The Romanian definite article: how to say “the”

Romanian usually expresses the by attaching an ending to the noun: o casă (a house) becomes casa (the house). The definite article is therefore normally an enclitic, a form attached at the end, rather than a separate word before the noun. Possession and recipient phrases use different definite forms; later case lessons explain them.

How do you attach the definite article?

First identify the noun's gender and number. Start with its ordinary singular or plural form, then attach the ending for that pattern.

1. Check the noun's gender and number. Neuter nouns follow masculine patterns in the singular and feminine patterns in the plural; the Romanian noun gender article explains this pattern.
2. Form the ordinary singular or plural first. For example, copil has the plural copii. Add the article to that plural form.
3. Attach the definite ending with no space: băiatul, casa, băieții, and scaunele are each one written word.

The main beginner noun patterns use different endings. Learn a new count noun with its singular article and plural, then add the definite article to the form you learned.

Tată can have the standalone definite form tata (the father), but before an attribute it uses tatăl, as in tatăl meu (my father). Individual noun forms still take priority over a guess from the final letter.

When do you use the definite form?

Use the definite form when the person or thing is identified, unique in the situation, or already made specific by the conversation.

• Use it when a noun has just been introduced and is mentioned again: Am cumpărat o carte. Cartea este interesantă. (I bought a book. The book is interesting.)
• Use it for something treated as unique or known in the situation: Soarele răsare. (The sun rises.)
• Use it with a following possessive or ordinary adjective: cartea mea (my book), casa mare (the big house). The noun normally carries the article in these phrases.

What happens in common noun phrases?

In a definite noun phrase, the first element carries the article. That element is usually the noun, but an adjective placed before the noun can carry the article instead.

Which spelling details should you watch for?

The article can create repeated i letters when the plural already ends in -i. Keep the spelling of the complete definite form rather than counting only the sound.

When can Romanian leave the noun without this article?

Do not translate every English the with an attached Romanian ending. Some common constructions use a bare noun, while a numeral or modifier may change the choice.

• After an ordinary numeral, use the basic plural: Am două cărți. (I have two books.) Write două cărți, not două cărțile. When the numeral phrase is definite, use cele două cărți (the two books).
• Some common prepositional phrases use a bare noun: Cartea este pe masă. (The book is on the table.) A modifier can make the noun definite: Cartea este pe masa mare. (The book is on the big table.)
• A profession or status after a fi can be bare: Sunt student. (I am a student.) With a descriptive modifier, the indefinite article is common: Sunt un student bun. (I am a good student.) See Romanian indefinite articles for un, o, and niște.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not put a separate word meaning the before an ordinary noun: write casa, not the casa. The ending is attached to the noun.
• Do not attach the article before forming the plural. Start with băieți and make băieții; start with cărți and make cărțile.
• Do not add a definite ending after a simple numeral: write două scaune, not două scaunele. Use cele două scaune when you mean the two specific chairs.
• Do not remove the Romanian diacritics from forms such as cărțile, băieții, and scaunele.