Learn Hardcore Romanian: Norii grei ascund lumina soarelui.

The ending -ii is the enclitic definite article for masculine plural nouns. The base plural form is nori (“clouds”), and adding -i makes it norii (“the clouds”).

Why is the adjective grei placed after norii, and why does it end in -i?

In Romanian, adjectives normally follow the noun. They also agree in gender and number. Here norii is masculine plural, so the adjective takes the masculine-plural ending -i, yielding grei (“heavy”).

How do we know ascund refers to “they hide” and not “I hide” or “he hides”?

The verb ascund is both the 1st person singular and the 3rd person plural present indicative of a ascunde (“to hide”). Context tells us it’s 3rd person plural because the subject norii grei (“the heavy clouds”) is plural. If it were singular, you’d say ascunde.

What role does lumina play in this sentence?

Lumina is the definite direct object of ascund. It’s the feminine singular form of lumină (“light”), made definite by the enclitic -a: lumină → lumina (“the light”).

Why does soarele become soarelui here?

Soarelui is the genitive singular of soare (“sun”), marked by the enclitic -lui. It shows possession: lumina soarelui = “the light of the sun.”

Do you ever need a preposition like al or de between lumina and soarelui?

No. Romanian expresses possession directly with the genitive case. lumina soarelui is natural. You could say lumina de la soare (“the light from the sun”) as an alternative, but you wouldn’t insert al here.

How would I say “some heavy clouds” instead of “the heavy clouds”?

Use the indefinite plural with niște:
• niște nori grei – “some heavy clouds.”

Could I swap grei for another adjective or change ascund to a synonym?

Yes. For example:
• norii groși – “the thick clouds” (adjective gros, groși)
• norii grei acoperă soarele – “the heavy clouds cover the sun” (verb a acoperi)
• norii grei întunecă lumina soarelui – “the heavy clouds darken the sunlight” (verb a întuneca).

Can adjectives ever come before the noun in Romanian?

They can, but it’s less common and usually adds emphasis or a poetic feel. For example gros norii isn’t wrong, but the standard order is norii groși.