A Romanian yes–no question asks whether a whole statement is true. Start with Vii mâine? (Are you coming tomorrow?) The words can stay in an ordinary sentence pattern. Rising intonation marks the question in speech, and a question mark marks it in writing.
How do you form a yes–no question?
You can keep the ordinary word order and the same finite verb. The finite verb carries tense and agrees with the subject. In a neutral spoken question, let the voice rise toward the end. In writing, use a question mark. Romanian does not add an English-style auxiliary or require subject–verb inversion.
| Statement | Yes–no question | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Vii mâine. | Vii mâine? | The words and their order stay the same; speech has a question intonation and writing has a question mark. |
| Maria lucrează aici. | Maria lucrează aici? | The subject may stay before the verb; inversion is not required to mark the question. |
| Ai timp acum. | Ai timp acum? | The verb form stays ai; Romanian does not add an equivalent of English “do”. |
| Nu ești acasă. | Nu ești acasă? | The negative word nu stays before the finite verb in the question. |
The optional word oare adds a sense of wondering or uncertainty: Oare vine mâine? (I wonder whether he or she is coming tomorrow.) It is not a required question marker. Keep the neutral final rise as your starting pronunciation; focus, emotion, and regional speech can change the detailed contour.
Where does the subject go?
A named subject can stay in the ordinary subject–verb position. The verb and context can identify a subject, so Romanian can omit its pronoun. An explicit pronoun can add contrast. See basic Romanian word order and Romanian subject pronouns for the larger patterns.
| Subject choice | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun before the verb | Neutral question | Maria vine mâine? (Is Maria coming tomorrow?) |
| Noun after the verb | Possible with flexible information structure; not an obligatory question rule | Vine Maria mâine? (Is Maria coming tomorrow?) |
| Subject pronoun omitted | The verb form and context identify the subject; the pronoun is not required | Vii mâine? (Are you coming tomorrow?) The form vii identifies tu. |
| Subject pronoun expressed | Contrast or emphasis | Tu vii mâine? (Are you coming tomorrow?) This can contrast tu with another person. |
| Noun or pronoun expressed | Omission would leave the subject unidentified | Ea vine mâine? (Is she coming tomorrow?) |
How does negation work in a question?
Put nu directly before the finite verb, just as in a negative statement. A negative yes–no question can check a possible negative or invite the listener to correct the assumption: Nu lucrezi aici? (Don’t you work here?) The form itself does not force one conversational intention.
| Positive question | Negative question |
|---|---|
| Lucrezi aici? (Do you work here?) | Nu lucrezi aici? (Don’t you work here?) |
| Vii mâine? (Are you coming tomorrow?) | Nu vii mâine? (Aren’t you coming tomorrow?) |
| Ești acasă? (Are you at home?) | Nu ești acasă? (Aren’t you at home?) |
How do you give a short answer?
The shortest replies are da (yes) and nu (no). For a complete reply, repeat the finite verb or the relevant phrase. Romanian does not need an English-style auxiliary in the answer, and the subject pronoun is usually still omitted.
| Question | Positive complete reply | Negative complete reply |
|---|---|---|
| Vii mâine? | Da, vin mâine. | Nu, nu vin mâine. |
| Ești acasă? | Da, sunt acasă. | Nu, nu sunt acasă. |
| Maria lucrează aici? | Da, lucrează aici. | Nu, nu lucrează aici. |
How do you confirm or correct a positive or negative assumption?
With a negative question, choose whether you confirm the negative or contradict it. To confirm Nu vii? (Aren’t you coming?), say Nu, nu vin. (No, I am not coming.) To contradict it and say that you are coming, use Ba da, vin. (Yes, I am coming.) The word ba marks the correction, so ba da explicitly gives the positive answer.
| Question type | Reply purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive question | Positive answer | Vii mâine? — Da, vin. (Are you coming tomorrow? — Yes, I am.) |
| Positive question | Negative answer | Vii mâine? — Nu, nu vin. (Are you coming tomorrow? — No, I am not.) |
| Negative question | Confirmation of the negative | Nu vii mâine? — Nu, nu vin. (Aren’t you coming tomorrow? — No, I am not.) |
| Negative question | Correction to the positive | Nu vii mâine? — Ba da, vin. (Aren’t you coming tomorrow? — Yes, I am.) |
Ba nu is also a current combination, but it is a marked correction to a positive assumption: Vii mâine. — Ba nu, nu vin. (You are coming tomorrow. — No, I am not.) For an ordinary negative reply to Vii mâine?, use Nu, nu vin.
Which question-forming mistakes should you avoid?
- Do not translate the English question “Do you work here?” by adding an auxiliary to Romanian. Say Lucrezi aici?
- Do not move nu away from the finite verb: Nu lucrezi aici? is the basic negative pattern.
- Do not assume that tu must appear. Lucrezi aici? is complete; Tu lucrezi aici? adds contrast or emphasis.
- Do not confuse a period with a question mark in writing: Vii mâine. is a statement, while Vii mâine? is a question.
Which sentence is the neutral yes–no question formed from Lucrezi aici.?
- Lucrezi aici.
- Lucrezi aici?
- Nu lucrezi aici?
- Lucrezi nu aici.
A neutral yes–no question keeps the statement words and order, then uses question intonation in speech and a question mark in writing.
Complete the positive question meaning “Is Maria at home?”: Maria ___ acasă?
- este
- nu este
- ești
- sunt
The third-person singular form este agrees with Maria. Nu este would make the question negative.
Which question means “Are you reading the book?” with the subject pronoun omitted?
- Citește cartea?
- Citesc cartea?
- Citești cartea?
- Citiți cartea?
The form citești is second-person singular, so tu can be omitted. The other forms refer to different persons or numbers.
Which is the basic negative yes–no question meaning “Don’t you work here?”
- Nu lucrezi aici.
- Lucrezi aici?
- Lucrezi nu aici?
- Nu lucrezi aici?
Place nu directly before the finite verb lucrezi, and use the question mark for the written question.
— Nu vii mâine? Which answer means “Yes, I am coming”?
- Ba da, vin mâine.
- Nu, nu vin mâine.
- Da, nu vin mâine.
- Ba nu, nu vin mâine.
Ba da contradicts the negative wording and confirms the positive answer. Nu, nu vin confirms the negative instead.