Breakdown of Este urgent să vorbesc cu medicul mâine dimineață.
a fi
to be
mâine
tomorrow
dimineață
in the morning
cu
with
a vorbi
to speak
medicul
the doctor
urgent
urgent
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Romanian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Este urgent să vorbesc cu medicul mâine dimineață.
Why do we start the sentence with Este urgent?
In Romanian, este is the third-person singular of a fi (to be). Saying Este urgent literally means It is urgent, introducing the importance or necessity of the action. This impersonal construction is common before a subjunctive clause.
Why do we use să vorbesc instead of the infinitive vorbi?
After expressions of necessity or evaluation (like Este urgent), Romanian requires the subjunctive mood, formed with să + the present-tense form of the verb. For eu + a vorbi, the subjunctive is să vorbesc. A bare infinitive (vorbi) cannot follow este urgent.
How do you form the present subjunctive in Romanian?
Use să + the verb’s present-tense ending for each person:
- eu să vorbesc
- tu să vorbești
- el/ea să vorbească
- noi să vorbim
- voi să vorbiți
- ei/ele să vorbească
Why is there no pronoun eu before vorbesc?
Romanian is a pro-drop language: subject pronouns are optional because the verb ending (-esc) already indicates first-person singular. Including eu is possible but usually redundant.
What does cu medicul mean, and why do we say medicul instead of un medic?
cu means with, so cu medicul = with the doctor. medicul is medic + the definite article -ul, meaning the doctor. Using un medic would be a doctor (nonspecific).
Can I say cu doctorul instead of cu medicul?
Yes. doctor is a synonym of medic and also takes the article: doctorul = the doctor. However, medic is more neutral/formal in medical contexts.
Why is mâine dimineață placed at the end of the sentence?
Romanian word order is flexible. Time expressions like mâine dimineață commonly appear at the beginning or end. Here, placing it at the end keeps the focus on the urgency first. You could also say Mâine dimineață este urgent…, but the given order sounds more natural.
Do we ever use an article with mâine dimineață?
No. Standard time expressions such as mâine (tomorrow) and dimineață (morning) appear without an article: mâine dimineață. You could say în această dimineață (this morning) if you need a demonstrative.
What’s the difference between Trebuie and Este urgent?
- Trebuie = “must” or “have to,” expressing obligation: Trebuie să vorbesc cu medicul.
- Este urgent = “it is urgent,” stressing the urgency: Este urgent să vorbesc cu medicul.
Both require să- subjunctive, but the nuance changes: one is duty, the other is urgency.
How is urgent pronounced in Romanian?
Phonetically [urˈʒent]. The g is pronounced like the s in “vision” (/ʒ/), and the stress falls on the second syllable: u-REH-ent.