To express that someone or something is too [adjective] to do something, Romanian uses the adverb prea (too) combined with ca să (in order to) and the subjunctive mood.
| I am too exhausted to carry this burden. | Sunt prea extenuat ca să car această povară. |
The Subjunctive Match
Unlike English, which uses an infinitive verb for this structure (e.g., "too steep to climb"), Romanian relies on a subjunctive clause. This means the verb following ca să must be conjugated to match whoever is actually attempting the action, even if they aren't the main subject of the sentence.
| The hill is too steep for us to climb with the bicycle. | Dealul este prea abrupt ca să urcăm cu bicicleta. |
Adding Object Pronouns
When dealing with heavy burdens, the action often involves interacting with the object itself (like carrying it or moving it). When a direct object pronoun is needed in these clauses, it is placed between să and the verb.
| The brick is too heavy for me to lift. | Cărămida este prea grea ca să o ridic. |
| The wardrobe is not light, but rather too cumbersome for us to move it alone. | Șifonierul nu este ușor, ci prea greoi ca să îl mutăm singuri. |
Describing Limitations
This structure naturally pairs with adjectives describing physical limits, overwhelmingly heavy objects, or demanding environments.
| The boy was too frail to lift the bag and felt helpless. | Băiatul era prea firav ca să ridice sacul și se simțea neputincios. |
| The stairs are too steep for us to climb with this cumbersome wardrobe. | Scara este prea abruptă ca să o urcăm cu acest șifonier greoi. |