Present-tense patterns for -ea verbs

Romanian verbs with infinitives in -ea often use the present endings of the second conjugation. Their stems can change between persons: compare Văd trenul. (I see the train.) with Vedem trenul. (We see the train.) Learn each verb's complete paradigm — its full set of present forms — instead of assuming that every verb behaves alike.

How do you form the present of an -ea verb?

Use the present indicative — the ordinary present for facts, habits, and actions happening now — with the ending that agrees with the person and number, while checking the verb's stem changes.

Here -Ø means that no extra ending is added. The noi and voi endings are always stressed: vedem and vedeți. The a vedea stem also changes across the paradigm: văd but vezi, vede, vedem, and vedeți. The endings help you recognize the pattern, but they do not predict every stem change.

Which complete paradigms should you learn?

Learn the full six-form set for each common verb. The first-person singular and third-person plural are identical in these examples. When the subject pronoun is omitted, context can identify which person the form represents.

The three paradigms show different alternations. The a vedea set combines the form văd with forms built on vez- and ved-. The a cădea set uses forms built on cad-, caz-, and căd-. The a putea set uses put- only with noi and voi. Learn each paradigm separately even though all three infinitives end in -ea.

Do you need the subject pronoun?

Usually no. Romanian often omits a subject pronoun when the verb and context make the subject clear. Both Văd. (I see.) and Pot să vin. (I can come.) omit the pronoun. Use the pronoun for contrast or clarification: Eu văd, dar ei nu văd. (I see, but they do not.) See Romanian subject pronouns for other uses of an explicit subject.

How do you make a negative or a question?

Put nu directly before the finite verb — the verb form that carries the present tense and agrees with the subject. A yes-or-no question normally keeps the same word order and uses question intonation in speech or a question mark in writing.

For a putea, a second verb commonly follows with să: Pot să ajut. (I can help.) The present subjunctive article explains the verb after să. For the wider placement of nu, see Romanian negation with nu.

Which -ea verbs are irregular enough to memorize?

Memorize frequent verbs with strong stem changes or an irregular paradigm instead of forcing them into one formula. Besides a vedea, a cădea, and a putea, learn the three frequent paradigms below as separate sets.

See the present of a avea for that complete set. The checked grammar lists a apărea, a dispărea, a părea, a prevedea, a revedea, a scădea, and a tăcea with the a vedea pattern. Check each verb's full forms when you first meet it.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not use the infinitive in place of a present form: say Noi vedem filmul, not Noi vedea filmul.
• Use each verb's own stem: say Tu poți, not Tu vezi, for you can; say Noi cădem, not Noi vedem, for we fall.
• Keep each plural ending and its standard spelling: cădem, cădeți, putem, and puteți.
• Keep nu before the finite form: Nu pot să vin, not Pot nu să vin for the ordinary negative.
• Distinguish a cădea (to fall) from a se cădea (to be proper or fitting); the paradigm above belongs to a cădea.