Word order in subordinate clauses

Romanian finite subordinate clauses normally keep subject + finite verb + object or complement order: Cred că Maria citește cartea. (I think Maria is reading the book.) A conjunction does not automatically push the finite verb to the end. An adverbial subordinate clause can move before or after the main clause without changing its internal order.

What is the neutral order inside a subordinate clause?

Use subject + finite verb + object or complement as the neutral starting pattern inside a subordinate clause. Romanian can still omit the subject or change constituent order for information structure.

The subject–verb–object pattern is also the neutral starting point in a main clause; see basic Romanian word order. Romanian can move a constituent for focus. The neutral pattern is still not verb-final, as it is in some other languages.

Where can an adverbial subordinate clause go?

An adverbial subordinate clause can precede or follow the main clause. When it comes first, a comma commonly marks the boundary in writing.

Moving the clause can change what the listener treats as the starting point or background, without changing the basic relation: Dacă ai timp, sună-mă. (If you have time, call me.) and Sună-mă dacă ai timp. (Call me if you have time.) More complicated clause combinations can follow different punctuation rules.

Where does the subject go?

For the neutral pattern, keep an expressed subject before the finite verb. Romanian can omit the subject when the verb and context identify it. A subject can also follow the verb when it is newly introduced or highlighted. For the wider contrast between omitted and expressed subjects, see subject omission and subject placement.

How do că, să, and ca…să affect the order?

The connector determines the frame at the start of the subordinate clause. Că commonly introduces reported or known content. Să marks the present subjunctive. Ca…să puts an explicit or focused constituent before the subjunctive verb.

Do not treat ca as a replacement for să. In Vreau ca Ana să plece, ca comes before the explicit subject and să remains immediately before the subjunctive verb. A different subject can also be understood without ca: Vreau să pleci. (I want you to leave.) See că or să in complement clauses and the Romanian present subjunctive for the wider meaning and form contrasts.

Where do nu and short pronouns go?

In a finite că clause, put nu before the finite verb; after să, put nu and unstressed pronouns between să and the verb.

The short pronoun stays close to the verb, but its exact written shape depends on the cluster and verb form. For the same first-person dative meaning, both compact să-mi scrii and expanded să îmi scrii are standard. For combinations such as dative + accusative, see the order of Romanian clitic pronouns.

How does a relative form set the clause boundary?

A relative clause keeps its own internal order after the relative form: Am citit cartea pe care o recomanzi. (I read the book that you recommend.) Here o recomanzi has the object clitic before the finite verb, while pe care links the clause to cartea. See Romanian relative clauses for the roles of care, ce, and related forms.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not copy a verb-final pattern from German or another verb-final language: use Știu că Maria citește cartea, not a version that places cartea before citește as the neutral order.
• Do not assume that a noun after the verb is an object. In Cred că a venit Maria, Maria is the subject of a venit.
• Do not put nu before să in a negative subjunctive: use să nu pleci, not nu să pleci.
• Do not omit să after an explicit subject in the focused frame: use Vreau ca Ana să plece, not Vreau ca Ana plece.
• Do not treat a fronted adverbial clause as a question. Its position is not fixed. Both Dacă plouă, rămânem acasă and Rămânem acasă dacă plouă are ordinary clause orders, with different discourse starting points.