Language/Romanian/Grammar/Nouns
Hi Romanian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will dive into Romanian grammar and focus on nouns. Nouns are words that represent a person, place, thing or idea. In Romanian, nouns can be masculine, feminine or neuter and can be singular or plural. Understanding the gender and number of nouns is essential to master the Romanian language.
With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Cases, Conditional Mood, Plurals & Complex Sentences and Connectors.
Gender in Romanian Nouns[edit | edit source]
Unlike English, where gender is not always apparent in nouns, Romanian clearly distinguishes between masculine and feminine nouns. Nouns that end in -e, -i or -u are usually masculine, while those that end in -ă, -ea or -ie are usually feminine. There are few exceptions and some nouns can only be learned through memorization.
Here are some examples of masculine and feminine nouns in Romanian:
| Romanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| băiat | [bəˈjat] | boy |
| frate | [ˈfrate] | brother |
| câine | [kɨˈine] | dog |
| fată | [ˈfata] | girl |
| soră | [soˈrə] | sister |
| pisică | [pi'sikə] | cat |
Romanian Plural Nouns[edit | edit source]
Once you know whether a noun is masculine or feminine, the next step is to learn the plural form.
To form the plural of masculine nouns, add -i or -e to the end of the word, depending on the last letter. For feminine nouns, replace -ă or -ea with -e.
Here are some examples of plural nouns in Romanian:
| Romanian singular | Romanian plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| băiat | băieți | boys |
| frate | frați | brothers |
| câine | câini | dogs |
| fată | fete | girls |
| soră | surori | sisters |
| pisică | pisici | cats |
It's important to note that some nouns have irregular plural forms, and must be learned by heart.
Indefinite and Definite Articles[edit | edit source]
The indefinite article in Romanian is "un" for masculine nouns and "o" for feminine nouns. For example, "un băiat" means "a boy" and "o fată" means "a girl".
The definite article in Romanian is "cel" for masculine nouns and "cea" for feminine nouns. For example, "cel băiat" means "the boy" and "cea fată" means "the girl".
Possessive Nouns[edit | edit source]
Possessive nouns are used to show that someone owns or possesses something. In Romanian, the possessive noun is formed by adding -ul for masculine nouns and -a for feminine nouns to the end of the possessed noun.
For example, "casa băiatului" means "the boy's house" and "cartea fetei" means "the girl's book".
Dialogue Example[edit | edit source]
To put these concepts into context, here's an imaginary dialogue:
- Person 1: Salut, băiatule! Cum te cheamă? (Hi, boy! What's your name?)
- Person 2: Mă cheamă Andrei. (My name is Andrei.)
- Person 1: Plăcere să te cunosc, Andrei! (Nice to meet you, Andrei!)
- Person 2: Plăcerea e a mea, Dan. (The pleasure is mine, Dan.)
Culture Corner[edit | edit source]
Did you know that Romania is home to the Danube Delta, the second largest river delta in Europe? The Danube Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must-see location for nature lovers.
Practice Makes Perfect[edit | edit source]
To improve your Romanian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Romanian grammar - Wikipedia
- Romanian Nouns: Gender and Declension Reference Grammar
- Romanian nouns - Wikipedia
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Definite Articles in Romanian
- How to use the verb there to be in Romanian
- Comaratives and Superlatives
- Give your Opinion
- How to use ¨can¨ in Romanian
- Instrumental Case in Romanian
- How to Use Be
- Useful Verbs
- Greetings in Romanian
- The Accusative Case in Romanian