH)
;Good-bye: "La revedere" (lah reh-veh-DEH-reh)
;Bye: "Pa" (PAH); in informal occasions in Transylvania - "Servus" )
;See you soon: "Pe curând" ("peh cur-OOHND")
;I can't speak Romanian .: "Nu vorbesc românește." (NOO vor-BESC Roh-moohn-ESH-teh)
;Do you speak English?: "Vorbiţi engleză?" (vor-BEETZ eng-LEH-zuh)
;Is there someone here who speaks English?: "Vorbește cineva aici engleză?" (vor-BESH-teh CHEEH-neh-vah AY-eetch eng-LEH-zuh)
;Help!: "Ajutor!" (ah-zhoo-TOR)
;Look out!: "Atenţie" (ah-TEN-tzee-eh)
;Good morning: "Bună dimineaţa" (BOO-nuh dee-mee-NYAH-tzuh)
;Good day: "Bună ziua" (BOO-nuh zee-wah)
;Good evening: "Bună seara" (BOO-nuh syah-ruh)
;Good night (to sleep): "Noapte bună" (NWAHP-teh BOO-nuh)
;I'm hungry: "Mi-e foame" (Me-ae fo-ah-may)
;I'm thirsty: "Mi-e sete" (Me-ae set-te)
;I'm tired: "Mi-e somn" (Me-ae sohm)
;I'm scared: "Mi-e frică" (Me-ae free-cah)
;I took a shower: "Am făcut duș " (AHM fah-COOT DOOSH )
;I don't understand: "Nu înţeleg" (NOO oohn-tzeh-LEG)
;Where's the bathroom?: "Unde e toaleta?" (OON-deh yeh twah-LEH-tah)
;The check, please: "Nota de plată, vă rog" (NO-tah deh PLAT-tuh, vuh ROHG)
;Romanian (person, male): "român" (ro-MUHN)
;Romanian (person, female): "româncă" (ro-MUHN-cuh)
;I'm sorry about last Wednesday : "Îmi pare rău în legătură cu miercurea trecută"
;That happens sometimes, but I wasn't upset with you, OK? : "Se mai întâmplă uneori, dar nu m-am supărat pe tine, bine?"
;I love you : "Te iubesc" (teh yoo-besk)
Problems
; Leave me alone. : "Lasă-mă în pace" (LAH-suh muh oohn PAH-cheh)
; I'll call the police. : "Chem poliția." (kem poh-LEE-tzee-ah)
; Police! : "Poliția!" (po-LEE-tzee-ah!)
; Stop! Thief! : "Stai! Opriți hoțul!" (STAAY! Oh-preetz hoh-tzul!)
; I need your help (formal "your"). : "Am nevoie de ajutorul dumneavoastra" (AHM neh-VOY-eh deh ah-ZHOO-tohr-ool doom-nyah-VWAH-strah)
; I need your help (informal "your"). : "Am nevoie de ajutorul tău" (AHM neh-VOY-eh deh ah-ZHOO-tor-ool tuh-oo)
; It's an emergency. : "E o urgență" (YEH oh oor-JEHN-tzuh)
; I'm lost. : "M-am rătăcit" (mahm ruh-tuh-CHEET)
; I lost my bag. : "Mi-am pierdut valiza" (mee-AHM pee-ehr-DOOT vah-LEE-zah)
; I lost my wallet. : "Mi-am pierdut portmoneul/portofelul." (mee-AHM pee-ehr-DOOT POHRT-mohn-eh-ool/POHRT-o-FEH-Loo)
; I'm sick. : "Sunt bolnav." (SOONT bohl-NAHV)
; I'm injured. : "M-am accidentat." (Mahm ahk-chee-dehn-TAHT)
; I need a doctor. : "Am nevoie de un doctor" (AHM neh-VOY-eh deh dohk-TOHR)
; Can I use your phone? (formal "your"): "Pot să utilizez telefonul dumneavoastra?" (poht suh ohh-tee-LEE-zehz teh-leh-FOHN-ool doom-nyah-VWAH-strah)/ Alternative: "Pot utiliza telefonul dumnevoastră"
; Can I use your phone? (informal "your"): "Pot să utilizez telefonul tău?" (poht suh ohh-tee-LEE-zehz teh-leh-FOHN-ool TUH-oo) Alternative: "Pot utiliza telefonul tău" (in both formal and informal phrases are correct and do not create misunderstandings, albeit the first one is more common. The same applies to the formal one)
Numbers
; 1 : unu (OO-noo)
; 2 : doi (doy)
; 3 : trei (tray)
; 4 : patru (PAH-troo)
; 5 : cinci (cheench)
; 6 : șase (SHAH-seh)
; 7 : șapte (SHAHP-teh)
; 8 : opt (ohpt)
; 9 : nouă (NOH-uh)
; 10 : zece (ZEH-cheh)
; 11 : unsprezece (OON-spreh-zeh-cheh, usually shortened to just unșpe, OON-shpeh even in formal speech; similarly, for all numbers up to 19)
; 12 : doisprezece (DOY-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 13 : treisprezece (TRAY-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 14 : paisprezece (PIE-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 15 : cincisprezece (CHEENCH-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 16 : șaisprezece (SHY-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 17 : șaptesprezece (SHAHP-teh-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 18 : optsprezece (OPT-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 19 : nouăsprezece (NO-uh-spreh-zeh-cheh)
; 20 : douăzeci (DOH-uh ZETCH)
; 21 : douăzeci și unu (DOH-uh ZETCH shee OO-nu)
; 22 : douăzeci și doi (DOH-uh ZETCH shee DOY)
; 23 : douăzeci și trei (DOH-uh ZETCH shee TRAY)
; 30 : treizeci (TRAY ZETCH)
; 40 : patruzeci (PAH-troo ZETCH)
; 50 : cincizeci (CHEENCH ZETCH, but often more like CHEEN-zetch)
; 60 : șaizeci (SHAH-ee ZETCH)
; 70 : șaptezeci (SHAHP-teh ZETCH)
; 80 : optzeci (OHPT zetch)
; 90 : nouăzeci (NO-uh ZETCH)
; 100 : o sută (OH SOO-tuh)
; 105 : o sută cinci (OH SOO-teh CHEENCH)
; 200 : două sute (DOH-uh SOO-teh)
; 300 : trei sute (TRAY SOO-teh)
; 400 : patru sute (PAH-troo SOO-teh)
; 500 : cinci sute (CHEENCH SOO-teh)
; 600 : șase sute (SHAH-seh SOO-teh)
; 700 : șapte sute (SHAHP-teh SOO-teh)
; 800 : opt sute (OHPT SOO-teh)
; 900 : nouă sute (NOH-uh SOO-teh)
; 1000 : o mie (oh MEE-eh)
; 2000 : două mii (DOH-uh MEE)
; 1,000,000 : un milion (OON mee-LEE-ohn)
; number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : numărul _____ (nu-MUH-rool)
; half : jumătate (joo-muh-TAH-teh, often shortened to joo-MAH-teh)
; less : mai puțin (MY poo-TZEEN)
; more : mai mult (my moolt)
Time
; now : acum (ah-COOM)
; later : mai târziu (my toohr-ZEE-oo)
; before : înainte de (oohn-I-een-teh deh)
; morning : dimineață (dee-mee-NYAH-tzuh)
; afternoon : după amiază (DOO-puh ah-MYA-zuh)
; evening : seară (SYAH-ruh)
; night : noapte (NWAHP-teh)
Clock time
Although 12-hour clocks are common in Romania, time is almost always stated according to the 24-hour clock.
; one o'clock AM : ora unu (OHR-ah OO-noo)
; two o'clock AM : ora două (OHR-ah DOH-wuh)
; noon : prânz (proohnz)
; one o'clock PM : treisprezece/treișpe ore (TRAY-spreh-zeh-cheh OHR-eh; TRAY-shpeh)
; two o'clock PM : patrusprezece/paișpe ore (...)
; midnight : miezul nopții (mee-EHZ-ool NOHP-tzee)
Normally, to say "at" a time, one precedes the same form given above with "la", thus:
; at noon : la prânz (lah PROOHNZ)
; one o'clock PM : la treisprezece/treișpe ore (....) - still, you'll find used more often "la unu după amiază" (lah OO-noo DOO-puh ah-mee-AH-zuh)
; at midnight : la miezul nopții (lah mee-EZ-ool NOHP-tzee)
Duration
; one minute : un minut (oon meen-OOT)
; _____ minutes : _____ minute (_____ meen-OOT-eh)
; one hour : o oră (OH OHR-uh)
; _____ hours : _____ ore (OHR-eh)
; one day : o zi (OH ZEE)
; _____ days : _____ zile (_____ ZEE-leh)
; one week : o săptămână (OH suhp-tuh-MOOHN-uh)
; _____ weeks : _____ săptămâni (_____ suhp-tuh-MOOHN)
; one month : o lună (OH LOO-nuh)
; _____ months : _____ luni (LOON; the last syllable almost vanishes)
; one year : un an (oon AHN)
; _____ years : _____ ani (AHN; the last syllable almost vanishes)
Days
; today : astăzi (ah-STUHZ)
; yesterday : ieri (yehr)
; tomorrow : mâine (MUY-neh)
; this week : săptămâna asta (suhp-tuh-MOOHN-ah AH-stah)
; last week : săptămâna trecută (suhp-tueh-MOOHN-ah treh-COOT-uh)
; next week : săptămâna viitoare (suhp-tuh-MOOHN-ah vee-TWAH-reh)
; Sunday : duminică (doo-MEEN-ee-kuh)
; Monday : luni (loohn)
; Tuesday : marți (mahrtz)
; Wednesday : miercuri (mee-EHR-coor)
; Thursday : joi (zhoy)
; Friday : vineri (vee-NEHR)
; Saturday : sâmbătă (SUHM-bah-tah)
Months
; January : ianuarie (ya-NWAH-ree-eh)
; February : februarie (FEB-RWAH-ree-eh)
; March : martie (MAR-tee-eh)
; April : aprilie (ah-PREEL-ee-eh)
; May : mai (my)
; June : iunie (YOO-nee-eh)
; July : iulie (YOO-lee-eh)
; August : august (ow-GOOST)
; September : septembrie (sehp-TEHM-bree-eh)
; October : octombrie (ohk-TOHM-bree-eh)
; November : noiembrie (noy-EHM-bree-eh); alt. novembrie (no-VEHM-bryeh)
; December : decembrie (deh-CHEHM-bree-eh)
Writing time and date
- 16 Jan 2004 3:30 or 16 (șaisprezece/șaișpe) ianuarie 2004 3:30).
-
date may also be written 16/01/04 or 16-01-04.
- date may also be written 01/08/04 or 01-08-04.
Note: The first day of the month is called întâi (oon-tooee) not one nor first. For example the first of August is întâi August (lit. "the beginning of August").
Colors
NOTE: ah in English represents the sound 'a' as in "father"
; black : negru (NEH-groo)
; white : alb (ahlb)
; gray : gri (gree)
; red : roșu (ROH-shoo)
; blue : albastru (ahl-BAH-stroo)
; yellow : galben (GAHL-behn)
; green : verde (VEHR-deh)
; orange : portocaliu (pohr-toh-KAH-lee-oo); oranj (oh-RANZH)
; purple : mov (mohv) or purpurie (poor-POOH-ryeh)
; brown : maro (mah-ROH); also brun (broohn) or cafeniu (kah-feh-NEE-ooh)
; pink : roz (roh-zz)
; lilac: lila (lee-LAH)
; violet: violet (vee-oh-LEHT)
Transportation
Bus and train
; How much is a ticket to _____? : Cât costa un bilet până la _____? (COOHT KOHS-tah OOHN bee-LEHT POOHN-uh LAH _____?)
; One ticket to _____, please. : Un bilet până la _____, vă rog. (OON bee-LEHT POOHN-uh LAH _____, vuh ROHG)
; Where does this train/bus go? : Unde merge trenul/autobuzul ăsta? (OON-deh MEHR-jeh TREHN-ool/OW-toh-BOOZ-ool UH-stah?)
; Where is the train/bus to _____? : Unde este trenul/autobuzul pentru _____? (OON-deh YES-teh TREHN-ool/OW-toh-BOOZ-ool PEHN-troo _____?)
; Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Trenul/autobuzul ăsta oprește la _____? (TREHN-ool/OW-toh-BOOZ-ool UH-stah OH-presh-teh lah _____?)
; When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Când pleacă trenul/autobuzul spre _____ ? (COOHND PLYAH-kuh TREHN-ool/OW-toh-BOOZ-ool SPREH _____)
; When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Când ajunge trenul/autobuzul ăsta la _____? (COOHND ah-ZHOON-jeh TREHN-ool/OW-toh-BOOZ-ool UH-stah lah _____?)
At the airport
; International airport : Aeroportul Internațional; Arrivals : Sosiri
; Departures : Plecări
; Delayed : Întârziat
; Cancelled : Anulat
Directions
; How do I get to _____ ? : Cum ajung la _____ ? (COOM ah-ZHOONG lah _____ ?)
; ...the train station? : ... gară? (GAH-ruh)
; ...the bus station? : ...stația de autobuz? (STAH-tzee-ah deh OW-toe-booz)
; ...the airport? : ...aeroport? (AH-yeh-roh-pohrt)
; ...downtown? : centrul orașului...? (CHEHN-trool oh-RAHSH-oo-loo-wee)
; ...the youth hostel? : caminul de tineret? (kah-mee-nool deh TEE-nehr-eht)
; ...the _____ hotel? : ...hotelul _____ ? (hoh-TEHL-ool _____)
; ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...consulatul american/canadian/australian/britanic? (COHN-soo-LAH-tool ah-meh-ree-KAHN/kah-nah-dee-AHN/OW-strah-lee-AHN/bree-TAH-nik)
; Where are there a lot of _____ : Unde sunt multe _____ (OON-deh SOONT MOOLT-eh)
; ...hotels? : ...hoteluri? (ho-TEHL-oor)
; ...restaurants? : restaurante? (reh-stow-RAHN-teh)
; ...bars? : ...baruri? (BAHR-oor)
; ...sites to see? : locuri turistice? (loh-koor too-REE-stee-cheh)
; Can you show me on the map? (formal/polite) : Puteți să-mi arătați pe hartă? (poo-TEHTZ suhm ah-RUH-tahtz peh HAHR-tuh?)
; street : stradă (STRAH-duh)
; Turn left. (formal/polite) : luați-o la stânga. (loo-ah-tzee-oh lah stoohn-gah);
; Turn right. : (formal/polite) : luați-o la dreapta. (loo-ah-tzee-oh lah DRYAP-tah)
; left : stânga (STOOHN-gah)
; right : dreapta (DRYAP-tah)
; straight ahead : drept înainte (DREHPT oohn-ay-EEN-teh)
; towards the _____ : spre _____ (spreh _____)
; past the _____ : după _____ (doo-puh)
; before the _____ : înainte de_____ (oohn-ay-EEN-teh deh)
; Watch for the _____. : (formal/polite) Așteptați _____. (ahsh-tehp-TAHTZ _____.) informally, "Așteaptă _____." (ahsh-TYAHP-tuh)
; intersection : intersecție (EEN-tehr-sehk-tzee-eh)
; north : nord (NOHRD)
; south : sud (SOOD)
; east : est (EHST)
; west : vest (VEHST)
; uphill : sus (SOOS)
; downhill : jos (ZHOHS)
Taxi
; Taxi! : Taxi! (TAH-ksee)
; Take me to _____, please. : Conduceți-mă la _____, vă rog. (CON-doo-cheh-tzee-muh lah _____, vuh ROHG)
; How much does it cost to get to _____? : Cât costă pentru a ajunge la _____? (COOHT COH-stah PEHN-troo ah ah-ZHOON-jeh lah _____?)
; Take me there, please. : Conduceți-mă acolo, vă rog.. (CON-doo-cheh-tzee-muh ah-KOH-loh, vuh ROHG)
Lodging
; Do you have any rooms available? : Aveți camere libere? (ah-VEHTZ KAH-meh-reh LEE-beh-reh)
; How much is a room for one person/two people? : Cât costa o cameră pentru o persoană / pentru doua persoane? (COOHT KOH-stah oh KAH-meh-ruh pehn-troo OH pehr-SWAH-nuh... / pehn-troo DOH-wuh pehr-SWAH-neh)
; Does the room come with... : Exista in camere... (ex-EES-tuh oon come-ereh...)
; ...bedsheets? : ...așternuturi? (ahsh-tehr-NOO-toor)
; ...another blanket? : ...încă o patură (OOHN-cuh oh PAH-too-ruh)
; ...a bathroom? : ...baie? (BAY-yeh)
; ...a telephone? : ...telefon? (teh-leh-FOHN)
; ...a TV? : ...televizor? (teh-leh-vee-ZOHR)
; May I see the room first? : Pot să văd camera întâi? (poht suh VUHD CAH-meh-rah oohn-TOOH-ee)
; Do you have anything quieter? : Aveți ceva mai liniștit? (ah-VEHTZ CHEH-vah MAY LEE-nee-SHTEET)
; ...bigger? : ...mai mare? (MAY MAH-reh)
; ...cleaner? : ...mai curat? (MAY koo-RAHT)
; ...cheaper? : ...mai ieftin? (MAY yef-TEEN)
; OK, I'll take the room. : Bine. Vreau camera. (BEEN-eh. VRYOW KAH-meh-rah)
; I will stay for one night. : Eu rămân pentru o noapte. (Yeh-oo ruh-MOOHN PEHN-troo oh NWAHP-teh)
; I will stay for _____ nights. : Eu rămân ______ nopți. (YEH-oo ruh-MOOHN _____ NOHPTZ ; Can you suggest another hotel? : Puteți recomanda alt hotel? (poo-TEHTZ reh-coh-MAHN-dah AHLT hoh-TEHL)
; Do you have a safe? : Aveți seif? (ah-VETZ SEYF)
; ...lockers? : ...cuiere? (KOO-yeh-reh)
; Is breakfast/supper included? : Prețul include micul dejun / cină? (PREH-tzool een-KLOO-deh MEE-kool deh-ZHOON / CHEE-nuh)
; What time is breakfast/supper? : La ce oră este micul dejun / cina? (lah CHEH OH-ruh ye-steh MEE-kool deh-ZHOON / CHEE-nah')
; Please clean my room. : Curățați camera mea, vă rog. (koo-ruh-TZAHTZ CAH-meh-rah MYAH, vuh ROHG)
; Can you wake me at _____? : Puteți să mă treziți la _____? (poo-TEHTZ suh muh treh-ZEETZ lah _____?)
; I want to check out. : Aș vrea să achit nota și să plec de la hotel. (ahsh VRYAH suh ah-KEET NOH-tuh shee suh PLEHK deh lah ho-TEHL; the vowel sound in “vrea” is like the “a” in the English “cat”.)
Money
; Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : Acceptați dolari americani/canadieni/australieni? (ock-chep-TAHTS DOH-lah-ree ah-meh-ree-KAHN/kah-nah-dee-EHN/ah-oo-strah-lee-EHN?)
; Do you accept British pounds? : Acceptați lire sterline? (ock-chep-TAHTS LEE-reh stehr-LEE-neh?)
; Do you accept credit cards? : Acceptați cărți de credit? (ock-chep-TAHTS KUHRTZ deh CREH-deet?)
; Can you change money for me? : Puteți să schimbați bani pentru mine? (poo-TEHTS suh skim-BAHTZ BAHN PEHN-troo MEE-nay?) or Puteți să schimbați valută pentru mine? (poo-TEHTS suh skim-BAHTZ vah-LOO-tah PEHN-troo MEE-nay?)
; Where can I get money changed? : Unde pot să schimb bani? (OON-deh POHT suh SKIMB BAHN?) or Unde pot să schimb valuta? (OON-deh POHT suh SKIMB vah-LOO-tah?)
; Can you change a traveler's check for me? : Puteți să schimbați un cec de calatorie pentru mine? (poo-TEHTS suh skim-BAHTZ oon CHECK deh cah-lah-TOH-ree-eh PEHN-troo MEE-nay?)
; Where can I get a traveler's check changed? : Unde pot să schimb cecul de calatorie? (OON-deh POHT suh SKIMB CHE-cool deh cah-lah-TOH-ree-eh )
; What is the exchange rate? : Cât este rata de schimb? (COOHT YES-teh RAH-tah deh SKIMB?)
; Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : Unde este un bancomat? (OON-deh YES-teh OON BAHN-co-MAHT)
Eating
; A table for one person/two people, please. : O masă pentru o persoană / pentru doua persoane, vă rog. (OH MAHSS-uh pehn-troo OH pehrss-WAH-nuh... / pehn-troo DOH-ah pehrss-WAH-neh, vuh ROHG)
; Can I look at the menu, please? : Pot să văd meniul, vă rog? (POHT suh voohd MEH-nyool, vuh ROHG)
; Can I look in the kitchen? : Pot să mă uit în bucătărie? (POHT suh muh OOYT oohn BOO-kah-teh-ree-eh)
; Is there a house specialty? : Aveți o specialitate a casei? (ah-VETZ oh speh-chee-ah-lee-TAH-teh ah KAH-sey)
; Is there a local specialty? : Aveți o specialitate locală? (ah-VETZ oh speh-chee-ah-lee-TAH-teh loh-KAH-luh)
; I'm a vegetarian. : Sunt vegetarian. (SOONT veh-jeh-tah-ree-AHN)
; I don't eat pork. : Nu mănânc carne de porc. (NOO muh-NUHNK CAR-neh deh POHRK)
; I don't eat beef. : Nu mănânc carne de vită. (NOO muh-NUHNK CAR-neh deh VEE-tah)
; I only eat kosher food. : Mănânc numai hrană cușer. (muh-NUHNK NOO-MY H'RAHUN-uh KOOH-sher)
; Can you make it "lite", please? (i.e. less oil/butter/lard) : Puteți să o faceți mai puțin grasă, vă rog? (poo-TETS suh oh FAH-chetz my poo-TZIN GRAH-suh, vuh ROHG?)
; fixed-price meal : meniu fix (MEN-ee-oo FIX)
; à la carte : a la carte (a la KART)
; breakfast : micul dejun (MEE-kool deh-ZHOON)
; lunch : dejun (deh-ZHOON)
; supper : cină (CHEE-nuh)
; I want _____. : Vreau _____. (VROW)
; More politely, comparable to "I would like" : Aș vrea (AHSH VRAA; this last vowel sound is like the "a" in the English word "cat")
; I want a dish containing _____. : Vreau o mâncare care conține _____. (.VROW oh muhn-KAH-reh KAH-reh con-TZEEN-eh _____)
; chicken : pui (POOY)
; duck : rață (RAH-tzuh)
; beef : carne de vită (CAR-neh deh VEE-tah)
; fish : pește (PESHT-teh)
; ham : jambon or șuncă (zhahm-BOHN, SHOON-kuh)
; sausage : cârnați (kuhr-NATZ)
; cheese : brânză (BROOHN-zah)
; eggs : ouă (O-uh)
; salad : salată (sa-LAH-tah)
; (fresh) vegetables : legume (proaspăte) (leh-GOO-meh (proh-ah-SPUH-teh))
; tomatoes : roșii or tomate (ROH-shee, to-MA-teh)
; mushrooms : ciuperci (choo-PEHRCH)
; (fresh) fruit : fructe (proaspete) (FROOK-teh (proh-ah-SPEH-teh))
; bread : pâine (pooh-EEN-eh)
; toast : pâine prăjită (pooh-EEN-eh pruh-JEE-tuh)
; noodles : tăiței (tuh-EE-tsay)
; rice : orez (ohr-EZZ)
; beans : fasole (fah-SOH-leh)
; May I have a glass of _____? : (literally: I would like...): Aș dori un pahar de _____. ( AHsh dohr oohn puh-HAR deh)
; May I have a cup of _____? : (literally: I would like...)Aș dori o ceașcă de _____. (AHsh dohr o CHEE-ah-shkuh deh)
; May I have a bottle of _____? : (literally: I would like...)Aș dori o sticlă de _____. (AHsh dohr o STIK-lah deh)
; coffee : cafea (kaf-AA)
; tea (drink) : ceai (CHY)
; juice : suc (SOOK)
; (bubbly) water : apă minerală (AH-puh mee-neh-RAH-lah)
; (still) water : apă plată (AH-puh PLAH-tah)
; water : apă (AH-puh )
; beer : bere (BEH-reh)
; red/white wine : vin roșu/alb (VEEN ROH-shoo / AHLB)
; May I have some _____? : (literally: I would like...) Aș dori niște _____? (AHsh doh-REE nish-TEH ____?)
; salt : sare (SAH-reh)
; black pepper : piper (PEE-pehr)
; butter : unt (OONT)
; Eat well : Poftă bună ("PAUF-tuh BOO-nuh")
; Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of waiter): Ospătar! (os-puh-TAHR)
; I'm finished. : Sunt gata. (SOONT gah-tah)
; It was delicious. : A fost delicios. (ah fohst deh-lee-CHOHSS)
; Please clear the plates. : Puteți să strangeti farfuriile. (POOH-tehtz suh STRUHN-getz far-FOOH-ree-leh)
; The check, please: "Nota (de plată), vă rog" (NO-tah day PLAT-tuh, vuh ROHG)
Bars
; Do you serve alcohol? : Serviți alcool? (ser-VEETZ al-KOHL)
; Is there table service? : Este serviciu la masă? (YEHS-teh seer-VEE-choo lah MAH-suh?)
; A beer/two beers, please. : O bere / două beri, vă rog. (oh BEH-reh / DOH-uh BEHR, vuh ROHG)
; A glass of red/white wine, please. : Un pahar de vin roșu/alb, vă rog (oohn pah-HAHR deh VEEN ROH-shoo / AHLB, vuh ROHG)
; A pint, please. : Romania doesn't use pints, but you'll get 0.88 pint (literally, 'half a liter') if you order: Jumătate de litru, vă rog. (JOO-muh-TAH-teh de LEE-troo, vuh ROHG)
; A bottle, please. : O sticlă, vă rog. (oh STIK-luh, vuh ROHG)
; _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : _____ și _____, vă rog. (vuh ROHG')
; whiskey : whisky (WHEESS-kee)
; vodka : vodka (VOHD-kah)
; rum : rom (ROHM)
; water : apă (AH-puh)
; club soda : sifon (see-FOHN)
; tonic water : apă tonică (AH-puh TOH-nee-kuh)
; orange juice : suc de portocale (SOOK deh POHR-to-KAHL-eh)
; Coke (soda) : cola (KOH-lah)
; Do you have any bar snacks? : Aveți ceva gustări? (ah-VEHTS CHEH-vah goo-STUHR?)
; One more, please. : Încă unu, vă rog (OOHN-kah OOHN-oo vuh ROHG); also "Încă una, vă rog" (depends on the gender, this would be feminine) (OOHN-kah OOHN-ah vuh ROHG)
; Another round, please. : Încă o serie, vă rog. (OOHN-kah oh SEH-ree-eh, vuh ROHG)
; When is closing time? (literally, "When does this bar close?"): Când se închide barul ăsta? (COOHND seh uhn-KEE-deh BAH-rool AHS-ta)
Shopping
; Do you have this in my size? : Aveți asta în măsura mea? (ah-VEHTS AHS-tah oohn MUH-soo-ruh MEH-uh?)
; How much is this? : Cât costă asta? (COOHT KOHS-tah AHS-tah?)
; That's too expensive. : Este prea scump. (YES-teh PRAA SCOOMP)
; Would you take _____? : Ați accepta _____? (ahtz ahk-chehp-TAH _____?)
; expensive : scump (SCOOMP)
; cheap : ieftin (yef-TEEN)
; I can't afford it. : Nu-mi permit. (NOOM pehr-MEET)
; I don't want it. : Nu vreau aceasta. (noo VREH-ow ah-CHA-stuh)
; You're cheating me. : Mă înșelați. (muh uhn-sheh-LAHTS)
; I'm not interested. : Nu sunt interesat. (noo soont een-teh-reh-SAHT)
; OK, I'll take it. : Bine, îl iau. (bee-neh, uhl YA-oo.); also "Bine, o iau" (depends on the gender, this would be feminine)
; Can I have a bag? : Îmi puteți da o pungă ? (UHM poo-TEH-tzee duh oh POON-guh ?)
; Do you ship (overseas)? : Trimiteți (în străinătate)? (tree-ME-teh-tz(oohn strah-ee-nuh-TAH-teh)?)
; I need... : Am nevoie de ... (AHM neh-VOY-eh deh...)
; ...toothpaste. : ...pastă de dinți. (PAH-stuh deh DEENTS)
; ...a toothbrush. : ...periuță de dinți . (peh-ree-OO-tsuh deh DEENTS)
; ...tampons. : ...tampoane. (tam-POAH-neh)
; ...soap. : ...săpun. (suh-POON)
; ...shampoo. : ...șampon. (shahm-POHN)
; ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : anti-inflamator/calmant/analgezic (ahnt-eehn-FLAH-mah-tohr/kahl-MAHNT/ahn-ahl-JEH-zzeek)
; ...cold medicine. : ...medicamente de răceală. (meh-dee-cah-MEN-teh deh ruh-CHA-luh)
; ...stomach medicine. : ...medicamente de stomac. (meh-dee-cah-MEN-teh deh stoe-MACK)
; ...a razor. : o lamă de ras. (oh lah-MUH deh RAHS)
; ...an umbrella. : ...o umbrelă. (oh oom-BREH-luh)
; ...sunblock lotion. : ...cremă solară/cremă pentru protecție solară (CREH-muh soh-LAH-ruh/ CREH-muh PEHN- trooh proh-tehc-tzee-eh soh-LAH-ruh)
; ...a postcard. : ...o carte poștală/vedere (oh Car-TEH poe-SHTA-luh/ veh-DEH-reh)
; ...postage stamps. : ...timbre (TEAM-breh)
; ...batteries. : ...baterii (baah-TEH-ree)
; ...writing paper. : ...hârtie de scris. (hoohr-TEE-eh deh SCREESS)
; ...a pen. : un stilou / un pix (OOHN stee-LOW / OOHN PEEKS)
; ...English-language books. : ...cărți în limba engleză. (KAHR-tzee oohn LEEM-bah een-GLEHZ-ah)
; ...English-language magazines. : ...reviste în limba engleză. (reh-VEES-teh oohn LEEM-bah een-GLEHZ-ah)
; ...an English-language newspaper. : ...un ziar în limba engleză. (uhn zee-AHR oohn LEEM-bah een-GLEHZ-ah)
; ...a Romanian-English dictionary. : ...un dicționar român-englez. (OOHN deek-tsee-oh-NAHR ro-MOOHN ehn-GLEHZ)
Driving
; I want to rent a car. : Aș dori să închiriez o mașină. (AH-sh doh-REE sah uhn-KEE-ree-ehz o mah-SHEE-nah...)
; Can I get insurance? : Pot obține asigurare? (pot ohb-tseen-eh ah-see-goo-RAH-reh?)
; stop (on a street sign) : STOP
; one way : sens unic (SEHNS oo-NEEK)
; yield : cedează trecerea (cheh-DAA-zah treh-CHER-aa)
; no parking : Nu parcați (noo pahr-KATS)
; speed limit : viteza maximă (vee-TEH-zah MAH-ksee-mah)
; gas (petrol) station : stație de benzină (STAHTS-see-eh deh ben-ZEE-nuh)
; petrol : benzină (ben-ZEE-nuh)
; diesel : motorină (moh-toh-REE-nah)
; detour : ocolire (oh-mike-LEE-reh)
Authority
; I haven't done anything wrong. : N-am facut nimic rău/greșit. (NAHM fah-COOT nee-MEEC RUH-oh/GREH-sheet)
; It was a misunderstanding. : A fost o neînțelegere. (AH fohst oh neh-uhn-tzeh-leh-geh-reh)
; Where are you taking me? : Unde mă duceți? (OON-deh muh DOOH-chets)
; Am I under arrest? : Sunt arestat? (SOONT ah-rest-AHT ?)
; I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Sunt cetățean american/canadian/australian/britanic. (SOONT cheh-tuh-tseh-AHN ah-meh-ree-KAHN/kah-nah-dee-AHN/ah-oo-strah-lee-AHN/bree-TAH-nik)
; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian consulate. : Vreau să vorbesc cu consulatul american/canadian/australian/britanic. (VROW suh vohr-BESK/vor-BEE koo COHN-soo-LAH-tool ah-meh-ree-KAHN/kah-nah-dee-AHN/ah-oo-strah-lee-AHN/bree-TAH-nik)
; I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy. : Vreau să vorbesc cu ambasada americană/canadiană/australiană/britanică. (VROW suh vohr-BESK/vor-BEE koo AHM-bah-SAH-dah ah-meh-ree-KAHN-uh/kah-nah-dee-AHN-uh/ah-oo-strah-lee-AHN-uh/bree-TAH-nik-uh)
; I want to talk to a lawyer. : Vreau să vorbesc cu un avocat. (VROW suh vohr-BESK/vor-BEE koo oohn ah-voh-CAHT)
; Can I just pay a fine now? : Aș putea să plătesc/plăti doar o amendă acum ? (AH-sh poo-TEAH sah plah-TEH-sk/plah-TEE DOO-arr oh ah-MEN-duh ah-COOM ?)
Learning more
- The Wikibook about Romanian language
- Learning resources from Wikiversity
- Dictionary entries from Wiktionary
- Media from Commons
- Data from Wikidata
- Romanian Online Vocabulary Lessons with Audio
- Learn Romanian Magazine, a collection of texts and audio podcasts published as an online magazine