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Questions & Answers about Îmi cer scuze, am greșit.
Why do we use îmi in îmi cer scuze?
The Romanian expression for apologizing is a-și cere scuze, which literally means to ask excuses to oneself. It requires a dative reflexive pronoun. Here, îmi means to myself. If you just said cer scuze without îmi, it would sound like you are demanding an apology from someone else!
Can I translate I was wrong literally as am fost greșit?
No, that is a common trap for English speakers. In Romanian, you do not use the verb to be to express being wrong. Instead, you use the action verb a greși (to make a mistake). To say I was wrong, you use the past tense: am greșit, which literally means I made a mistake.
What does the verb cer mean outside of this expression?
Cer is the first-person singular of the verb a cere, which means to ask for, to request, or to demand. So the phrase îmi cer scuze translates word-for-word as I ask for excuses for myself.