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Questions & Answers about El este vesel.
What does El mean in this sentence?
El is the third-person masculine singular pronoun, equivalent to English he.
Is it necessary to include El before este?
No. Romanian often drops subject pronouns because the verb form already indicates person and number. So Este vesel also means “He is happy,” and omitting El is common, especially in spoken Romanian.
What is este and when do we use it?
Este is the present-tense, third-person singular form of the verb a fi (to be). It corresponds to English is and links the subject to a predicate (like an adjective or noun).
Can este be shortened to e?
Yes. In informal speech or casual writing you’ll often see El e vesel. In formal contexts (written Romanian, official speeches), you should stick with este.
Why does the adjective vesel end in -l? Shouldn’t it change?
Romanian adjectives agree in gender and number. Here vesel is the masculine singular form because the subject is El (he). The other forms are:
- Feminine singular: veselă
- Masculine plural: veseli
- Feminine plural: vesele
How would I say “She is happy” using the same structure?
Replace the pronoun and use the feminine adjective form:
Ea este veselă
(Ea = she; veselă = feminine singular form of the adjective)
How do you pronounce El este vesel?
In IPA: [el ˈes.te ˈve.sel]. Stress falls on the first syllable of este and of vesel. A rough English guide is EL ES-te VE-sel.
Can I use a different Romanian word for “happy” here?
Yes. For a more lasting or formal sense of happiness, use fericit:
El este fericit
This adjective also agrees:
- Feminine singular: fericită
- Masculine plural: fericiți
- Feminine plural: fericite