The Romanian language. Cases
The Genitive/Dative case.
The Romanian language (articles) looked at how Romanian handles the definite and indefinite article in the singular and plural. This article will look at the use of the Genitive/Dative case.
The table below summarises some of the nouns used previously as examples:
Masculine
|
|
Indef. Sing. |
Def. Sing. |
Indef. Plural |
Def. Plural |
|
Son |
Fiu |
Fiul |
Fii |
Fiii |
|
Metre |
Metru |
Metrul |
Metri |
Metrii |
|
Fish |
Peşte |
Peştele |
Peşti |
Peştii |
Feminine
|
Girl/daughter |
Fată |
Fata |
Fete |
Fetele |
|
Beer |
Bere |
Berea |
Beri |
Berele |
|
Coffee |
Cafea |
Cafeaua |
Cafele |
Cafelele |
Neuter
|
Hotel |
Hotel |
Hotelul |
Hoteluri |
Hotelurile |
|
Taxi |
Taxi |
Taxiul |
Taxiuri |
Taxiurile |
|
Ticket |
Bilet |
Biletul |
Bilete |
Biletele |
This article will use some of the same nouns to illustrate the Romanian genitive and dative case.
This case is used to indicate possession and action towards, so it takes the place of 'of’ and 'to’ in English.
It is formed in the singular by adding –ui to the Definite Singular of masculine and neuter nouns, and –ei or –ii to the Indefinite Plural of feminine nouns.
It is formed in the plural for all three genders by adding –lor to their Indefinite Plural form.
Examples :
Masculine and neuter
|
Definite Singular |
Genitive/Dative Singular (of/to) |
Indefinite Plural |
Genitive/Dative Plural (of/to) |
|
Fiul (the son) |
Fiului (of the son) |
Fii (sons) |
Fiilor (of the sons) |
|
PeÅŸtele |
Peştelui |
Peşti |
Peştilor |
|
Hotelul |
Hotelului |
Hoteluri |
Hotelurilor |
|
Biletul |
Biletelui |
Bilete |
Biletelor |
|
Feminine |
|||
|
Fata |
Fată |
Fete |
Fetelor |
|
Berea |
Berelei |
Beri |
Berilor |
|
Cafeaua |
Cafelei |
Cafele |
Cafelelor |
You will meet two common kinds of possessive/genitive in Linguata Romanian. The first uses the noun construction set out above:
La capătul străzii - at the end of the street (Directions. 2): La (‘at, in’) capătul (definite form of capăt, ‘end’) străzii (genitive of stradă (‘street’ – indef. Plural străzi).
Centrul oraşului - town centre (Places and buildings. 2): Centrul (definite form of centru, ‘centre’) oraşului (gen. of oraş, ‘city).
Note that the ‘possessed’ object takes the definite form.
The second kind of possessive uses pronoun adjectives, ‘my, your, his/her’ etc.:
Aceasta este soţia mea – This is my wife; and Acesta este soţul meu – This is my husband (Conversation. Introductions) illustrate the use of feminine and masculine forms of meu (‘my’). Notice, as in the previous examples, the ‘possessed’ is again in the definite form. Like other adjectives, these possessives also follow the noun.
Care este jucătorul dumneavoastră preferat? and Care este jucătorul tău preferat? - ‘Who is your best player (jucător)?’ use the formal and informal versions respectively of ‘your’ (Conversation. Small talk. Sport). Dumneavoastră, commonly abbreviated to d-voastră or dvs., is the formal version. It is invariable, although most other possessive adjectives vary according to gender and number:
|
Singular |
My |
Your (Sing.) |
His/her |
Our |
Your |
Their |
|
Masc. |
Meu |
Tău |
Său |
Nostru |
Vostru |
Lor |
|
Fem. |
Mea |
Ta |
Sa |
Noastră |
Voastră |
Lor |
|
Neuter |
Meu |
Tău |
Său |
Nostru |
Vostru |
Lor |
|
Plural |
||||||
|
Masc. |
Mei |
Tăi |
Săi |
Noştri |
Voştri |
Lor |
|
Fem/Neuter |
Mele |
Tale |
Sale |
Noastre |
Voastre |
Lor |
Lui
and ei are also used for ‘his and ‘her’ respectively. Like lor (‘their’) and dumneavoastră they are invariable.
Note that not every ‘of’ denotes a possessive. Here are two examples its non-possessive use from Linguata Romanian:
A glass of red wine Un pahar de vin roşu (At the bar or café. 2)
Do you have a map of ....? Aveţi o hartă a ...?) Getting around. General Phrases)
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