Questions & Answers about Îmi pare rău, nu știu.
Why does Îmi pare rău mean "I'm sorry" when none of those words mean "sorry"?
Literally translated, Îmi pare rău means "It seems bad to me." Îmi means "to me", pare means "it seems", and rău means "bad". This is the standard Romanian phrase used for apologizing or expressing regret.
Why isn't the verb pare in the "I" form if I am the one apologizing?
Because the action isn't actually being done by you. The verb pare means "it seems". The invisible subject is "it" (the situation), so the verb is in the "it" form. You are simply the person the situation seems bad to, which is why we use Îmi (to me).
How do I pronounce the letter ă in the word rău?
The letter ă makes a short "uh" sound, exactly like the "a" in the English word "about" or "sofa". When you say rău, it sounds a bit like the English word "row" but with an "uh" sound instead of an "oh" sound.
Why isn't there a word for "I" before nu știu?
In Romanian, the verb itself changes to show who is doing the action. The word știu already means "I know", so adding the word for "I" (eu) isn't strictly necessary. It is perfectly normal to drop it and just say nu știu.
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