Romanian Language Tips!

While we do sympathise, we'll readily tell you - Romanian isn't the hardest language to learn out there. As a Romance language, if you've any familiarity or foundation with other romance languages, you'll quickly notice some similarities and be on your way much faster to learning the life skill of being about to complain effortlessly in the Romanian language (a skill all Romanians must learn from childhood). In fact, Romanian is the closest language to original Latin, from which all Romance languages are derived. Romanian has retained a number of Latin devices the other Romance languages disposed of long ago, including noun cases. A good grounding in Italian will also go a long way towards understanding Romanian or being understood by others in the country. Conversely, Romanian has incorporated many words from the Slavic languages of its neighbours, so don't be surprised if as you wander the streets you pick up more than anticipated.

There are a whole range of Romanian words which exactly match their English equivalents such as RESTAURANT, HOTEL, and TAXI, but here are a handful of others easy words that may be useful: Magazin - Shop
Ceainărie - Tea House
Librărie - Bookstore
Bordel - Brothel
Cafenea - Cafe
Cafea - Coffee
Bere - Beer
Apa - Water
Presa - Newsagency
Piaţă - Market, square
Gare - Station
Aeroport - Airport

Spoken by about 24 million people, Romanian will come in equally as handy outside the country, if and when you get drugged and wake up in a ditch, hospital or prison cell in neighbouring Moldova. Since 1860, Romanian has used the Latin alphabet as in English, but with a few extra letters bringing the total to 28. Absent are the letters 'Q,' 'W' and 'Y,' except in situations when used in foreign loanwords. Due to Romanian culture's adoration of the West, particularly America, you will find that many younger Romanians speak surprisingly deft English, or as we like to call it, 'Cartoon Network-ese.' Nonetheless, there's no excuse not to try and learn a few of the simple and polite phrases we've included below. They just might be the key to impressing grumpy shopkeepers, getting free drinks from long-haired rockers, or becoming tethered to an extremely clingy, desperately husband-seeking Romanian beauty.

Comments

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Sam
Romania

Out of all possible useful words in Romanian, somebody thought "Bordel - Brothel" is in the top 5? That makes this page and website really reliable... * eyes rolling

Reply Dec 12th, 2017
Editor
Romania

Haha, sweet burn. We should probably update this page. In fact we are currently in the process of updating all our pages. Unfortunately though, to be honest, that is in fact probably more of a sad reflection on the reality of our modern societal state of being rather than an ethical reflection upon our website :(

Reply Dec 13th, 2017
Harry
Hong Kong

I will go to visit my girlfriend there.never learn this language.

Reply Feb 26th, 2017
Harry
Honduras

I'm new to this place.never learn this language. I will visit there on July

Reply Feb 26th, 2017
Guest
India

New to this place. Wanted to know the geography and language of the place

Reply Feb 24th, 2017
Neeru
India

Very good

Reply Feb 24th, 2017
dan
Romania

you forgot to mention 'adio''and 'bye-bye'(bye) and pa-pa (or simply 'pa') all these words are used every day

Reply May 17th, 2010
Rolland
United States

I speak English, Spanish and I'm learning Romanian. Many words are the same in Spanish or very similar. At times I find myself speaking Spanimanian!

Reply Mar 30th, 2010
Mar
Spain

It is called "Rumaniol".

Reply Jul 28th, 2020
Buch Life
Romania

To further make your life easier, in Romania 'merci,' 'ciao' and 'pardon' are all commonly heard and used. If you really can't be bothered, stick with these borrowed words

Reply Jan 15th, 2008