Breakdown of Trimitem un mesaj colegilor înainte de joc.
un
a
colegul
the colleague
înainte de
before
jocul
the game
a trimite
to send
mesajul
the message
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Questions & Answers about Trimitem un mesaj colegilor înainte de joc.
What person, number, and tense is trimitem?
Trimitem is the 1st person plural in the simple present indicative of the verb a trimite (“to send”). Literally it means “we send” or “we are sending.”
Why is there un before mesaj?
Un is the masculine singular indefinite article used with mesaj to mean “a message.” Without un, mesaj would be a bare noun; adding un makes it a specific, but not yet identified, message.
Which case is colegilor, and why is it used here?
Colegilor is the dative (and genitive) plural form of colegi (“colleagues”). In this sentence it functions as the indirect object (the recipients of the message), so Romanian marks it with the dative ending -ilor: “to the colleagues.”
Why don’t we use pe before colegilor, even though they’re animate?
The preposition pe is used in Romanian to mark animate direct objects (accusative). Since colegilor here is an indirect object (dative), we do not use pe. If they were direct objects you might hear pe colegii, but that’s not the case when someone is merely receiving something.
Why is it înainte de joc and not înaintea jocului?
Both forms are grammatically correct, but:
- Înainte de joc uses de
- the bare noun joc (“game”), giving a general sense: “before a game/the game”.
- Înaintea jocului uses the compound preposition înaintea
- the definite form jocului, focusing on “before the specific game.”
In everyday speech about sports or events, înainte de joc is more common for “before the game.”
- the definite form jocului, focusing on “before the specific game.”
Could we replace colegilor with a clitic pronoun? If so, how?
Yes. You can say:
Le trimitem un mesaj înainte de joc.
Here le is the 3rd person plural dative clitic pronoun meaning “to them.”
Can we change the word order, for example moving înainte de joc to the beginning?
Absolutely. Romanian word order is flexible. For instance:
- Înainte de joc, trimitem un mesaj colegilor.
- Trimitem colegilor un mesaj înainte de joc.
Each variation shifts the emphasis slightly but keeps the same meaning.
What is the difference between joc and meci in Romanian?
- Joc is a general term for any kind of game (board game, video game, free play).
- Meci specifically denotes a sports match or competitive event between teams or players (e.g., a football match, a tennis match).
How would you ask in Romanian “To whom are we sending a message?”
Use Cui for “to whom”:
Cui trimitem un mesaj?