Present tense of regular -a verbs

The "-ez" Verb Pattern

Romanian verbs are grouped into four conjugations based on their dictionary endings. The largest and most common group is Conjugation 1, consisting of verbs ending in -a.

In the present tense, many of these verbs add a special -ez suffix before their ending for certain pronouns. Let's look at the conjugation for a lucra (to work):

Notice that for all regular -a verbs, the el/ea (he/she) and ei/ele (they) forms are exactly the same!

The Standard Pattern

Other -a verbs do not use the -ez suffix. Instead, they attach the present tense endings directly to the root of the word.

Here is the standard pattern for a cânta (to sing):

This pattern applies to many everyday verbs, like a asculta (to listen):

Vowel Changes

Romanian pronunciation is very dynamic. Sometimes, the vowels inside the verb's stem change slightly depending on the ending. For example, in the verb a mânca (to eat), the vowels shift to match the sounds around them (eu mănânc, ea mănâncă).

More Practice

As you learn new -a verbs, you will naturally start recognizing which pattern they follow. For example, a vizita (to visit) uses the -ez pattern:

And a aștepta (to wait) uses the standard pattern, but with a slight vowel change in the stem (aștept vs așteaptă):