Breakdown of În timp ce dormeam, a început ploaia.
dormi
to sleep
începe
to start
ploaia
the rain
în timp ce
while
Questions & Answers about În timp ce dormeam, a început ploaia.
Why do we use dormeam and then a început in the same sentence?
This is a classic case of an ongoing background action meeting a sudden new event. We use the Imperfect for dormeam (I was sleeping) because it sets the ongoing scene. We use the Perfect Compus for a început (it started) because it is the specific, completed action that interrupted or happened during that time.
Why is 'while' translated as three words: în timp ce?
In Romanian, în timp ce literally translates to 'in the time that'. It is the standard fixed phrase used to link an ongoing background action with something else happening at the same time.
Why is the subject ploaia (the rain) at the very end of the sentence instead of before the verb?
Romanian word order is quite flexible. Putting the subject after the verb, as in a început ploaia (literally 'started the rain'), is very common and natural, especially for weather or when a new event suddenly appears in a story.