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### Purpose Modifiers: Noun + de + Supine

To describe the specific purpose or function of an object, Romanian uses the **supine** form. Instead of mashing nouns together or using gerunds like in English (e.g., "sleeping bag"), Romanian uses a simple formula: **Noun + de + Supine**.

The supine is formed from the invariable past participle of a verb. For example, *a dormi* (to sleep) gives the supine *dormit*, and *a călca* (to iron) gives *călcat*.

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### Tools and Appliances

This construction names many common tools, office supplies, and household appliances. The core noun identifies the physical object (a machine, glasses, a needle), and the *de* + supine specifies the activity it is built for.

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### Specifying the Target of the Action

If an item's purpose needs more detail, add the target object directly after the supine. For example, *mașină de spălat* (washing machine) becomes *mașină de spălat rufe* (clothes washing machine) or *mașină de spălat vase* (dishwasher).

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### Designated Areas and Spaces

The **de + supine** structure also describes areas, rooms, or furniture built for a specific activity, such as *masă de scris* (writing desk), *spațiu de locuit* (living space), or *spațiu de citit* (reading space).

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Purpose modifiers (de + participle)

adjective

adverb

adverbial phrase

auxiliary

auxiliary verb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

The verb to be and definite articles (a fi, -ul, -le)

Feminine definite articles (-a, -ua)

Indefinite articles (un, o)

Negative sentences (nu)

Question words (ce, unde, cine)

The verb to have (a avea)

Masculine plural nouns (-i, -ii)

Feminine plural nouns (-e, -i, -le)

Neuter plural nouns (-uri, -e, -le)

Adjectives and agreement

Present tense of regular -a verbs

Present tense of -a verbs with suffix (-ez)

Present tense of regular -i and -î verbs

Present tense of -i and -î verbs with suffix (-esc / -ăsc)

Present tense of -ea and -e verbs

Reflexive pronouns (mă, te, se, ne, vă)

Accusative prepositions (în, la, pe, din, cu)

Likes and dislikes (îmi place)

Possessive adjectives (meu, tău, său)

Third-person possessives (lui, ei, lor)

Possessive articles (al, a, ai, ale)

Formal politeness (dumneavoastră)

Demonstrative adjectives (acest, acel)

Numbers 1 to 10

The number two (doi, două)

Numbers 11 to 20

Counting by tens to 100

Quantifying large numbers (de)

The subjunctive (să)

Third-person subjunctive (să)

Direct object pronouns (îl, o, îi, le)

Personal direct objects (pe)

Days of the week

Telling time (e ora...)

Months of the Year (January to June)

Months of the Year (July to December)

The Four Seasons

Weather Conditions

Rooms in a House

Basic Body Parts: Upper Body

Basic Body Parts: Limbs

Everyday Clothing

Basic Foods: Groceries

Fruits and Vegetables

Around Town

Getting Around

Setting the Table

A Colorful World

Common Animals

In the Wild

Jobs and Careers

Everyday Tech

Describing people (tânăr, bătrân, înalt)

Asking when and why (când, de ce, care)

Hello and goodbye (bună ziua, la revedere)

Coming and going (intra, sta, trece)

Where is it? (sub, lângă, între)

Knowing and thinking (știu că, cred că)

Sorry, welcome, congratulations (îmi pare rău, la mulți ani)

Introducing yourself (mă numesc, sunt din România)

How much and how many (puțin, prea, doar)

Can and may (pot merge, pot să merg)

If and whether (dacă)

At school and university

Irregular verbs in the present (vrea, lua, da, bea, sta)

Free time and sport

How much is it? (cât costă, câți, câte)

Before and after (înainte, după, până)

At the doctor (mă doare)

Meals of the day (micul dejun, prânzul, cina)

At the restaurant

Ability and permission (a putea să)

Obligation and necessity (trebuie să)

Desires and intentions (a vrea să)

Impersonal statements (se)

Adverbs of frequency (adesea, uneori)

Conjunctions for reasons and links (pentru că, deci)

Stressed accusative pronouns (pe mine, pe tine)

Indefinite pronouns (cineva, ceva)

Negative pronouns and double negation (nimeni, nimic)

The past tense auxiliary (am, ai, a)

The past tense (am, ai, a)

Regular past participles (-at, -it)

Regular past participles (-ut, -s, -t)

Negative past tense (nu am)

Question	Answer
the sack	sacul
I need the sleeping bag for the trip.	Am nevoie de sacul de dormit pentru excursie.
I didn't buy a tent, but a sleeping bag.	Nu am cumpărat un cort, ci un sac de dormit.
the iron	fierul
the (clothes) iron	fierul de călcat
the drawer	sertarul
The iron is in the first drawer.	Fierul de călcat este în primul sertar.
Put the iron on the table, please.	Pune fierul de călcat pe masă, te rog.
The eraser is in this drawer.	Guma de șters este în acest sertar.
The reading glasses are not here.	Ochelarii de citit nu sunt aici.
the machine	mașina
to sew	coase
This sewing machine is old, but I repaired it.	Această mașină de cusut este veche, dar am reparat-o.
I am waiting for my sister at the writing desk.	O aștept pe sora mea la masa de scris.
the needle	acul
the thread	firul
Do you have a sewing needle and a little red thread?	Ai un ac de cusut și puțin fir roșu?
I cannot find the sewing needle anywhere!	Nu găsesc acul de cusut nicăieri!
I am buying a black thread for the sewing machine.	Cumpăr un fir negru pentru mașina de cusut.
to wash	spăla
the piece of laundry	rufa
the household appliance	electrocasnicul
The clothes washing machine is a large household appliance.	Mașina de spălat rufe este un electrocasnic mare.
Every dirty piece of laundry goes into the washing machine.	Fiecare rufă murdară merge în mașina de spălat.
the detergent	detergentul
We need detergent for the dishwasher.	Avem nevoie de detergent pentru mașina de spălat vase.
Where did you put that new detergent?	Unde ai pus acel detergent nou?
This store sells only expensive household appliances.	Acest magazin vinde doar electrocasnice scumpe.
the space	spațiul
We do not have a living space here.	Aici nu avem un spațiu de locuit.
I organized a reading space in the bedroom.	Am organizat un spațiu de citit în dormitor.
The iron is very hot.	Fierul de călcat este foarte fierbinte.
I need the iron.	Am nevoie de fierul de călcat.

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