Questions & Answers about Prietenul este aici azi.
Why is the attached to prieten as prietenul instead of being a separate word?
In Romanian, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun.
- prieten = friend
- prietenul = the friend
This is one of the first big differences from English. Instead of a separate word like the, Romanian often uses an ending:
- băiat = boy
- băiatul = the boy
- om = person/man
- omul = the person / the man
So prietenul literally means friend-the.
Why is it prietenul and not prietenulă or some other ending?
The definite article ending depends on the noun’s gender and form.
Prieten is a masculine singular noun, so its definite form is:
- prieten → prietenul
This -ul ending is very common for masculine singular nouns in the nominative/accusative:
- elev → elevul
- profesor → profesorul
Not every noun behaves identically, but -ul is the normal pattern here.
What does este mean, and do I always need it?