Linguata
Learning Romanian. Part 2
Definite and Indefinite Articles
An unusual feature of Romanian is that the definite article – ‘the’ – is not a separate word. It appears as a suffix attached to the end of the noun, and it changes in keeping with the gender and number of its noun. The definite article is also used in situations where English does not distinguish between definite and indefinite. For example, in possessive phrases the possessed ‘item’ is put in the definite form, as in:
Aceasta este soţia mea - This is my wife - (Conversation. Introductions) soţia being the definite form of soţie (wife).
The lists of nouns in Linguata use the definite form.
EXAMPLES
Indefinite to Definite in the Singular :
Masculine
|
A son |
the son |
un fiu |
fiul |
|
An American |
the American |
un american |
americanul |
|
A metre |
the metre |
un metru |
metrul |
|
A fish |
the fish |
un peşte |
peştele |
|
A dog |
the dog |
un câine |
câinele |
Feminine
|
An Englishwoman |
the Englishwoman |
o englezoaică |
englezoaica |
|
A girl/daughter |
the girl/daughter |
o fată |
fata |
|
A beer |
the beer |
o bere |
berea |
|
A pharmacy |
the pharmacy |
o farmacie |
farmacia |
|
A coffee |
the coffee |
o cafea |
cafeaua |
Neuter
|
An hotel |
the hotel |
un hotel |
hotelul |
|
A ticket |
the ticket |
un bilet |
biletul |
|
A taxi |
the taxi |
un taxi |
taxiul |
Indefinite to Definite in the Plural
In the plural, noun endings depend on gender and whether or not the noun is in the definite or indefinite form. Most masculine nouns have a plural ending in –i; feminine nouns in –le –e or –i; neuter nouns, which have masculine endings in the singular, take feminine endings in the plural.
Masculine
|
Sons |
the sons |
fii |
fiii |
|
Americans |
the Americans |
americani |
americanii |
|
Metres |
the metres |
metri |
metrii |
|
Fishes |
the fishes |
peşti |
peştii |
Feminine
|
Englishwomen |
the Englishwomen |
englezoiace |
englezoaicele |
|
Daughters |
the daughters |
fete |
fetele |
|
Beers |
the beers |
beri |
berile |
|
Pharmacies |
the pharmacies |
farmacii |
farmaciile |
|
Coffees |
the (cups of c.) coffees |
cafele |
cafelele |
Neuter
|
Hotels |
the hotels |
hoteluri |
hotelurile |
|
Tickets |
the tickets |
bilete |
biletele |
|
Taxis |
the taxis |
taxiuri |
taxiurile |
Suggestion : One way of thinking about the relationship between indefinite and definite articles, singulars and plurals is that masculine and neuter definite singulars are formed by adding an ‘L’ sound (as –L, -UL or –LE) to the end of their indefinite singular forms, while feminine definite singulars need an ‘A’ sound at the end; feminine and neuter definite plurals are formed by adding an ‘L’ sound to their indefinite plural forms (as –LE), while masculine definite plurals add a short ‘i’ sound.
