Breakdown of Ce este aici?
fi
to be (sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt)
aici
here
ce
what / how (exclamatory, + adjective)
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Questions & Answers about Ce este aici?
How do I pronounce ce?
In Romanian, when the letter "c" comes right before an "e" or an "i", it makes a "ch" sound, like in the English word "cheese". So ce is pronounced like "cheh".
Does the word order change when asking a question like this in Romanian?
Not at all! In Romanian, you don't need helper words like "do" or "does". The order in Ce este aici? perfectly matches the English "What is here?".
Will Romanians actually say the full phrase Ce este in everyday conversations?
The word aici has two "i"s. Are they pronounced the same way?
No! The first "i" sounds like a clear "ee" sound. However, the final "i" at the end of most Romanian words is "whispered" and doesn't form a full syllable. It just tells you to make the "c" before it sound like "ch". So aici sounds roughly like "ah-eech".