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Questions & Answers about Eu nu vorbesc engleza.
Why is Eu included at the beginning? Isn’t the subject implied by the verb ending?
In Romanian, the subject pronoun like Eu (I) is optional because the verb ending -esc in vorbesc already tells you it’s first person singular. You include Eu only for emphasis or clarity, not out of grammatical necessity.
Why does nu come before vorbesc instead of after?
In Romanian, negation is formed by placing nu directly before the conjugated verb. So nu vorbesc = “I do not speak.” There’s no need for a helping verb as in English (“do”), just nu + verb.
Can I say Nu vorbesc engleza without Eu? Is it still correct?
Yes. Nu vorbesc engleză on its own is perfectly correct and even more common in everyday speech. The listener understands the subject is “I” from the verb ending.
Why is engleza written without an article in English but with a suffix in Romanian?
Engleză is a feminine noun meaning “English (language).” When you say engleza with the suffix -a, you’re using the definite article (“the English language”). In Romanian you typically say “I speak the English,” so it’s obligatory to attach -a.
Why isn’t it Engleză capitalized?
In Romanian, language names are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. So you write engleză, română, franceză, etc.
Could I add limba before engleză? Like Nu vorbesc limba engleză?
Yes. Adding limba (the word for “language”) is perfectly correct: Nu vorbesc limba engleză. It’s slightly more formal or explicit, but both versions mean the same.
How do I pronounce vorbesc and engleză?
– vorbesc: pronounced /vor-BESK/ (the “o” like in “for,” accent on the second syllable).
– engleză: pronounced /en-GLE-zuh/ (the “ă” is a schwa-sound, like the ‘a’ in “sofa,” accent on the second syllable).
If I want to say “I don’t speak English very well,” how would I modify the sentence?
You can add foarte bine (“very well”) after vorbesc:
Nu vorbesc engleză foarte bine.
Or to soften it, use foarte bine →
Nu vorbesc foarte bine engleză. Both word orders are acceptable.