Timpul trece repede.

the time

Breakdown of Timpul trece repede.

• repede: quickly
• a trece: to pass; go by

Questions & Answers about Timpul trece repede.

Why does timpul end in -ul?

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it as English does.

• timp = time
• timpul = the time

So -ul is the masculine/neuter singular definite article here. This is a very common feature of Romanian:

• băiat = boy
• băiatul = the boy

In this sentence, timpul means time in a general but definite sense, similar to English time in Time passes quickly.

Why is it trece and not some form like trec or trecea?

Trece is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb a trece, which means to pass.

Here is the present tense:

• eu trec = I pass
• tu treci = you pass
• el/ea trece = he/she/it passes

Since timpul is singular and means time, Romanian uses the 3rd person singular form: trece.

Other forms would mean something else:

• trec = I pass or they pass
• trecea = was passing / used to pass