Breakdown of Ceasul frumos este al lui.
fi
to be (sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt)
frumos
beautiful / beautifully
lui
his, its
al
the possessive article (m.sg; a, ai, ale)
ceasul
the watch / the clock (the time)
Questions & Answers about Ceasul frumos este al lui.
Why do we need the word al before lui?
In Romanian, when you say something "is his" (or hers, yours, etc.) after the verb este (to be), you can't just say este lui. You must use a linking possessive article like al to connect the object to its owner.
Why use al specifically, instead of a, ai, or ale?
The linking article has to match the object that is owned, not the owner. Ceasul (the watch) is a neuter noun in the singular, which means it behaves exactly like a masculine noun. Therefore, it takes the masculine/neuter singular article al. If the object were feminine, like mașina (the car), you would use a instead: Mașina este a lui.
Is lui related to the word for "he"?
Yes! Lui is the possessive form of el (he). It means "his" or "of him". It never changes its spelling based on the object owned; only the linking article (al, a, etc.) before it changes.
Why is it Ceasul frumos instead of Frumos ceasul?
In Romanian, descriptive adjectives almost always follow the noun they describe. Because of this normal word order, the definite article "the" (the -ul ending) attaches directly to the noun (ceasul), leaving the adjective (frumos) in its basic form.
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