Language/Romanian/Grammar/Present-Tense-of-Verbs

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Romanian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Present Tense of Verbs

Welcome to our lesson on the Present Tense of Verbs in Romanian! Understanding the present tense is crucial for anyone starting their journey in the Romanian language. It forms the backbone of everyday communication, allowing you to express actions happening right now. Whether you're chatting about your day, ordering food, or discussing your favorite hobbies, mastering the present tense will empower you to engage confidently in conversations.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• The structure of the present tense in Romanian.

• How to conjugate regular verbs in the present tense.

• Essential vocabulary related to daily activities.

• Practice exercises to reinforce your learning.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to use the present tense and be able to apply it in your conversations.

Understanding the Present Tense

The present tense in Romanian is used to describe actions that are currently happening or habitual actions. It's similar to the English present simple tense.

In Romanian, verbs are categorized into three conjugation groups based on their endings:

• -a (first conjugation)

• -e (second conjugation)

• -i (third conjugation)

This distinction affects how we conjugate verbs in the present tense. Let’s dive deeper into each conjugation group.

First Conjugation: Verbs Ending in -a

Regular verbs that end in -a are conjugated by removing the -a and adding specific endings. The endings are as follows:

• eu (I): -ez

• tu (you, informal): -ezi

• el/ea (he/she): -ează

• noi (we): -ăm

• voi (you, plural/formal): -ați

• ei/ele (they): -ează

Example Table: First Conjugation Verbs

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
a învăța	a ɨnˈvæt͡sa	to learn
eu învăț	e.u ɨnˈvɨt͡s	I learn
tu înveți	tu ɨnˈvet͡s	you learn
el învață	el ɨnˈva.t͡s	he learns
noi învățăm	noi ɨnˈvɨt͡sɨm	we learn
voi învățați	voi ɨnvaˈt͡sɑt͡s	you (plural) learn
ei învață	ej ɨnˈva.t͡s	they learn

Second Conjugation: Verbs Ending in -e

For verbs that end in -e, the endings are:

• eu: -esc

• tu: -ești

• el/ea: -ește

• noi: -im

• voi: -iți

• ei/ele: -esc

Example Table: Second Conjugation Verbs

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
a vedea	a veˈdea	to see
eu văd	e.u vɨd	I see
tu vezi	tu vez	you see
el vede	el ˈvede	he sees
noi vedem	noi veˈdem	we see
voi vedeți	voi veˈdeʦ	you (plural) see
ei văd	ej vɨd	they see

Third Conjugation: Verbs Ending in -i

For verbs ending in -i, the endings are:

• eu: -esc

• tu: -ești

• el/ea: -ește

• noi: -im

• voi: -iți

• ei/ele: -esc

Example Table: Third Conjugation Verbs

Romanian	Pronunciation	English
a scrie	a ˈskri.e	to write
eu scriu	e.u ˈskri.u	I write
tu scrii	tu skrɨi	you write
el scrie	el ˈskri.e	he writes
noi scriem	noi ˈskri.em	we write
voi scrieți	voi ˈskri.eʦ	you (plural) write
ei scriu	ej ˈskri.u	they write

Forming Sentences in Present Tense

Now that you know how to conjugate verbs, let’s see how to form meaningful sentences using them. The typical sentence structure in Romanian is Subject + Verb + Object.

For example:

• Eu văd o carte. (I see a book.)

• Tu înveți limba română. (You learn the Romanian language.)

Vocabulary for Daily Activities

To help you practice the present tense, here are some useful verbs related to daily activities:

• a mânca (to eat)

• a bea (to drink)

• a merge (to go)

• a vorbi (to speak)

• a asculta (to listen)

• a citi (to read)

• a lucra (to work)

• a dormi (to sleep)

You can use these verbs to create your own sentences in the present tense.

Practice Exercises

Here are some exercises to reinforce what you've learned.

Exercise 1: Conjugate the Verbs

Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense:

1. a studia (to study)

2. a călători (to travel)

3. a înota (to swim)

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:

1. Eu ______ (a cânta) la chitară.

2. Tu ______ (a dansa) la petrecere.

3. Noi ______ (a juca) fotbal.

Exercise 3: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences into Romanian:

1. They eat apples.

2. I drink water.

3. She reads a book.

Exercise 4: Create Sentences

Using the verbs provided, create your own sentences.

1. a scrie (to write)

2. a vorbi (to speak)

3. a asculta (to listen)

Exercise 5: Identify the Subject

Identify the subject in the following sentences:

1. Eu merg la piață.

2. Tu scrii o scrisoare.

3. Ei ascultă muzică.

Exercise 6: Verb Matching

Match the verb forms to their subjects:

1. eu / a merge

2. tu / a scrie

3. el / a vedea

Exercise 7: Negative Sentences

Transform the following sentences into negative:

1. Eu văd un film.

2. Tu mănânci pizza.

Exercise 8: Yes/No Questions

Formulate yes/no questions from the statements:

1. Eu scriu o carte.

2. Tu bei apă.

Exercise 9: Conjugation Drill

Conjugate the verb "a lucra" (to work) for all pronouns in present tense.

Exercise 10: Daily Routine

Write a short paragraph about your daily routine using at least five present tense verbs.

Solutions and Explanations

Now, let’s go through the exercises and provide solutions:

Solutions for Exercise 1

1. eu studiez

2. eu călătoresc

3. eu înot

Solutions for Exercise 2

1. Eu cânt la chitară.

2. Tu dansezi la petrecere.

3. Noi jucăm fotbal.

Solutions for Exercise 3

1. Ei mănâncă mere.

2. Eu beau apă.

3. Ea citește o carte.

Solutions for Exercise 4

1. Eu scriu o poveste.

2. Tu vorbești cu prietenii.

3. Eu ascult muzică.

Solutions for Exercise 5

1. Eu

2. Tu

3. Ei

Solutions for Exercise 6

1. eu merg

2. tu scrii

3. el vede

Solutions for Exercise 7

1. Eu nu văd un film.

2. Tu nu mănânci pizza.

Solutions for Exercise 8

1. Scriu o carte?

2. Bei apă?

Solutions for Exercise 9

eu lucrez

tu lucrezi

el/ea lucrează

noi lucrăm

voi lucrați

ei/ele lucrează

Solutions for Exercise 10

(Answers will vary based on student responses, ensuring they use five verbs in the present tense.)

Congratulations on completing this lesson! Remember, practice makes perfect. Use these verbs in your daily conversations, and soon you’ll be conversing in Romanian 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

• Romanian language lesson: The Present Indicative of the verbs in -a ...
• Romanian verbs in present tense – Fast Language Mastery
• A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Romanian Verb Conjugation

Other Lessons

• Verb to be with names and places
• Participles and Gerunds
• Past and Future Tenses
• Imperative Form
• How to use ¨can¨ in Romanian
• Conditional Mood
• Give your Opinion
• Polite Requests
• Prepositions

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