A vorbi means to speak or to talk, and it is one of the most frequent verbs in the language. It belongs to the fourth conjugation (infinitives in -i) and, crucially, to the large sub-class that takes the -esc infix in the present and subjunctive. Learn a vorbi well and you have effectively learned hundreds of verbs — a citi, a gândi, a iubi, a pregăti, a primi and many more conjugate identically.
The defining feature of this class is that the infix -esc-/-eșt-/-easc- appears in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular and in the 3rd person plural, but disappears in the 1st and 2nd person plural, where you get plain vorbim and vorbiți. Getting that drop right is the single most important habit for this whole verb family.
Prezent indicativ
Watch the infix: present in vorbesc, vorbești, vorbește, vorbesc, absent in vorbim, vorbiți. Note too that the 1sg and 3pl are identical: both are vorbesc.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vorbesc |
| tu | vorbești |
| el / ea | vorbește |
| noi | vorbim |
| voi | vorbiți |
| ei / ele | vorbesc |
Vorbesc românește de doi ani, dar tot mai greșesc.
I've been speaking Romanian for two years, but I still make mistakes.
Vorbește mai rar, te rog, nu te înțeleg.
Speak more slowly, please, I don't understand you.
Imperfect
No infix here. The imperfect is built straight on the stem vorbi- with the Class IV ending -eam.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vorbeam |
| tu | vorbeai |
| el / ea | vorbea |
| noi | vorbeam |
| voi | vorbeați |
| ei / ele | vorbeau |
Când eram mici, vorbeam numai în dialect cu bunica.
When we were little, we spoke only in dialect with grandma.
Perfect compus
Auxiliary a avea plus the participle vorbit.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | am vorbit |
| tu | ai vorbit |
| el / ea | a vorbit |
| noi | am vorbit |
| voi | ați vorbit |
| ei / ele | au vorbit |
Am vorbit cu șeful și e de acord cu propunerea.
I've spoken with the boss and he agrees with the proposal.
Mai-mult-ca-perfectul
Synthetic pluperfect on the participle stem vorbis-.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vorbisem |
| tu | vorbiseși |
| el / ea | vorbise |
| noi | vorbiserăm |
| voi | vorbiserăți |
| ei / ele | vorbiseră |
Vorbiserăm despre asta de mai multe ori înainte.
We had talked about this several times before.
Viitor
| Person | Viitor (voi-form, formal) | Colloquial (o să) |
|---|---|---|
| eu | voi vorbi | o să vorbesc |
| tu | vei vorbi | o să vorbești |
| el / ea | va vorbi | o să vorbească |
| noi | vom vorbi | o să vorbim |
| voi | veți vorbi | o să vorbiți |
| ei / ele | vor vorbi | o să vorbească |
O să vorbesc eu cu ei mâine dimineață.
I'll talk to them myself tomorrow morning.
Conjunctiv prezent
The infix reappears, but the 3rd person shape is (să) vorbească (with -easc-), distinct from the indicative vorbește. This 3rd-person flip is the classic Class IV subjunctive marker.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | să vorbesc |
| tu | să vorbești |
| el / ea | să vorbească |
| noi | să vorbim |
| voi | să vorbiți |
| ei / ele | să vorbească |
Vreau să vorbească cineva cu directorul, nu eu.
I want someone to speak with the director, not me.
Condițional prezent
Conditional auxiliary plus the short infinitive vorbi. No infix.
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | aș vorbi |
| tu | ai vorbi |
| el / ea | ar vorbi |
| noi | am vorbi |
| voi | ați vorbi |
| ei / ele | ar vorbi |
Aș vorbi cu el, dar nu-mi răspunde la telefon.
I'd talk to him, but he doesn't answer my calls.
Imperativ
The affirmative singular is vorbește! (it borrows the 3sg present), and the plural is vorbiți! The negative singular uses the infinitive: nu vorbi!
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| tu (sg.) | vorbește! | nu vorbi! |
| voi (pl.) | vorbiți! | nu vorbiți! |
Nu vorbi cu gura plină, te rog.
Don't talk with your mouth full, please.
Forme nepersonale
| Form | Romanian |
|---|---|
| Infinitiv | (a) vorbi |
| Gerunziu | vorbind |
| Participiu | vorbit |
| Supin | de vorbit |
Usage
A vorbi is intransitive when it means "to converse": you speak cu someone (with) and despre something (about). It becomes transitive only with a language as object: a vorbi românește / a vorbi engleză. Note the adverbial forms in -ește (românește, englezește, nemțește), which are very natural in speech alongside the noun forms.
Avem de vorbit ceva important, putem să ne vedem?
We have something important to talk about — can we meet?
Vorbind despre vacanță, ai rezervat deja biletele?
Speaking of the holiday, have you booked the tickets yet?
Părinții mei vorbesc despre tine numai de bine.
My parents only speak well of you.
Cu cine vorbeai la telefon atât de mult?
Who were you talking to on the phone for so long?
Source-language note for English speakers
English has one verb, "speak/talk," that takes a direct object freely: "speak English," "talk to him." Romanian splits the behaviour. With a language, it is transitive (vorbesc spaniolă). With a person, it is intransitive and demands the preposition cu — you cannot vorbi pe cineva the way you might literally translate "speak to someone." So "I'll talk to you tomorrow" is Vorbesc cu tine mâine, never vorbesc tine. Pair that with the infix-drop habit and you will sound natural fast.
Common Mistakes
❌ Noi vorbescem românește.
Incorrect — the infix drops in the plural; the form is vorbim.
✅ Noi vorbim românește.
We speak Romanian.
❌ Vreau să vorbește cu tine.
Incorrect — the subjunctive 3sg is vorbească, not vorbește.
✅ Vreau să vorbească cu tine.
I want him/her to speak with you.
❌ Am vorbit cu el ieri despre proiect, dar acum vorbescut destul.
Incorrect — the participle is vorbit; there is no -esc- outside the present.
✅ Am vorbit destul cu el despre proiect.
I've talked enough with him about the project.
❌ Vorbesc te mâine.
Incorrect — with a person you need the preposition cu.
✅ Vorbesc cu tine mâine.
I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Now practice Romanian
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
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.
- Communication Verbs (a spune, a zice, a vorbi, a întreba)B1 — How Romanian verbs of speaking take their objects: the dative person of a spune, the că-clause for reported speech, and the split between a întreba (ask a question) and a cere (request a thing).
- a citi — to readA1 — Full conjugation of a citi (to read), the canonical fourth-conjugation -esc verb, with the -esc infix in the singular and 3rd plural and its loss in citim and citiți.
- Affirmative Imperative: tu (2sg)A2 — How to form the familiar singular command — the transitive/intransitive split (cântă! vs fugi!) and the high-frequency irregulars (vino, fii, du-te, fă) you simply must memorize.