Prepositions of Opposition and the Genitive Case
In legal contexts, you often need to discuss actions taken against someone, or power held over a situation. Romanian uses specific prepositions for this: împotriva (against), contra (against), and asupra (over/upon).
These prepositions require the following noun to be in the Genitive case. You will see the familiar definite Genitive endings: -lui or -ului for masculine and neuter nouns, and -ei or -ii for feminine nouns.
Împotriva and Contra (Against)
Împotriva and contra both mean "against." They are interchangeable and frequently used to describe lawsuits, complaints, and legal disputes.
If a demonstrative adjective precedes the noun, the adjective takes the Genitive form, such as acestei (this) for feminine nouns.
Asupra (Over / Concerning)
Asupra translates to "over", "upon", or "concerning". In formal and legal scenarios, it is used to denote power, control, or focused attention directed at a specific target.
Courtroom Actions: A Lupta and A Declara
Discussing lawsuits and complaints naturally involves specific verbs. A lupta means "to fight" (often paired directly with împotriva or contra), while a declara means "to declare" or "to state formally."