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Romanian tricky pairs: spelling choices controlled by grammar

Romanian tricky pairs are distinct forms whose spelling or use depends on grammatical structure, not pronunciation alone. Start by separating single words from clitic–auxiliary sequences. Then use the verb construction to choose fi/fii and definiteness to choose copii/copiii. Finish with contrasts controlled by polarity, clause role, object marking, or the structure behind niciun and nici un.

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Distinguish sa/să and sau from the clitic–auxiliary sequences s-a and s-au

Distinguish one-word ia from the pronoun–auxiliary sequence i-a

Ia or i-a?Learn when Romanian writes one-word ia and when the pronoun-plus-auxiliary sequence is hyphenated as i-a.B1

Choose fi/fii by verb construction and copii/copiii by definiteness

Choose doar, numai, or decât by polarity and meaning

Decât or doar?Choose between decât, doar, and numai for restriction and comparison in neutral contemporary Romanian.B1

Choose care or pe care by clause role and by the noun that follows

Care or pe care?Learn when Romanian uses care by itself and when a direct-object construction requires pe care.B1

Write niciun/nicio together or nici un/nici o separately according to structure

Niciun or nici un?Learn when Romanian writes niciun and nicio together and when nici un and nici o stay separate.B2

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Romanian word order

Use neutral Romanian SVO as a baseline, then place subjects, object clitics, adverbials, fronted phrases, subordinate clauses, and dislocated phrases.

Distinguish *sa/să* and *sau* from the clitic–auxiliary sequences *s-a* and *s-au*

Distinguish one-word *ia* from the pronoun–auxiliary sequence *i-a*

Choose *fi/fii* by verb construction and *copii/copiii* by definiteness

Choose *doar*, *numai*, or *decât* by polarity and meaning

Choose *care* or *pe care* by clause role and by the noun that follows

Write *niciun/nicio* together or *nici un/nici o* separately according to structure