Breakdown of Deși magazinul este mic, are o reducere bună la pantofi.
a avea
to have
a fi
to be
bun
good
mic
small
o
a
la
on
deși
although
magazinul
the store
reducerea
the discount
pantoful
the shoe
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Questions & Answers about Deși magazinul este mic, are o reducere bună la pantofi.
What does Deși mean and how is it used in Romanian?
Deși means “although” or “even though.” It’s a conjunction used to introduce a concessive clause (one that expresses contrast). In this sentence it links the small size of the store with the positive fact of having a good discount.
Why is magazinul written with -ul at the end?
In Romanian, the definite article is attached as a suffix.
- magazin = “store” (indefinite)
- magazinul = “the store” (definite)
Why do we say este mic instead of e mic? Can we use e here?
Both este and e are forms of “to be.”
- este is the full, standard form.
- e is the short, colloquial form you’ll hear in speech and informal writing.
Using e mic is perfectly acceptable in casual contexts.
Why is the word reducere feminine, and how do we know to use o and bună with it?
Reducere is a feminine noun (it ends in -e). Adjectives and articles must agree in gender and number:
- Indefinite article for feminine singular is o
- The adjective bun takes the feminine ending -ă, becoming bună
Hence o reducere bună = “a good discount.”
What does la pantofi mean? Why la and not another preposition?
La pantofi literally means “on shoes” or “for shoes.” The preposition la is used here to indicate the item to which the discount applies, much like English “discount on (something).” Other prepositions like pe or pentru wouldn’t sound natural in this context.
Why is there a comma after mic?
Romanian separates subordinate clauses with a comma, similar to English. Here, the concessive clause “Deși magazinul este mic” is set off by a comma before the main clause “are o reducere bună la pantofi.”
Could we drop the subject magazinul and say “Deși e mic, are o reducere bună la pantofi”?
Yes, Romanian often omits the subject when the verb form is clear.
- Deși e mic, are o reducere bună la pantofi.
is grammatically correct, though you’ll lose a bit of emphasis on which thing is “mic.” In context, it’s usually clear you’re still talking about the store.
Is there another way to say “although” besides deși?
Yes. You can also use chiar dacă, which likewise means “even if” or “although.”
- Chiar dacă magazinul este mic, are o reducere bună la pantofi.
Both are interchangeable in most contexts.