In Romanian, when an action is done to or for someone (like giving a gift, telling a story, or showing a receipt), we use indirect object pronouns.
These are also known as dative clitic pronouns. In the present tense, they are always placed immediately before the verb.
Singular Pronouns: îmi, îți, îi
Here are the singular indirect object pronouns:
| English | Romanian |
|---|---|
| to me | îmi |
| to you | îți |
| to him / to her | îi |
Notice how they sit right in front of the verb:
| The seller is showing me the receipt. | Vânzătorul îmi arată chitanța. |
| I owe you an explanation for yesterday. | Îți datorez o explicație pentru ieri. |
| I have to return the dictionary to him. | Trebuie să îi returnez dicționarul. |
Plural Pronouns: ne, vă, le
When referring to multiple people (or using the formal "you"), the pattern remains exactly the same. The pronoun sits right before the verb.
| English | Romanian |
|---|---|
| to us | ne |
| to you (plural/formal) | vă |
| to them | le |
| The professor offers us advice and his help. | Profesorul ne oferă un sfat și ajutorul lui. |
| Can I show you the explanation in the book? | Pot să vă arăt explicația din carte? |
| I lend them the laptop today. | Le împrumut laptopul astăzi. |
Common Dative Verbs
You will frequently use these pronouns with verbs involving communication or transfer. Common examples include a arăta (to show), a datora (to owe), a împrumuta (to lend), a cere (to ask/request), and a explica (to explain).
| He asks her for help because the project is difficult. | El îi cere ajutorul pentru că proiectul este greu. |
| The teacher explains the rule to them, but they do not understand. | Profesorul le explică regula, dar ei nu înțeleg. |
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