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### Easter

**Paștele** (Easter) is the biggest feast of the Orthodox year, and most Romanians are Orthodox. Its date often differs from Western Easter. *At Easter* is **de Paște**, just as *at Christmas* can be *de Crăciun*. Eggs are dyed red and cracked against each other with the greeting *Hristos a înviat!* (Christ is risen!), answered *Adevărat a înviat!* (He is risen indeed!). Lamb and cozonac are on the table.

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### Carols and holidays

**Colindul** (plural *colinde*) is a Christmas carol. Before Christmas, children go from house to house singing — *merg cu colindul* — and are given treats or a little money. **Sărbătoarea** (plural *sărbători*) is any holiday; at the end of the year people wish each other *Sărbători fericite!*

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### The mărțișor

On 1 March, Romanians give a **mărțișor** (plural *mărțișoare*): a small charm tied to a red and white string, most often given to women and girls and worn on the clothes to greet the spring.

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### God and sin

**Dumnezeu** (God) takes no article. Of someone who has died, people add *Dumnezeu să-l ierte* (God rest his soul). **Păcatul** is *the sin*, and it is the same word as in *ce păcat!* (what a pity!) and *din păcate* (unfortunately).

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### Romanian things

| word | used for | example |
|---|---|---|
| **român** | people, nationality | *un român*, *limba română* |
| **românesc** | things in Romanian style | *muzica românească* |
| **românește** | how you say it | *vorbesc românește* |

**Românesc** has the forms *românesc, românească, românești*. And **papanașii** are fried cheese doughnuts, topped with sour cream and jam.

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Traditions travel by word of mouth, so you will often hear **se spune că…** (they say that…, it is said that…): the impersonal *se* with *a spune*.

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Romanian holidays and traditions (Paște, colinde, mărțișor)

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
Easter	Paștele
At Easter, we go to church.	De Paște, mergem la biserică.
At Easter we eat red eggs and cozonac.	De Paște mâncăm ouă roșii și cozonac.
Unfortunately, I'm not coming home for Easter.	Din păcate, nu vin acasă de Paște.
the (Christmas) carol	colindul
At Christmas, the children go caroling.	De Crăciun, copiii merg cu colindul.
We sing carols by the tree.	Cântăm colinde lângă brad.
Grandma knows a lot of old carols.	Bunica știe multe colinde vechi.
the March charm (a red-and-white token given on 1 March)	mărțișorul
I'm giving my colleague a March charm.	Îi dau un mărțișor colegei mele.
I got three March charms from friends.	Am primit trei mărțișoare de la prieteni.
The March charm has a red and white string.	Mărțișorul are un fir roșu și alb.
the holiday, the celebration	sărbătoarea
Christmas is my favorite holiday.	Crăciunul este sărbătoarea mea preferată.
Happy holidays!	Sărbători fericite!
For the holidays, the whole family comes home.	De sărbători, toată familia vine acasă.
God	Dumnezeu
Do you believe in God?	Crezi în Dumnezeu?
Grandpa died, God rest his soul.	Bunicul a murit, Dumnezeu să-l ierte.
the sin	păcatul
God forgives sins.	Dumnezeu iartă păcatele.
Lying is a sin.	Minciuna este un păcat.
the cheese doughnuts (served with sour cream and jam)	papanașii
Papanași are my favorite dessert.	Papanașii sunt desertul meu preferat.
Papanași are served warm, with jam.	Papanașii se servesc calzi, cu dulceață.
Shall we order papanași for dessert?	Comandăm papanași la desert?
Romanian (of things: food, music, customs)	românesc
I like Romanian traditions.	Îmi plac tradițiile românești.
Sarmale are a traditional Romanian dish.	Sarmalele sunt o mâncare tradițională românească.
We're listening to Romanian music.	Ascultăm muzică românească.
it is said, people say (that)	se spune
They say the March charm brings luck.	Se spune că mărțișorul aduce noroc.
People say God forgives any sin.	Se spune că Dumnezeu iartă orice păcat.

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