Breakdown of Strada goală arată ca un drum de munte.
un
a
de
of
drumul
the road
strada
the street
gol
empty
a arăta ca
to look like
muntele
the mountain
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Questions & Answers about Strada goală arată ca un drum de munte.
Why is the adjective goală placed after the noun strada?
In Romanian, descriptive adjectives usually follow the noun they modify, so strada goală corresponds to the empty street. Placing the adjective before (e.g., goală strada) would sound archaic or poetic.
Why is goală in the feminine form?
Because stradă is feminine singular in Romanian. Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun: stradă (fem. sg.) → goală (fem. sg.).
How do you pronounce the ă in strada and goală, and the vowel combination oa in goală?
The letter ă represents a mid-central vowel (schwa), like the ‘a’ in about. So strada is [ˈstra.də], goală is [ˈgo.a.lə] – note that oa forms two syllables, [o.a].
What is the verb arată, and which tense and person is it?
Arată comes from a arăta (to show; to look like). Here it's the third-person singular of the present indicative: el/ea arată = he/she/it looks.
What does the preposition ca express in arată ca un drum de munte?
Here ca means like or as, introducing a simile. It connects arată (looks) to un drum de munte (a mountain road).
Could you use precum instead of ca in this sentence?
Yes, precum also means like or as, so Strada goală arată precum un drum de munte is correct and slightly more formal.
Why is it un drum de munte instead of un drum montan?
Both are possible: drum montan is an adjective-noun compound meaning mountainous road, while drum de munte uses de munte (genitive) to mean road of mountain. The latter is more colloquial and focuses on belonging or characteristic.
Why do we use the preposition de in drum de munte?
In Romanian, de before a noun can express origin, material or characteristic. Here it conveys that the road belongs to or is characteristic of the mountain.
What's the difference between drum and șosea?
Drum is a general term for road or path, often unpaved or narrower. Șosea refers specifically to a paved roadway or highway designed for vehicles. A drum de munte can be rough and winding, while a șosea de munte suggests a well-paved mountain highway.