Learning Romanian, a Romance language spoken primarily in Romania and Moldova, involves understanding its complex verb system. Romanian verbs are characterized by their conjugation patterns, reflecting tense, mood, aspect, voice, person, and number. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of Romanian verbs and their grammatical rules.

Introduction to the Romanian Verb System

The Romanian verb system is rich and varied, influenced by Latin, Slavic, and other languages. Verbs in Romanian are divided into four conjugation groups based on the infinitive ending: -a, -ea, -e, and -i. Understanding these groups is crucial for mastering verb conjugations across different grammatical categories.

Verb Conjugation Overview

Present Tense

The present tense in Romanian is used to describe current actions or habitual states. It is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem, which vary based on the conjugation group and the subject’s number and person.

• Example with “a vorbi” (to speak):
  • Eu vorbesc (I speak)
  • Tu vorbești (You speak, singular)
  • El/Ea vorbește (He/She speaks)
  • Noi vorbim (We speak)
  • Voi vorbiți (You speak, plural)
  • Ei/Ele vorbesc (They speak)

Past Tense

The past tense, or “perfect compus” in Romanian, is formed using the auxiliary verb “a avea” (to have) in the present tense plus the past participle of the main verb.

• Example: Eu am vorbit (I spoke)

Future Tense

The future tense in Romanian can be simple or compound, indicating actions that will occur.

• Simple Future Example: Eu voi vorbi (I will speak)
• Compound Future Example: Eu o să vorbesc (I am going to speak)

Negative Form

To negate a verb in Romanian, “nu” is placed before the verb.

• Example: Eu nu vorbesc (I do not speak)

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood, used for commands or requests, typically uses the second person singular and plural forms of the verb without personal pronouns.

• Example: Vorbește! (Speak! – singular), Vorbiți! (Speak! – plural)

Mood

Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, desires, or hypothetical situations and is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem, often introduced by “să” (that).

• Example: Este important să vorbim (It is important that we speak)

Aspect

Romanian does not explicitly mark aspect through verb conjugation but can express aspectual differences through verb choice (perfective vs. imperfective verbs) or adverbial phrases.

Voice: Active and Passive

Voice in Romanian changes the form of the verb to indicate whether the subject performs or receives the action. The passive voice is often formed with the auxiliary verb “a fi” (to be) plus the past participle of the main verb.

• Active Voice Example: Eu scriu o scrisoare (I write a letter)
• Passive Voice Example: O scrisoare este scrisă de mine (A letter is written by me)

Practice Exercises

1. Conjugate in Present Tense: Use “a citi” (to read) to form sentences in the present tense for all persons.
2. Form Negative Sentences: Create negative sentences using “a merge” (to go) in the past tense.
3. Imperative Mood Practice: Provide imperative forms for “a cânta” (to sing).
4. Subjunctive Mood Usage: Form a sentence in the subjunctive mood using “a dormi” (to sleep).

Conclusion

Understanding Romanian verbs involves mastering their conjugation patterns, tense usage, mood expression, aspect, and voice. Regular practice, along with active engagement in listening, speaking, reading, and writing exercises, will significantly enhance your proficiency in Romanian. The richness of the Romanian verb system allows for precise expression of action, mood, and aspect, making it a key component of effective communication in this linguistically rich language.