A citi means to read. It is an everyday A1 verb and the textbook model of the fourth conjugation -esc class — the same pattern as a vorbi, a iubi, a gândi, a primi. If you can conjugate a citi, you can conjugate the entire family, because the endings and the placement of the -esc infix are completely regular.
As with every verb in this class, the infix -esc-/-eșt-/-easc- is present in the three singular persons and in the 3rd person plural, and drops out in the 1st and 2nd person plural (citim, citiți). Outside the present and subjunctive, the infix is simply gone: the imperfect is citeam, the participle is citit. This page gives you every paradigm plus the natural patterns of use.
Prezent indicativ
Note the two things that trip learners up: the infix appears in citesc, citești, citește, citesc but not in citim, citiți; and 1sg = 3pl, both citesc, distinguished only by context or pronoun.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | citesc |
| tu | citești |
| el / ea | citește |
| noi | citim |
| voi | citiți |
| ei / ele | citesc |
Citesc o carte foarte bună despre istoria orașului.
I'm reading a really good book about the city's history.
Ce citești acolo, e ceva interesant?
What are you reading there, is it something interesting?
Imperfect
No infix. Built on the stem citi- with the Class IV ending -eam.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | citeam |
| tu | citeai |
| el / ea | citea |
| noi | citeam |
| voi | citeați |
| ei / ele | citeau |
În copilărie citeam sub pătură cu lanterna.
As a child I used to read under the blanket with a flashlight.
Perfect compus
Auxiliary a avea plus the participle citit.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | am citit |
| tu | ai citit |
| el / ea | a citit |
| noi | am citit |
| voi | ați citit |
| ei / ele | au citit |
Ai citit deja articolul pe care ți l-am trimis?
Have you already read the article I sent you?
Mai-mult-ca-perfectul
Synthetic pluperfect on the participle stem citis-.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | citisem |
| tu | citiseși |
| el / ea | citise |
| noi | citiserăm |
| voi | citiserăți |
| ei / ele | citiseră |
Citisem cartea înainte să văd filmul, și mi-a plăcut mai mult.
I had read the book before I saw the film, and I liked it more.
Viitor
| Person | Viitor (voi-form, formal) | Colloquial (o să) |
|---|---|---|
| eu | voi citi | o să citesc |
| tu | vei citi | o să citești |
| el / ea | va citi | o să citească |
| noi | vom citi | o să citim |
| voi | veți citi | o să citiți |
| ei / ele | vor citi | o să citească |
O să citesc capitolul ăsta în tren, n-am timp acum.
I'll read this chapter on the train; I don't have time now.
Conjunctiv prezent
The 3rd person shape is (să) citească (with -easc-), distinct from the indicative citește.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | să citesc |
| tu | să citești |
| el / ea | să citească |
| noi | să citim |
| voi | să citiți |
| ei / ele | să citească |
I-am spus copilului să citească zece minute în fiecare seară.
I told the child to read for ten minutes every evening.
Condițional prezent
Conditional auxiliary plus the short infinitive citi.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | aș citi |
| tu | ai citi |
| el / ea | ar citi |
| noi | am citi |
| voi | ați citi |
| ei / ele | ar citi |
Aș citi mai mult dacă aș avea mai mult timp liber.
I'd read more if I had more free time.
Imperativ
The affirmative singular is citește! (borrowed from the 3sg present), the plural citiți! The negative singular uses the infinitive: nu citi!
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| tu (sg.) | citește! | nu citi! |
| voi (pl.) | citiți! | nu citiți! |
Citește-mi și mie ce scrie pe etichetă, te rog.
Read me what it says on the label too, please.
Forme nepersonale
| Form | Romanian |
|---|---|
| Infinitiv | (a) citi |
| Gerunziu | citind |
| Participiu | citit |
| Supin | de citit |
Usage
A citi is transitive (you read a book, an article) and pairs naturally with a dative for the person you read to: mi-a citit o poveste ("she read me a story"). The supine de citit is very common for "to read" as in "stuff to read": am multe de citit.
Mama îmi citea o poveste în fiecare seară înainte de culcare.
Mom used to read me a story every evening before bed.
Am atâtea de citit pentru examen, nu știu de unde să încep.
I have so much to read for the exam, I don't know where to start.
Citind pe întuneric îți obosești ochii.
Reading in the dark tires your eyes out.
Cartea asta se citește pe nerăsuflate.
This book reads in one breath — you can't put it down.
Source-language note for English speakers
English "read" is famously irregular only in pronunciation: the spelling stays "read" across present and past (I read today / I read yesterday), with the vowel doing the work. Romanian is the opposite — the spelling changes a great deal across the paradigm (citesc, citeam, citit, citind) but always phonetically transparent: what you see is what you say. So your job is not to memorize unpredictable sounds, as in English, but to track the regular machinery of the -esc class: infix in the singular and 3pl, no infix anywhere else.
Common Mistakes
❌ Noi citescim cartea împreună.
Incorrect — the infix drops in the plural; the form is citim.
✅ Noi citim cartea împreună.
We're reading the book together.
❌ Vreau să citește mai mult.
Incorrect — the subjunctive 3sg is citească, not citește.
✅ Vreau să citească mai mult.
I want him/her to read more.
❌ Ieri citescam toată după-amiaza.
Incorrect — no infix in the imperfect; the form is citeam.
✅ Ieri citeam toată după-amiaza.
Yesterday I was reading all afternoon.
❌ Am citesc cartea.
Incorrect — the participle is citit; -esc belongs only to the present.
✅ Am citit cartea.
I've read the book.
Now practice Romanian
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Start learning Romanian→Related Topics
- Class IV Present: -esc VerbsA2 — How to conjugate the dominant Class IV subtype that inserts -esc (or back-vowel -ăsc) in the singular and third-person plural — the single most common present-tense pattern in Romanian.
- The -esc / -ăsc Infix (Class IV)A2 — The productive -esc/-ăsc infix that appears in most Class IV verbs — where it sits in the paradigm, why it drops in 'we' and 'you-plural', and why you should expect it by default.
- a vorbi — to speakA1 — Full conjugation of a vorbi (to speak), the model fourth-conjugation -esc verb, showing the -esc infix in the singular and 3rd plural and its disappearance in vorbim and vorbiți.
- a scrie — to writeA1 — Full conjugation of a scrie (to write), a third-conjugation verb with an -i- stem that keeps scrie in the subjunctive and shows the -iu/-ii spellings and the -s participle scris.
- Imperfect: Class IV (-i, -î) VerbsA2 — How to form the imperfect of Class IV verbs in -i and -î, where the -esc/-ăsc present infix disappears and the -ea- theme takes over.