Learn Hardcore Romanian: Desertul este mai scump decât supa, dar și mai bun. - The dessert is more expensive than the soup, but also better.

They are enclitic definite articles in Romanian, equivalent to “the.” Masculine nouns add -ul (desert → desertul = “the dessert”), feminine nouns ending in -ă add -a (supă → supa = “the soup”).

How do you form a comparative, as in mai scump decât supa?

The pattern is mai + adjective + decât + noun. Here mai means “more,” scump is “expensive,” and decât is “than.” So mai scump decât supa literally means “more expensive than the soup.”

Why is supă feminine and desert masculine, and how can I tell?

Most Romanian nouns ending in -ă are feminine (supă), while nouns ending in a consonant are often masculine (desert). It’s a general rule—there are exceptions—so endings usually give you the gender.

What does dar și mean in dar și mai bun?

dar means “but,” și means “and” or “also.” Together dar și adds emphasis: “but also.” So dar și mai bun = “but also better.”

Why isn’t the verb este repeated before mai bun?

Romanian allows you to omit a repeated verb (ellipsis) when it’s understood from the first clause. You could say dar este și mai bun, but dropping este is more concise and common.

When do I use decât versus ca for comparisons?

Use decât after mai to express inequality (“more… than…”). ca is used in similes or equal comparisons (e.g., frumos ca o floare = “beautiful like a flower”), but not for “more X than Y.”

Can I use e instead of este in this sentence?

Yes. e is the colloquial contraction of este, widely used in speech and informal writing: Desertul e mai scump decât supa is perfectly natural.

Why is there a comma before dar?

In Romanian, when two independent clauses are joined by dar (“but”), you normally place a comma before dar to mark the coordination.