Asking the Time
To ask for the time in Romanian, you literally ask "How much is the clock?". You will use the word cât (how much).
On the Hour
To state the time, start with E ora (It is the hour) followed by the number. When the time is exactly on the hour, you can add fix (sharp or exact). Note that for the number two, Romanian uses the feminine form două when telling time.
When stating that an event happens at a specific time, use the preposition la. Let's look at an example using programul (the schedule) and the verb începe (to start).
Quarters and Halves
To say it is past the hour, use și (and). For 15 minutes past, use un sfert (a quarter).
For 30 minutes past, use jumătate (half).
To count down to the next hour, such as saying a quarter to the hour, use the word fără (without).
Times of Day
Romanian does not use AM and PM. To clarify the time, simply add the time of day after the hour, such as seara (in the evening) or noaptea (at night). Here we will also see the verb se termină (to end).
