A Romanian neuter noun behaves like masculine in the singular and like feminine in the plural. Compare un hotel, două hoteluri (one hotel, two hotels). The noun is neuter, but the words around it follow a different pattern in each number.
How can you recognize a neuter noun?
Check both numbers: a neuter count noun uses un in the singular and două in the plural.
| Number | Article or numeral | Agreement example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Masculine pattern: un | un scaun bun (a good chair) |
| Plural | Feminine pattern: două | două scaune bune (two good chairs) |
Use the singular-plural pair to check agreement, definiteness, and gender.
- Check adjective agreement in both numbers: un program nou (a new program), but două programe noi (two new programs).
- Check whether the plural after două, trei, or multe is basic or definite. The basic plural has no definite article: două hoteluri means two hotels, while hotelurile means the hotels.
- Check the singular article as well as the plural ending. A plural ending does not prove gender by itself because both neuter and feminine nouns can end in -e or -uri.
- Compare the wider Romanian noun gender pattern. Masculine nouns use un–doi, while feminine nouns use o–două.
How do you form a neuter noun plural?
Learn each noun with its singular article and plural form. Neuter plurals commonly end in -uri, -e, or -ii, so final letters can help you recognize a pattern.
| Singular shape | Common plural pattern | Example pair |
|---|---|---|
| Final consonant | Add -uri | un hotel, două hoteluri (one hotel, two hotels) |
| Final consonant | Add -e | un scaun, două scaune (one chair, two chairs); un program, două programe (one program, two programs) |
| Final -u | Replace -u with -uri | un lucru, două lucruri (one thing, two things) |
| Final -u | Replace -u with -e | un muzeu, două muzee (one museum, two museums); un teatru, două teatre (one theatre, two theatres) |
| Final -iu | Replace -iu with -ii | un fotoliu, două fotolii (one armchair, two armchairs); un exercițiu, două exerciții (one exercise, two exercises) |
| Final -e | Often unchanged | un nume, două nume (one name, two names) |
The plural can also change more than the final letters. Examples include the pairs un cap, două capete; un ou, două ouă; and un oraș, două orașe. These patterns recur, but they do not predict every noun's plural.
The general Romanian noun plural clues can help you guess, but they do not replace the dictionary form. When a borrowed noun has more than one accepted plural or a meaning-specific gender, check its individual DOOM3 entry.
Which pair shows a Romanian neuter noun?
- un hotel, două hoteluri
- un băiat, doi băieți
- o casă, două case
- o fată, două fete
A neuter noun uses the masculine singular pattern un and the feminine plural pattern două: un hotel, două hoteluri.
Choose the plural of un muzeu.
- două muzeuri
- două muzee
- doi muzei
- două muzeu
This neuter noun replaces final -u with -e: un muzeu, două muzee.
Complete: Avem două ___. (We have two exercises.)
- exercițiu
- exerciții
- exercițiele
- exerciurii
The plural of exercițiu is exerciții. After două, use the basic plural, not a definite form.
Which sentence is correct in neutral Standard Romanian?
- Am doi scaune în cameră.
- Am două scaun în cameră.
- Am două scaune în cameră.
- Am doi scaunuri în cameră.
Scaun is neuter, so its pair is un scaun, două scaune. The correct sentence is Am două scaune în cameră.
Which form means "the names" rather than "two names"?
- două nume
- numele
- doi nume
- nume două
Nume is the basic plural after două. Numele has the attached definite article and means the names.