Romanian dictionaries cite the short infinitive with a, as in a cânta. The infinitive ending places the verb in one of four traditional conjugation groups. Both a cânta and a lucra belong to the -a group, but Eu cânt. (I sing.) and Eu lucrez. (I work.) show different present patterns. Use the group as a filing label, then check the present forms instead of predicting one template.
What do the four conjugation groups mean?
The four traditional groups classify a verb by the final vowel or vowel sequence of its infinitive: -a, -ea, -e, or -i/-î.
| Group | Infinitive ending | Representative verbs | What to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | -a | a cânta (to sing), a lucra (to work) | Present stems can differ within the group. |
| 2nd | -ea | a vedea (to see), a putea (to be able to) | The ending may disappear or change inside the present forms. |
| 3rd | -e | a merge (to go), a face (to do, to make) | Many common verbs belong here, including verbs with stem changes. |
| 4th | -i or -î | a dormi (to sleep), a hotărî (to decide) | -i and -î are one traditional group, with different infinitive spellings. |
What does the infinitive ending predict?
The infinitive ending identifies the traditional conjugation group. It can suggest endings used in simple forms, but it does not predict every present stem, every vowel change, or whether a verb is irregular.
| Infinitive | Group | 1st person singular | 3rd person singular | Present-tense pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a cânta | -a | cânt | cântă | A regular -a verb without a present stem extension. |
| a lucra | -a | lucrez | lucrează | Another -a verb uses -ez-/-eaz- in several present forms. |
| a vedea | -ea | văd | vede | The present stem is not simply the visible infinitive minus -a. |
| a merge | -e | merg | merge | The present stem can differ from the infinitive form. |
| a dormi | -i | dorm | doarme | A vowel alternation can appear inside the stem. |
| a citi | -i | citesc | citește | Some -i verbs use the -esc-/-ește- extension in the present. |
What are -ez- and -esc- doing?
The patterns -ez-/-eaz- and -esc-/-ește- are common present-tense stem extensions, not two extra conjugation groups. Some verbs use one of these extensions in several singular forms and in the third-person plural. Other forms show the shorter stem. For a lucra, compare lucrez, lucrezi, and lucrează with lucrăm and lucrați. For a citi, compare citesc, citești, and citește with citim and citiți. Learn each extension with the verb. Check spellings such as citește instead of applying -esc- to every person.
The 4th group also contains verbs in -î with related present extensions: a hotărî has hotărăsc and hotărăște. The dedicated present-tense -i/-î article gives the complete paradigm and main stem changes.
Which verbs need more than the group label?
Treat a verb as irregular or stem-changing when the infinitive ending alone does not predict its present forms. Record a small paradigm for high-frequency verbs even when their dictionary ending places them in a group.
| Verb | Group label | Present forms worth recording | Learner decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| a fi (to be) | -i (4th); irregular paradigm | sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt | Memorize all six forms as a set. |
| a putea (to be able to) | -ea | pot, poți, poate, putem, puteți, pot | Keep the group label, but do not infer its stem from putea alone. |
| a lua (to take) | -a | iau, iei, ia, luăm, luați, iau | Record the present forms because the stem changes. |
| a hotărî (to decide) | -î | hotărăsc, hotărăște | Record at least the 1st and 3rd person singular forms and check the rest. |
How should you record a new verb?
- Look up the infinitive with a.
- Use its final ending to identify the group.
- Copy enough present forms to expose the real stem. For a regular-looking verb, start with 1st and 3rd person singular; for a frequent or irregular verb, write all six persons.
The dedicated present-tense pattern for -a verbs and the other group articles give the full paradigms after you know the group.
| Notebook entry | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| a lucra — -a — lucrez, lucrează; lucrăm, lucrați | Shows the -ez- extension and the shorter plural stem. |
| a citi — -i — citesc, citește; citim, citiți | Shows the -esc- extension and its spelling in 3rd person singular. |
| a fi — -i (4th), irregular — sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt | Keeps the traditional group label while preventing you from trying to build its irregular paradigm from the infinitive ending. |
| a vedea — -ea — văd, vede | Keeps the dictionary group and the actual present stem together. |
Mistakes to avoid
- Do not assume that all -a verbs share one present pattern: compare a cânta — cânt with a lucra — lucrez.
- Do not treat the group number as a person ending. It names a traditional conjugation group; the actual form still depends on the verb and the tense.
- Do not omit a when making a dictionary card: write a merge, not only merge.
- Do not use -ez- or -esc- as a universal formula. Confirm which forms contain the extension.
Which pair contains two 4th-conjugation verbs?
- a cânta, a lucra
- a vedea, a putea
- a merge, a face
- a dormi, a hotărî
The 4th group contains infinitives ending in -i or -î, so a dormi and a hotărî belong together.
Which first dictionary note shows the present stem extension of a lucra?
- a lucra — lucr
- a lucra — lucrez, lucrează
- a lucra — lucra, lucrați only
- a lucra — lucrat
The infinitive gives the -a group, while lucrez and lucrează reveal the present stem extension that learners need to remember.
What can the ending of the infinitive safely tell you?
- The exact six present forms
- Whether the verb is always regular
- The verb's traditional conjugation group
- The verb's English translation
The final -a, -ea, -e, or -i/-î classifies the infinitive. It is a starting point, not a complete present-tense prediction.
Choose the standard present form: În fiecare dimineață, eu ___ la birou. (Every morning, I work at the office.)
- lucrez
- lucresc
- lucră
- lucrați
The subject eu needs the 1st person singular of a lucra: lucrez. The form lucrați is 2nd person plural.
Which note records all six present indicative forms of irregular a fi?
- a fi — -i, so add a regular -i pattern
- a fi — sunt, ești, este, suntem, sunteți, sunt
- a fi — fiu, fii, fie, fim, fiți, fiu
- a fi — am fost, ai fost, a fost
Although a fi ends in -i, its present indicative is irregular. Recording all six forms prevents a regular-group guess.