Looking for the Ideal: "Care să"
When searching for something specific—like the perfect apartment or job candidate—but you aren't sure it actually exists, Romanian uses a special structure. We describe these hypothetical requirements using care să followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood.
| I am looking for a tenant who is quiet. | Caut un chiriaș care să fie liniștit. |
Specific vs. Indefinite
If the person or thing is definite or already exists, use the standard indicative mood.
| The tenant that I am looking for must be serious. | Chiriașul pe care îl caut trebuie să fie serios. |
But when setting a requirement for someone or something indefinite ("someone who...", "an apartment that..."), use the subjunctive with care să.
| I want someone who fulfills every condition. | Vreau pe cineva care să îndeplinească fiecare condiție. |
Questions and Negative Statements
Because care să describes things that may not exist, it is mandatory after negative words like niciun (no/none) or nimeni (nobody). It is also used in questions when asking if any such thing exists (vreun).
| Is there any available apartment that has a balcony? | Există vreun apartament disponibil care să aibă un balcon? |
| I cannot find any qualified candidate who would accept the salary. | Nu găsesc niciun candidat calificat care să accepte salariul. |
| I didn't know anyone who would match. | Nu cunoșteam pe nimeni care să corespundă. |
Setting Requirements
When hunting for a home or interviewing candidates, use care să to state exactly what criteria your ideal choice must meet.
| I was looking for a competent person who could solve the problem. | Căutam o persoană competentă care să rezolve problema. |
| It is hard to find a house that satisfies you. | Este greu să găsești o casă care să te satisfacă. |