Language/Romanian/Grammar/Past-and-Future-Tenses

Romanian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Past and Future Tenses

Welcome to another exciting lesson in our journey through the Romanian language! Today, we will explore the past and future tenses. Understanding these tenses is crucial for effective communication, as they allow us to express actions and events that happened in the past or will happen in the future.

In this lesson, we will:

• Discuss the structure and formation of the simple past and future tenses in Romanian.

• Provide clear examples to illustrate each point.

• Offer exercises that will help you practice what you've learned.

Understanding how to use these tenses will not only enhance your grammatical skills but also enrich your ability to tell stories about your experiences and share your plans. So, let’s dive in!

The Simple Past Tense in Romanian

Overview

The simple past tense in Romanian, known as "timpul perfect compus", is used to express actions that have been completed in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb "a avea" (to have) and the past participle of the main verb.

Formation

To form the simple past tense:

1. Conjugate the auxiliary verb "a avea" according to the subject.

2. Add the past participle of the main verb.

Examples

Here are some examples to illustrate how the simple past tense works in Romanian.

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
Eu am mâncat.	/e.u am mɨnˈkat/	I ate.
Tu ai citit.	/tu ai t͡ʃiˈtit/	You read.
El a scris.	/el a skriˈs/	He wrote.
Noi am mers.	/noi am mɛrs/	We went.
Voi ați văzut.	/voi at͡s vəˈzut/	You (plural) saw.
Ei au cântat.	/ei au kɨnˈtat/	They sang.

Irregular Verbs

Some verbs have irregular past participles. Here’s a quick reference table for a few common irregular verbs.

Romanian Verb	Past Participle	English
a fi	fost	to be
a face	făcut	to do/make
a vedea	văzut	to see
a veni	venit	to come
a lua	luat	to take

The Simple Future Tense in Romanian

Overview

The simple future tense in Romanian, known as "timpul viitor simplu", is used to express actions that will happen in the future. It is formed using the auxiliary verb "a avea" and the infinitive form of the main verb.

Formation

To form the simple future tense:

1. Conjugate the auxiliary verb "a avea" according to the subject.

2. Add the infinitive of the main verb.

Examples

Here are some examples to illustrate how the simple future tense works in Romanian.

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
Eu voi mânca.	/e.u voi mɨnˈka/	I will eat.
Tu vei citi.	/tu vei t͡ʃiˈti/	You will read.
El va scrie.	/el va ˈskri.e/	He will write.
Noi vom merge.	/noi vom ˈmɛr.d͡ʒe/	We will go.
Voi veți vedea.	/voi veʦ veˈde.a/	You (plural) will see.
Ei vor cânta.	/ei vor kɨnˈta/	They will sing.

Summary of Tenses

To summarize, here’s a quick reference table for both tenses:

Tense	Formation	Example
Simple Past	A avea + Past Participle	Eu am mâncat. (I ate.)
Simple Future	A avea + Infinitive	Eu voi mânca. (I will eat.)

Practice Exercises

Now that we have covered the formation and usage of the past and future tenses, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Here are some practice exercises for you:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in either the simple past or simple future tense.

1. Eu ____ (a merge) la magazin.

2. Tu ____ (a citi) o carte ieri.

3. El ____ (a face) temele săptămâna viitoare.

4. Noi ____ (a vedea) filmul aseară.

5. Voi ____ (a veni) la petrecere mâine?

Solutions to Exercise 1

1. Eu voi merge la magazin.

2. Tu ai citit o carte ieri.

3. El va face temele săptămâna viitoare.

4. Noi am văzut filmul aseară.

5. Voi veți veni la petrecere mâine.

Exercise 2: Verb Conjugation

Conjugate the following verbs in the simple past tense based on the subject given.

1. (Eu) a scrie

2. (Tu) a bea

3. (El) a dansa

4. (Noi) a vorbi

5. (Ei) a râde

Solutions to Exercise 2

1. Eu am scris.

2. Tu ai băut.

3. El a dansat.

4. Noi am vorbit.

5. Ei au râs.

Exercise 3: Translation Practice

Translate the following sentences from English to Romanian using the correct tense.

1. I will go to school.

2. She read the book.

3. They will sing a song.

4. We saw the mountains.

5. You (plural) will eat pizza.

Solutions to Exercise 3

1. Eu voi merge la școală.

2. Ea a citit cartea.

3. Ei vor cânta o melodie.

4. Noi am văzut munții.

5. Voi veți mânca pizza.

Exercise 4: Identify the Tense

Read the sentences below and identify whether the verb is in the past or future tense.

1. Eu am vorbit cu Maria.

2. Ei vor merge la concert.

3. Noi am mâncat prăjituri.

4. Tu vei face un tort.

5. El a văzut filmul.

Solutions to Exercise 4

1. Past

2. Future

3. Past

4. Future

5. Past

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Create five sentences in Romanian using the simple past tense and five sentences using the simple future tense.

Solutions to Exercise 5

(Your own sentences will vary; here’s an example.)

Simple Past:

1. Eu am jucat fotbal.

2. Tu ai scris o scrisoare.

3. El a cumpărat un cadou.

4. Noi am văzut un spectacol.

5. Voi ați ascultat muzică.

Simple Future:

1. Eu voi merge la plajă.

2. Tu vei învăța română.

3. El va călători în Italia.

4. Noi vom petrece timpul împreună.

5. Voi veți vizita muzeul.

Exercise 6: Fill the Gaps with Appropriate Tense

Choose the correct tense (past or future) for the following gaps.

1. Ieri, eu ____ (to go) la cinema.

2. Mâine, noi ____ (to visit) un muzeu.

3. Anul trecut, ei ____ (to travel) în România.

4. Data viitoare, tu ____ (to eat) la restaurant.

5. El ____ (to read) o carte ieri.

Solutions to Exercise 6

1. am mers

2. vom vizita

3. au călătorit

4. vei mânca

5. a citit

Exercise 7: Correct the Mistakes

Find and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.

1. Eu va merge la școală.

2. Tu a scris un mesaj.

3. Noi am cânta ieri.

4. Ei vor vizita muzeul săptămâna trecută.

5. El a mâncat pizza mâine.

Solutions to Exercise 7

1. Eu voi merge la școală.

2. Tu ai scris un mesaj.

3. Noi am cântat ieri.

4. Ei vor vizita muzeul săptămâna viitoare.

5. El a mâncat pizza ieri.

Exercise 8: Write a Short Paragraph

Write a short paragraph about your last vacation using the simple past tense, and then write another paragraph about your plans for the next vacation using the simple future tense.

Solutions to Exercise 8

(Your paragraph will vary; here’s an example.)

Last Vacation:

"Anul trecut, am fost la mare. Am înotat în apă și am construit un castel de nisip. Am mâncat fructe de mare și am făcut plajă."

Next Vacation:

"În următoarea vacanță, voi merge în munți. Voi face drumeții și voi explora natura. Sper să văd animale sălbatice."

Exercise 9: Match the Sentences

Match the past tense sentences with their future tense counterparts.

1. Eu am dansat la petrecere.

2. Noi am văzut o piesă de teatru.

3. Tu ai citit o carte frumoasă.

4. Ei au ascultat muzică.

5. El a cumpărat un cadou.

A. Tu vei citi o carte nouă.

B. Noi vom merge la un concert.

C. Eu voi dansa la următoarea petrecere.

D. El va cumpăra un cadou pentru ziua lui.

E. Ei vor asculta o melodie nouă.

Solutions to Exercise 9

1 - C, 2 - B, 3 - A, 4 - E, 5 - D

Exercise 10: Create a Dialogue

Create a short dialogue between two friends discussing their past weekend and future plans.

Solutions to Exercise 10

(Your dialogue will vary; here’s an example.)

Friend 1: "Ce ai făcut weekend-ul trecut?"

Friend 2: "Am fost la un concert. A fost fantastic!"

Friend 1: "Ce planuri ai pentru weekendul următor?"

Friend 2: "Voi merge la munte cu familia."

Congratulations! You’ve now learned the basics of the past and future tenses in Romanian. Practicing these tenses will significantly enhance your conversational skills and help you express yourself more clearly. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be able to discuss past events and future plans with ease!

Table of Contents - Romanian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense of Verbs

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Basic Adjectives
• Basic Adverbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Basic Prepositions
• Basic Conjunctions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Common Foods
• Common Drinks

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Locations and Directions

• Common Locations
• Giving Directions

  ---

Plurals and Articles

• Plural Nouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Hobbies and Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Describing Activities

  ---

Romanian Culture and Traditions

• Romanian Holidays
• Romanian Cuisine

  ---

Imperatives and Requests

• Imperative Form
• Polite Requests

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Romanian Geography and History

• Geography of Romania
• Romanian History

Sources

• A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Romanian Verb Conjugation
• Romanian language lesson: Future Tense | Romania Insider

Other Lessons

• Present Continuous in Romanian
• Verb to be with names and places
• Greetings in Romanian
• Verbs and Conjugation
• How to Use Be
• Plural in Romanian
• Gender
• Relative Pronouns and Clauses
• 0 to A1 Course