Language/Romanian/Grammar/Advanced-Verb-Tenses
As a Romanian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I know that verb tenses can be one of the most challenging aspects of learning Romanian grammar. However, mastering them is crucial for attaining fluency and communicating effectively in everyday conversations. This lesson will cover advanced verb tenses, including perfect, imperfect, and pluperfect, to further develop your understanding of Romanian grammar.
Perfect Tense
The perfect tense is used to describe completed actions in the past, but with a connection to the present. In Romanian, the perfect tense is formed using auxiliary verbs "a fi" or "a avea" and the past participle of the main verb. The choice between "a fi" and "a avea" depends on whether the verb describes a state (using "a fi") or an action (using "a avea"). Here are some examples:
| Romanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Am mâncat | am mɨnˈkat | I have eaten |
| Ai venit | aj ˈvenit | You have come |
| A cumpărat | a kumpəˈrat | He/she has bought |
| Am plecat | am ˈplekat | We have left |
| Ați întâlnit | at͡sʲ ɨnˈtɨlnit | You (plural) have met |
| Au cântat | aw kɨnˈtat | They have sung |
The past participle of the verb is formed by adding "-t/-at" to the stem of the verb. Some common irregular past participles include "fost" (been), "spus" (said), "scris" (written), "văzut" (seen), and "venit" (come).
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past that are not connected to the present. In Romanian, the imperfect tense is formed using the stem of the verb and adding specific suffixes for each conjugation. Here are the suffixes for each person:
| Person | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Eu | -am/-eam | Cântam (I was singing) |
| Tu | -ai/-eai | Cântai (You were singing) |
| El/Ea | -a/-ea | Cânta (He/She was singing) |
| Noi | -am/-eam | Cântam (We were singing) |
| Voi | -ați/-eați | Cântați (You (plural) were singing) |
| Ei/Ele | -au/-eau | Cântau (They were singing) |
Here are some examples of using the imperfect tense:
- "Mâncați mereu împreună?" (Were you always eating together?)
- "Îmi plăcea să joc fotbal când eram copil." (I used to enjoy playing soccer when I was a child.)
- "Mergeam la biserică în fiecare duminică." (We used to go to church every Sunday.)
Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense is used to describe an action that had been completed before a specific time in the past. In Romanian, the pluperfect tense is formed using the past perfect of "a fi" or "a avea" and the past participle of the main verb. Here are some examples:
- "Mâncasem deja când a sosit prietenul meu." (I had already eaten when my friend arrived.)
- "Înainte să mă mut în București, locuisem în Iași." (Before moving to Bucharest, I had lived in Iasi.)
- "Ați ajuns târziu, pentru că trenul plecase deja." (You arrived late because the train had already left.)
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing this lesson on advanced verb tenses in Romanian! With practice, you will be able to use these verb tenses fluently and effectively in everyday conversations. Keep in mind that, as with any language, mastering grammar is just one aspect of achieving fluency. Listening, speaking, and practicing with a native speaker are also essential for successful language learning.
Sources
Related Lessons
- The Locative Case in Romanian
- Comaratives and Superlatives
- Verbs and Conjugation
- Negation
- Direct and Indirect Speech
- Present Continuous in Romanian
- Questions
- Participles and Gerunds
- Nouns and Pronouns
- Possessive Case in Romanian