Admit it—only the first few pages in your grammar books are thumbed back.

Most people like the idea of knowing all about the grammar of a particular language, but when it gets down to it, they much prefer communicating.

Naturally there are exceptions: I’ve known some dedicated students to start Russian with nothing but a dictionary, a notebook, and War and Peace.

But with a language like Romanian, how much good is the grammar (like Romanian connecting words) really going to do you? If you squint long enough at most of the words, the meaning pops into your head and, more often than not, it’s right.

Well, it’s not quite that easy. And with a grammar point as ubiquitous as Romanian conjunctions, getting the meaning “mostly right” tends to mean that out of the dozens of times you say it per day, you’re getting it wrong more times than you’d prefer to.

Fear not: Here’s your perfect introduction to the finer points of using conjunctions in Romanian, and a comprehensive list of Romanian conjunctions you’ll use every day. Conjunctions in Romanian are your ticket to perfect speech.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Conjunction?
2. The Simple Romanian Conjunctions
3. The Complex Romanian Conjunctions
4. Two Letters, Five Distinct Conjunctions: The Case of Că
5. A Uniquely Romanian Conjunction
6. How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian Grammar

1. What is a Conjunction?

Conjunctions connect two or more things in your language. In fact, many people just call them “connectors.” And we use them constantly.

We can combine two potential sentences into one with a conjunction, like so:

• John is here. Mary is here.
  John and Mary are here.

Easy stuff! Once you see how it works in English, plenty of Romanian conjunctions fall right into place. And if you never got a handle on this grammar point, think how limited your language ability would be.

2. The Simple Romanian Conjunctions

The easiest conjunction in the whole language is also the most common one: și meaning “and.”

• Vreau pâine și apă.
  “I want bread and water.”

Like in English, people will sometimes use this as a filler, drawn out to continue a sentence without really knowing how it will end.

• Are la bază gemuri de toate felurile, scorțișoară șiiiiii… mere coapte.
  “It has many types of jam, cinnamon, annnnnd…baked apples.”

Naturally, you can use it to list nouns, verbs, or adjectives. The Oxford comma isn’t used in Romanian.

ci is another useful conjunction, used to set up an explicit contrast between two things. You can think of it as being similar to the English word “but” or “on the contrary.” This contrast happens in a single sentence—note how the second half can’t stand alone.

• Nici eu, ci el.
  “Not I, but he.”

Next we have the word ori, which is easy to remember because it’s almost the same as the English conjunction “or.” In fact, it’s practically interchangeable:

• Viață-n libertate ori moarte.
  “Life in liberty or death.”

As in English, we can also set up an “either / or” equivalent. Here we’ll repeat ori both times.

• E ori ăsta, ori ăla!
  “It’s either this one or that one!”

For the same construction, you can also choose a more literary variant, fie.

• Vom învăța ceva, fie din structura sa chimică, fie prin măsurare.
  “We will learn something, either from the chemical structure or from measurements.”

And if you want the more formal register, but two “or”s in the same sentence spooks you, then try out the third synonym, sau.

• Au fost unele incidente la decolare sau aterizare.
  “There have been some incidents with take-off and landing.”

With all these choices, you may forget to learn how to negate them! And as strange as the two-part conjunctions may seem, we do have a mandatory one with “neither / nor” in English. You guessed it; in Romanian, it’s a double-up as well: nici.

• Aici nu există nici bunuri, nici servicii.
  “There are neither goods nor services here.”

3. The Complex Romanian Conjunctions

Now we’ll move on to complex conjunctions, which can connect two different full sentences together. Consider the sentences “He didn’t go,” and “I went.” In English, we can use the conjunction “but” to connect those into a single “He didn’t go, but I went.” Thus, this takes two independent sentences and forms them into one.

In Romanian, we can use the word dar to express “but” in this particular way. As in English, it’s always used with a comma in front.

• Credeam ca sunt singura, dar și tu ești aici.
  “I thought I was alone, but you’re here too.”

There’s a similar word, însă, that doesn’t require a comma. It’s kind of like adding a comma plus “however” to the word it follows.

• Instinctul însă îmi spune s-o fac.
  “My instincts, however, say I should do it.”

When we want to express the concepts of “except for” or “apart from” we have to use a set phrase, namely în afară de.

• Nu se mișca nimeni în afară de hoți.
  “No one moved except for the robbers.”

Enough of this contrariness. How about some more agreeable Romanian conjunctions? The word for “so” and “therefore” is deci. You use it to connect two similar ideas that logically follow from one to the other.

• E pediatru, deci iubește copiii.
  “He’s a pediatrician, so he likes kids.”

This is another one you can draw out in speech if you don’t know how to end the sentence in a better way.

• Am doctoratul, deciiii…
  “I do have a PhD, soooo…”

To express certain relations of time, we can use the phrase după ce or simply după by itself. This means “after,” and it can actually be a simple or complex conjunction. Here’s how it looks in a simple sentence:

• După epidemie, nimeni nu a mai trăit acolo.
  “Nobody lived there after the outbreak.”

And then in a complex sentence, connecting two shorter clauses:

• Lucrurile au mers rău, după ce el a fost transferată aici.
  “Things went bad after he was transferred here.”

Speaking of time, what if two things are going on in the same moment? In English, we can use “while,” and in Romanian, we’ll go with the set phrase în timp ce, literally “at the time of.”

• Pot vorbi în timp ce lucrez.
  “I can talk while I work.”

We can, in fact, use this to contrast two things more directly, even when time isn’t explicitly involved.

• Lui Mihai îi place plăcinta cu mere, în timp ce Andreei îi place cea cu vișine.
  “Mihai likes the apple pie, while Andreea likes the one with cherries.”

4. Two Letters, Five Distinct Conjunctions: The Case of Că

By itself, că means “that.” It’s clearly cognate to que in Spanish and che in Italian, and yet it’s one of the most flexible conjunctions in all of Europe. Mastering all of its different meanings truly opens doors of expression for you.

How can we use it? Let’s have a look at five different ways:

1. Reporting what somebody or something said:

• Jordan a spus că Mihai a fost nebun.
  “Jordan said that Mihai was mad.”

2. Expressing the cause of some event:

• Am ajuns târziu că mi s-a stricat mașina.
  “I arrived late because my car broke down.”

3. Showing a certain type of an action:

• Eram bucuros la gândul că o voi revedea.
  “I was overjoyed at the thought that I would see her.”

4. Expressing the degree of strength of an adjective:

• Este așa de furios că a început să țipe la toată lumea.
  “He’s so angry that he started yelling at everyone.”

5. Passing judgment on a situation:

• E rău că nu te lași de fumat.
  “It’s bad that you do not quit smoking.”

With all those out of the way, could there be anything left? Just one…

5. A Uniquely Romanian Conjunction

There’s one conjunction we haven’t mentioned yet. It’s not particularly difficult to understand, but it deserves its own section because it doesn’t have any parallels in any related languages.

The preposition is iar. Sometimes it means “but” while other times it means “and,” except when it feels like meaning “while however.”

By and large, this Romanian conjunction word is for introducing a contrast. It doesn’t imply that the contrast is very strong, but it points it out unmistakably.

• Ninge la Budapesta, iar la Bucureşti bate vântul.
  “It’s snowing in Budapest, and it’s windy in Bucharest.”

• Lui Adrian îi place fotbalul, iar Mariei baschetul.
  “Adrian likes football, and Mary (likes) basketball.”

As you can see, the sentiment here isn’t difficult to understand—this isn’t some strange unknown realm of human experience only the Romanians have tapped into. You can think like this too. But note that we could translate this word as “though,” “while,” or “but,” and still have the same general meaning.

We can’t always use iar with every contrast. For that second sentence, if we wanted to say instead, “Mary doesn’t like football,” or Mariei nu-i place, then iar sounds a bit strange because now Mary is directly contrasting Adrian instead of just tangentially.

6. How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian Grammar

The more you actually read and listen to Romanian, the more these finer points are going to stick out to you. Before long, with a good study plan, you’ll have an innate sense of these nuances that rivals a native-born Romanian.

And out of anything you do to increase your ability in Romanian, learning the conjunctions well is probably the closest thing to a silver bullet.

Each one that you learn allows you to make numerous new sentences and constructions. Reading an article like this is like running through dark hallways and flipping on lights in your brain.

But if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it! Take a look at the latest RomanianPod101 lessons right here, and make sure those new possibilities stay open.

Before you go, let us know in the comments how comfortable you feel using Romanian conjunctions now. Is there anything you’re still struggling with? We look forward to hearing from you!

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and
polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract
sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

Romanian society can be described as “laid-back” in some ways. With the sultry sun, the rich food, and the beautiful scenery, who wouldn’t expect the people to be relaxed?

Because of that, you can let your hair down. Treat people well, and they’ll treat you well.

Until you do something that you thought was obviously fine, and you realize that the other party took it as very obviously not fine.

That situation is confusing, embarrassing, and maybe even dangerous at the wrong time. And the worst part is that it happened from ignorance of Romanian customs, not malice.

So that’s why this article exists: part phrasebook, part etiquette guide that helps you avoid doing things out of ignorance. Learning to deal with other cultures is simply learning to deal with what they perceive as “normal.” Soon, you’ll find that it’s not so far from your own definitions.

Table of Contents

1. Greeting Others
2. Traveling Etiquette & More Cultural Etiquette in Romania
3. Dining Etiquette in Romania
4. Business Etiquette in Romania
5. Conclusion: How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian

1. Greeting Others

Romanian greetings are no sweat, and possibly one of the easiest aspects of social etiquette in Romania. This is important, because correct greetings are sometimes your first and only chance to make a good impression.

First, you have to understand that Romanians divide the day into morning, day, and evening-night.

Thus to greet people, you’d say bună dimineața or “Good morning,” bună ziua or “Good day,” and bună seara or “Good evening.”

Then you shake hands. Pretty simple!

Now the word dimineața is a bit long, so many people casually shorten it to ‘neața, like English speakers might say “morn’n.” It’s still polite, as long as you say it earnestly and not with a grimace.

So those are the formal textbook greetings. And those are perfect choices to use when greeting people you don’t know. But do be aware that it sounds a little odd to bust these phrases out in convenience stores or when asking for directions on the street.

The casual greetings are actually mostly taken from other languages! People in the Transylvania region say Servus, from German, while folks living in the west are likely to say Ciao from Italian. As English keeps spreading and getting trendier, it’s also not unheard of for people to just greet each other with “Hey.”

The “real” way is to just say bună at any time of day.

To take your leave from somebody, there’s one all-purpose phrase for “goodbye”: la revedere.

2. Traveling Etiquette & More Cultural Etiquette in Romania

If you’re going to learn just a single phrase in Romanian, make it this one:

• Mulțumesc!
  “Thank you!”

As you travel around, enjoying the “bakeries” (brutării) and “coffee shops” (cafenele), you’ll probably say “thank you” a dozen times a day or more. American readers will probably be interested to know that when it comes to etiquette in Romania, people don’t say “thank you” for every single interaction the way it happens in the U.S.. Buying the bread, receiving the bread, and getting your change should only require one thanks instead of three.

If someone has done you a particular kindness (this is quite probable thanks to Romanian hospitality), then there’s an easy way to make your thanks more meaningful:

• Mulțumesc foarte mult!
  “Thank you very much!”

You’re likely to hear others use the informal variant of “thanks.” No prizes for guessing which language it came from originally:

• Mersi!
  “Thanks!”

Romania is actually a popular destination for the hitchhike-around-Europe crowd. This won’t be a hitchhiking guide (you can find plenty of those online), but you should know that if you head to the outskirts of the cities, you’ll notice people standing at designated spots.

People walking for the fun of it are relatively rare as well, so don’t be surprised if somebody stops and offers you a lift! To politely decline, simply smile, shake your head, and say Nu, mersi meaning “No, thanks.” To accept, get in and tell the driver the name of the place you’re headed.

When you get to your tourist destination, you can follow the example of everybody else. Keep the space clean and keep your voice down as you travel around. In religious places, do your best to wear modest and decent clothing—if you didn’t bring any, it’s possible that you may be refused entry.

In most places, it’s fine to click away with your camera, but if something seems particularly culturally significant, you’ll want to use this phrase:

• Pot să fac o poză?
  “Can I take a photo?”

Although many Romanians are quite fluent and comfortable speaking English, there may be times when communication breaks down anyway. Or, like me, you find yourself the only visitor at a museum with signs all in Romanian.

• Este ceva în engleză?
  “Is there anything in English?”

You might be lucky enough to be invited over to someone’s house. In that case, you should bring a gift, perhaps something for the children, some high-quality liquor, candy, or flowers (there are more flower shops in Romania than you would expect!).

When you arrive, use this phrase:

• Aveți o casă frumoasă!
  “You have a beautiful home!”

3. Dining Etiquette in Romania

There are no big mysteries here—Romanian dining etiquette is quite similar to dining etiquette all over the Western world.

All over Europe, though, there’s one little phrase that many people are flummoxed to find missing in English. This phrase is Poftă bună, literally “good appetite.” When you hear this from the host, you’ve got permission to dig in.

Aside from that, eating etiquette in Romania includes eating with the knife in the left hand and the fork in the right. At big gatherings, cuisine is often served family-style in large dishes from which everyone helps themselves. Bread might not come with butter, but that’s okay because you can dip it in the sauce on your plate.

If you’re not an alcohol drinker, you might feel a little intimidated or pressured by frequent toasts. That’s okay. Just leave your glass about half-full and people won’t bother you. If you would like to make a toast, raise your glass and say noroc!

Smaller restaurants might be short on table space, and in Romania there’s nothing odd about sharing a table with a stranger as you eat your lunch. Simply ask:

• Scuză-mă, pot să stau aici?
  “Excuse me, may I sit here?”

Let’s be real—both of you are probably just going to look at your phones anyway.

When you need the attention of the server, look in their direction and say vă rog, which literally means “please.”

• Nota, vă rog.
  “The check, please.”

You may end up hearing other Romanians around you say auzi to get the attention of their server. This is one example you shouldn’t copy! It means “Can you hear me?” and it’s considered very rude. Keep your interactions polite and respectful, and you’ll always get the best service.

4. Business Etiquette in Romania

Have you ever considered having different business cards made for the different countries that you go to? It’s a tiny detail that slips most people’s minds until they reach for their wallet – and it suddenly dawns on them that the phone number doesn’t include the country code, or something similar like that.

• Poftim cartea mea de vizită.
  “Here’s my business card.”

In addition, if your business has been around for a while, put that on there too. Even if it’s actually a technicality and there have been major reforms, being able to say something like “Established 1953” holds a lot of weight.

That said, don’t go out of your way to brag.

Factors like an established business and an educated representative are simply facts that Romanians will respect, particularly if they’re presented in a reserved way.

Nobody likes someone trying to win on charm alone, and Romanians tend to be less willing to trust outsiders from the start. You’ve got to win them over by backing your claims up with facts.

As for business meeting etiquette in Romania, before and after you actually get down to business, you need to be a little chatty. Make small talk and ask about the other party’s family to show that you care about their life outside your bottom line.

• Ce mai face familia dumneavoastra?
  “How is your family?”

Don’t rush things during the negotiations, because that breaks the facade of just being a couple of friends having a chat. Keep things light and pleasant—be interested in the small talk, for example—and the conversation will naturally turn to business of its own accord.

5. Conclusion: How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian

The simplest thing you can do to handle etiquette in any foreign place is to try. Ask questions, laugh at yourself when you get things wrong, and stay open-minded.

Even in relatively similar cultures, there can still be big differences. Just a little bit of foresight about what others tend to value in speech and conduct can go a long way toward seeing problems as “cultural differences” instead of “whatta bunch of jerks.”

And just like how you’ll get good service in restaurants if you have good manners, you’ll find things easier and smoother overall if you know how to navigate the etiquette in Romania. Even if you’re still hung up about speaking Romanian, the more you pay attention to etiquette, the more you’ll fit right in.

How does Romanian etiquette compare to customs in your own country? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

Did you know there are many different types of calendars?

As you probably know – a calendar is a system of organizing days in weeks and months for specific purposes, according to Wikipedia.

Worldwide, most countries use the Gregorian calendar. Some just work on the same framework, meaning that time is divided into units based on the earth’s movement around the sun – the “solar calendar”. Other calendars keep time by observing the moon’s movements, a combination of the moon and the sun’s movements, and seasons.

Through RomanianPod101, you can learn all about this and so much more! Our themed, culturally relevant lessons are skillfully designed so you can do your planning perfectly for a holiday or a date.

Having a good plan for a visit or a trip is like studying well for an exam. You’re just so much better prepared! For that, you could well need specific phrases to plan around appointments and such, especially on business trips. Make sure to use the charts we provide here with the days of the week in Romanian, as well as the months in Romanian to navigate your way as you plan. Great resources!

Also – always remember to have fun!

Table of Contents

1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Romanian?
2. Talking About your Plans
3. Can RomanianPod101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

1. Why Will It Help To Know How To Talk About Dates in Romanian?

Well, that’s not a difficult question to answer. No matter why you’re travelling, it would be best to at least know the names of days and months in Romanian. You don’t want to miss your flight or an appointment because you confused “vineri” (Friday) with “Sâmbătă” (Saturday)! Or maybe you planned a holiday for “iulie” (July), but you booked a flight for “iunie” (June) by accident!

Avoid this confusion by learning the Romanian calendar before you leave.

Now, as promised, the 15 phrases to help you make and discuss plans.

2. Talking About your Plans

Perhaps you’re working in Romania, or maybe you’re enjoying a prolonged holiday. Fabulous! Memorize these phrases so you can be sure to successfully negotiate meetings, appointments, dates, events, the list goes on!

1. Ce faci weekend-ul acesta?

“What are you doing this weekend?”

This question is usually a preamble to inviting someone somewhere. Given that it’s over the weekend, it probably means a casual get-together or another social event. (But not necessarily! A manager or boss could also ask this for entirely different reasons.)

It’s a handy phrase to know when you’ve made Romanian or expat friends in the country. Or, be the one doing the inviting. Then train your ear to learn the following phrases so you can understand the response.

2. Călătoresc în acest weekend.

“I am traveling this weekend.”

This could be a reply if you’re not available because you’re doing other fun stuff.

No matter why you are visiting Romania, do take the time to explore the country! It’s beautiful and it has so many wonderful, interesting spots ready to be visited.

3. Am de gând să stau acasă.

“I am planning to stay at home.”

Maybe you feel unwell, but don’t want to give too much information? Or maybe you have work to do? Perhaps you just need some quiet gardening time…it doesn’t matter. This response is polite and honest without oversharing.

It could also be a slightly open-ended response, depending on how you deliver it. Because hey, being home could still mean your plans are flexible, right?

That said – depending on your relationship with the inviter, nuances like these will probably not be so apparent in a foreign culture. So, best to use this excuse for declining an invitation only if you are truly set on staying in.

4. În această săptămână sunt ocupat.

“This week I am busy.”

Another polite phrase that gives a reason for declining an invitation but without oversharing details.

Don’t decline too many invitations, though! You don’t want people to think that you’re too busy to hang out with them. They will stop inviting you out, and you know how the saying goes – all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…! Being social is good for the soul.

5. Sunt liber mâine.

“I am free tomorrow.”

Yay! Perhaps you were approached by that person and they asked about your availability for a date. This would be a fine reply. Not too eager, but still indicating that you’re interested.

Or maybe you’re just replying to a colleague or manager’s request for a meeting. Polite, honest and clear.

Alternatively, you’re just busy right now, and plans are not going the way they were…well, planned. Compromise is a lovely thing! And this phrase sounds just like that.

Use it to indicate that you want to accommodate an invitation or the inviter’s plans, despite your current unavailability. Only if you are really free, of course.

6. Putem reprograma asta?

“Can we reschedule this?”

So, life happened and you are unable to meet obligations or attend a planned meeting. This is a suitable question to ask if you wish to indicate your willingness to still engage with whatever is on the table.

Obviously you should (ideally) not ask to reschedule a party or big meeting! (Unless you’re the boss or it’s your own party, of course.) But if there’s reasonable wiggle room regarding arrangements, then this one’s your question.

7. Voi avea suficient timp la sfârșitul lunii.

“I will have enough time at the end of the month.”

A go-to phrase when events or activities are likely to take up a lot of your time, such as going away for a weekend, spending the day at a local market, or writing your manager’s quarterly report (with 20 flow-charts in Powerpoint) – anything that won’t only take an hour or two.

8. Când este momentul potrivit pentru tine?

“When is the best time that suits you?”

Remember phrase #5? That was a possible reply to this question. Asked by your crush, very possibly! Or, it could be asked by any other person for any other reason, doesn’t matter.

If this is addressed to you, it usually means that the person respects your time and schedule, which is a good thing. It probably also means that their own schedule is flexible, another good thing.

This is also a polite question to ask when a manager or senior colleague wants to meet with you. Let them decide on the time, and be as accommodating as possible. This attitude shows respect for seniority – good for career building. (Within reason, of course. You don’t need to postpone your wedding or your paid-up holiday to Australia because your manager wants to see you.)

9. Această dată este ok pentru tine?

“Is this date OK with you?”

But – if the other party insists that you choose a time for a meeting, appointment, or date etc., then do so! Respond with this nice, somewhat casual question that leaves space for negotiation, but only needs a simple reply.

Suitable for friends, and casual acquaintances and colleagues.

10. Ești disponibil în acea zi?

“Are you available on that day?”

This is the a-bit-more-formal version of the previous question. Again, it has room for negotiation, but only needs a simple response – nice and neat!

Maybe this is the go-to question when you’re addressing your seniors at work, or a person much older than you.

11. Putem face acest lucru cât mai curând posibil?

“Can we do it as soon as possible?”

This question has an urgency to it that should preferably be responded to with the same. A simple reply will be good – yes or no. Less negotiable, this is still polite because it’s a question that gives you a choice.

But stand ready with one of the phrases in this article to help tie down a time and date!

12. Sunt disponibil în fiecare seară.

“I’m available every evening”

If you’re going to reply with this phrase, context is everything.

– If it’s your manager asking you to put in a bit of overtime, and you are available to – great reply! When deadlines are tight and everybody is stressing, your willingness to go the extra mile can only improve your relationship with your boss.

(Still, no need to be a doormat! If you get asked to work overtime too often, or if everyone else is goofing around while you have to graft, then re-evaluate the situation. And if you feel you’re being exploited a bit, don’t stress! Equip yourself with the diplomatic, yet assertive responses right in this article.)

– If it’s an old friend or longtime significant other asking to hang out – good reply. You know one another and appearances don’t matter any longer.

– If it’s a new crush who just asked when you’d be available for a date – stop. Not such a great reply. Tone down a bit! “Interested but not overly eager” is what you’re going for here.

Refer back to response #5, or use a counter-question, such as #1. Whatever suits you.

But if they – or anyone else – invite you to scale the Himalayas with them, then the next phrase will probably be the only sane response!

13. Trebuie să planific acest lucru cu mult timp înainte.

“I need to plan this well in advance.”

So, as said under #9, perhaps you’re invited to join someone conquer the Himalayas.

Or your company manager wants you to plan the Party that Tops All Year-End Parties Forever.

Simply – if you get asked to do something that you know will need a lot of thorough planning, this is a good phrase to respond with.

It’s an assertive phrase that demonstrates two things regarding your attitude:

a) That you know your own abilities, and respect your own schedule.
b) That your respect other people’s time and schedule too.

Then just be sure to actually do that planning well in advance!

14. Trebuie să găsim o altă dată.

“We need to find another date.”

So, you’re in negotiations regarding a date.

This is an assertive statement that should probably not be used with a “My way or the highway” attitude.

That stuff only works in the movies – think sharp-tongued Samuel L. Jackson. Or fierce Kristen Stewart. Yea, they can be scary, so tone down that tone.

Also, be mindful that fickle people who change plans all the time don’t keep friends! Taking others’ needs into consideration, while simultaneously having your way is a delicate art that takes proper cultivation. Use this phrase sparingly – we have better ones here to negotiate with.

Of course, if your planned trip to the dentist falls on the same day as the only Billie Eilish concert close by…well, priorities are priorities. Feel free to call the dentist with this phrase. Or even better, use the next one.

15. Nu pot să o fac în acea zi.

“I cannot do it on that day.”

This is the low-key-but-still-firm cousin of the previous phrase. You’re stating a personal fact, and depending on your tone, this can be as non-negotiable as you prefer.

Again, only use this when you really mean it, if you’re visiting Romania or any other foreign country.

So, that’s it, folks! Which phrase did you find the most helpful? Let us know in the comments!

3. Can RomanianPod101 Help You In Other Ways Too?

Well yes, of course!

We think you will find these phrases easy to use when talking about dates and months in Romanian. But knowing how to employ them properly could help you avoid sticky situations!

RomanianPod101 is uniquely geared to help you with this and so much more.

This InnovativeLanguage.com initiative is one of many online language-learning courses. With us, you’ll find it easy and fun to learn a new language, and here are a few reasons why:

• Immediately upon enrollment, you’ll receive hundreds of well-designed lessons to get you going.
• Watch superb recordings of native Romanian speakers in cool slide-shows – the easy way to practice till you sound just like a native speaker yourself!
• Also immediately upon enrollment, you’ll get access to a huge library of free resources! These include extensive, theme-based Vocabulary Lists and a Word of the Day List (For free, hot bargains!) These alone are sure to give your vocab-learning boxing gloves.
• You’ll also immediately be able to use an excellent and free Romanian online dictionary. Necessary for quick, handy translations, no matter where you find yourself.
• For the serious learner, there are numerous enrollment upgrades available, one of which offers you a personal, online Romanian host. Allow us to hold your hand and support you in your learning!

If you’re serious about mastering Romanian easily yet correctly, RomanianPod101 is definitely one of, if not the best, online language learning platforms available. Talking about your plans or dates in Romanian need not ever spoil your stay.

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To some people, family means no one gets left behind.

To others, it just means tasty food.

Learning to talk about and understand the different words for family members in other languages can seem like a daunting task. There’s, what, a dozen words you’ve got to learn all at once? Two dozen?

But here’s why it’s worth it to learn about Romanian family traditions and terms in your Romanian studies.

Speaking clearly and correctly about a topic so integral to a culture like family is an important challenge to overcome. There are few things so closely tied to one’s identity as one’s family – just imagine the kind of gut reaction you would have if your sister called you “mom!”

In this article, you’ll learn how to say “family” in Romanian, the most important family vocabulary in Romanian, as well as some information on family members in Romanian culture.

And when it comes to Romania in particular, you have an interesting combination to deal with. For one, the concept of family itself is probably quite similar to your own, if you come from a Western culture. But for another?

Well, you’ll find that out in a moment. Let’s begin.

Table of Contents

1. The Family in Romanian Culture
2. Describing Your Immediate Family
3. Describing Your Extended Family
4. Your Family Through Marriage
5. Patronymics and Matronymics in Romanian
6. The Romanian Royal Family and Their Language
7. How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian

1. The Family in Romanian Culture

Generally speaking, families in Romania aren’t very different from families in the rest of Europe and North America.

Marriages tend to be stable, and people living in big cities tend to have fewer kids. Young people are expected to be relatively independent when they reach adulthood, though that does bring us to one minor difference between Romanians and people from other cultures.

Simply put, the family unit is stronger in Romania. You know your cousins well, your parents rely on you for support in their old age, and you’re expected to be a loving and helpful parent to your own children.

Romanians tend to get together in large family reunions for holidays and important celebrations. It’s not unusual for teenage Romanians to travel to other cities or towns to help out their grandparents during the summer, whether that be on the farm, around the house, or at their small business.

Fortunately for someone outside the culture, these subtle differences don’t present huge challenges. And, as you’re about to see, neither does the language.

2. Describing Your Immediate Family

First things first: The words for “family” or familie in Romanian have no surprises. Pretty much every word maps directly onto its English equivalent, so there’s no need to worry that your conception of “brother” somehow doesn’t match up with the Romanians’.

Let’s start with parents, maybe the simplest family terms in Romanian for English speakers:

“Mother” is mamă, which makes plenty of sense. “Father” is tată, also not too far if you think of the English “daddy.” Interestingly, the informal, childlike word for “daddy” is, in fact, tati. And “parent” in general? That would be părinte.

There’s no single word for “sibling,” however, there is one for “twins.” It’s gemeni for “male twins” and gemene for “female twins.”

A “sister” is soră, and a “brother” is frate; you should recognize the Latin root from words like “fraternity” or “fraternize.” If you absolutely must include “brothers and sisters,” say exactly that: fraţi şi surori. Note that soră is irregular in the plural.

Romanian doesn’t have separate words for “older” or “younger.” Instead, you use mai mare after the word to indicate “older” and mai mic/mică for “younger.”

Onto children: The word in Romanian for “child” in a gender-neutral sense is copil, while a “son” is fiu and a “daughter” is fiică.

Remember, when talking about people in Romanian, we use the masculine plural for couples of mixed gender. So fraternal twins would be referred to as gemeni, and when speaking about your parents you’d use the male form părinți.

3. Describing Your Extended Family

And yet we’re just getting started. As mentioned above, the concept of an “extended” family is slightly different in Romania, but only because you’re expected to be closer to those family members.

Moving up a generation, we have your bunic, or your “grandfather,” along with your bunică or “grandmother.” To them, you’re probably a “grandson” or nepot, or a “granddaughter” or nepoată.

Suppose your parents have siblings as well? No problems here. An “aunt” is mătușă, and “uncle” should be a piece of cake for English speakers, as it’s unchi. These words don’t change if someone is an aunt or uncle by marriage or by blood. A “cousin” is văr, another word which is inherently gender-neutral.

Here, we actually can’t shift the perspective like we did with grandparent/grandchild. The word for “nephew” is nepot, the same as “grandson,” and “niece” fits the same pattern. To be specific, we can say something like “nephew of an uncle” which would be nepot de unchi.

And then when it’s time to get really extended, there’s a handy prefix to put on some of these words. The prefix is stră-, cognate to “extra” in English (and Latin, where it ultimately derives from). Take a word like străvechi which means “very old; ancient.” That’s made up of stră– +‎ vechi, or “extra” + “old.”

So in family terms, we can slap that prefix onto a few of the words we learned. So: străbunic, străbunică, strănepot, and strănepoată. Doing so gives us the “great” generation. That is, a “great-grandfather,” “great-grandmother,” “great-grandson,” and “great-granddaughter!”

It even gives us a general word for “ancestor“: străbun.

The only exceptions are when talking about great-aunts and great-uncles. To do that in Romanian, you need the phrase unchi de gradul doi or străunchi for “great-uncle” and mătușă de gradul doi or strămătușă for “great aunt.”

4. Your Family Through Marriage

Like English, Romanian has plenty of words for your family-by-marriage, also known as your in-laws.

Before you get to that stage in your relationship, though, you need some words for love.

One’s “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” is iubit or iubită, respectively. This is, naturally, related to the base verb “to love,” which is a iubi.

After marriage (căsătorie) the happy couple becomes soț or “husband” and soție or “wife.”

And what about their families? Well, here we have a whole new set of words for relatives-in law. Your “parents-in-law” are your socru or “father-in-law” and soacră or “mother-in-law.” Your siblings by marriage? That would be your cumnat or “brother-in-law” and cumnată or “sister-in-law.”

Suppose your own child gets married? Their husband would be your ginere or “son-in-law,” and their wife would be your noră or “daughter-in-law.”

As the saying goes, soon comes a baby in a baby carriage. It turns out that names in Romanian sometimes follow family patterns as well…

5. Patronymics and Matronymics in Romanian

If you think of a “typical Romanian” name, what does it sound like?

Most likely, the last name is going to end in –scu, since that’s a feature of the majority of Romanian names. Why the popularity?

Well, the –escu or –scu suffixes actually mean “son of.” They’re what’s known as patronymics, or names passed down through the male line.

Matronymics aren’t quite so common. The pattern is roughly detectable by noting the preposition a and the genitive case marker –ei around a particular name, all formed into one word thanks to the passage of time. So a child of Maria would be a-Mariă-ei = Amariei.

This tradition doesn’t really happen very much anymore. In some countries—even in Europe—names will change every generation to reflect one’s ancestry. But nowadays, Romanian people tend to keep and pass down their last names.

6. The Romanian Royal Family and Their Language

Here’s an interesting bit of historical, political, and cultural trivia. Romania officially has no Familia Regală or “royal family.” So why does everybody know who they are?

Regele Mihai I, known as King Michael I in English, abdicated the throne in 1947. But he was still around, and although he lived for many years abroad, Romanians still knew who he was. By 2007, he had returned to the country and drafted some suggestions for how the modern parliament should treat the royal family—and they listened to him.

He outlined a line of succession, and that’s where we’ll get our final family-related vocabulary here today.

First, there hasn’t been a “queen” or regina for several hundred years—generally, kings are wed to princesses.

The word for “princess” is principesa, and as Michael had five daughters, there are currently five princesses. Traditionally, the word for “prince” is prinţ; however, Michael’s grandson is usually referred to as principele, a word that means the same thing but is noticeably different. Why’s that? Well, for various reasons, he’s been cut out of the line of succession!

7. How RomanianPod101 Can Help You Master Romanian

Reading this article is one thing. But what’s the best way to actually make sure you’re able to use and understand these words when they come up?

By using them.

Take a moment right now to look over the lesson materials right here on RomanianPod101.com and start locking those memories in. We offer an array of insightful blog posts, free vocabulary lists, and podcasts. Also check out our MyTeacher program for Premium Plus members if you’re interested in a one-on-one learning experience with your own personal Romanian teacher!

Then, the natural next step is to imagine yourself somewhere in Romania—a sunflower field, a friendly hostel, your country’s embassy—describing your own family in Romanian. Now what if somebody else you know was doing it?

And what if you were the king?

This kind of active imagination, combined with your ordinary studies, is a sure-fire way to really anchor new words into your memory. Some people even speak this stuff aloud and record it for later; you don’t have to share it with anyone!

When your Romanian skills have expanded to include any and all family matters, you’ll be prepared. So prepared, in fact, that you can walk right into a family reunion and leave everyone totally blown away.

We hope you found this article helpful. How are you going to practice these new Romanian family names? Let us know in the comments!

On Bukovina Day, Romanians commemorate the joining of Bukovina to Romania in 1918. Bukovina is considered a significant city within the country, and has quite a history.

In this article, you’ll learn a little bit about that history, as well as how this acquisition is celebrated in Romania today. In learning about this momentous occasion in Romanian history, you’ll be gaining much insight into the overall culture of the country and see it through a clearer lens.

At RomanianPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative!

Let’s get started.

1. What is Bukovina Day in Romania?

Bukovina is an important city within the country, and is divided into Northern and Southern Bukovina, both of which have strong historical significance rooted in World War II.

Bukovina Day marks the date in 1918 that the region of Bukovina voted to be joined with Romania. Prior to this, Bukovina was a part of Moldavia, and for 144 years leading up to its vote, suffered many abuses and severe freedom limitations. Seeing Romania as an escape and liberation from these wrongs, Bukovina (headed by Iancu Flondor) made the decision to be joined “unconditionally and forever,” to Romania.

However, the June 1940 Soviet Ultimatum created another obstacle. The Soviet Union demanded that Romania hand over Northern Bukovina to it, in order to compensate for the Soviet Union’s heavy losses during Romania’s control of Bessarabia. In the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, Romania was made to give up the Northern Bukovina to the USSR.

Today, over half of what was Northern Bukovina is now the Chernivtsi Oblast in Ukraine. Southern Bukovina is still very much part of Romania.

2. When is Bukovina Day?

Each year, Bukovina Day is observed on November 28, the date in 1918 that Bukovina’s people voted to be united with Romania.

3. Bukovina Day Celebrations & Observations

1- Great Union Day

There are no extravagant celebrations to commemorate Bukovina Day on November 28.

Rather, Romanians celebrate a more well-known and inclusive holiday called Great Union Day each year on December 1. On this day, which is also a national holiday, Romanians celebrate the overall expansion of its territory following the First World War.

Not only did Bukovina become (officially) a part of Romania on this date, but so did Transylvania and Bessarabia. Having added these three territories, all of which had populations consisting mostly of Romanians, Romania became two times larger!

2- Celebrations

Celebrations and traditions for Great Unity Day vary from region to region, with the largest and most popular celebrations being in Bucharest and Alba Iulia (where the document confirming the union of Transylvania to Romania was read to many people).

Common traditions that thread through Romania include military parades and performances, religious ceremonies, aircraft shows, free museum admissions, music concerts, and fireworks. Television networks capture footage of numerous events, particularly the parades.

4. Bessarabia & Transylvania

Bessarabia’s reunion to Romania following WWI was brief, and today most of what was Bessarabia belongs to Moldova.

Transylvania was the most significant gain to Romania during the Union, and is today considered a historical region within the country.

5. Vocabulary You Need to Know for Bukovina Day

Here are some vocabulary words you should know for Bukovina Day!

• Albastru — Blue
• Munte — Mountain
• Pădure — Forest
• Turist — Tourist
• Biserică — Church
• Pictură — Painting
• A diviza — Divided
• A alipi — Join
• Frescă — Fresco
• Necunoscut — Unknown
• Peisaj — Landscape
• Fag — Beech

Hear the pronunciation of each word, and read them alongside relevant images, by visiting our Romanian Bukovina Day word list!

Final Thoughts

What are your thoughts on this holiday, and the Great Union Day holiday? What’s your country’s national day? Let us know in the comments; we always love to hear from you!

Learning about a country’s history and culture may be the most fascinating and enriching aspects of trying to master its language. If you enjoyed this article, you may want to check out other culture-related pages on RomanianPod101.com:

• All About Romanian Culture and Society
• Tourist Attractions in Romania
• Essential Idioms That Will Make You Sound Like a Native Speaker
• Top Five Things You Need to Know About Romanian Pop Culture
• National Holidays

At RomanianPod101, we make every effort to make your language-learning process as painless and effective as possible. That means practical and relevant information on numerous topics, fun and simple learning materials, and multiple ways to learn Romanian based on your needs and goals.

If you’re serious about advancing your Romanian skills, be sure to create your free lifetime account today!

A country’s national anthem is more than lyrics and spirited music. From an anthem’s conception, it becomes a part of history and culture, set to the beat of its people’s hearts in unity. An anthem accompanies a country through its changes, its wars, its times of peace, its victories, and its defeats. It reflects the philosophy and mindset of its writers and composers, and rings true in the ears of the entire country.

Romania’s National Anthem is no different, and each year the Romanian people commemorate this anthem and the events surrounding it on its National Anthem Day.

Learn more about the creation of the Romanian National Anthem and its holiday with RomanianPod101.com! We hope to make this learning journey both fun and informative!

1. What is National Anthem Day in Romania?

National Anthem Day, though not a public holiday, is a holiday for Romanians to sing, listen to, and fully appreciate the Romanian National Anthem. This anthem, titled Deșteaptă-te, române! (or “Awaken Thee, Romanian!” in English), is near Romanians’ hearts as it has been from its first performance in 1848—the year of the trying 1848 Revolution.

The Romania National Anthem has helped Romanians remain strong and united through many a trial since, including the Russo-Turkish War, World War I, World War II (as Romania decided to turn against Germany and its Nazism), and the Romanian Revolution (1989).

Once you hear the Romanian National Anthem lyrics, it won’t be hard to understand why Romanians cling to it in times of trouble or change. Unity, confidence, and patriotism resound in its words, and that’s what any country needs to remain strong. Hence the presence of National Anthem Day in Romania.

2. When is National Anthem Day?

Each year, Romanians observe their National Anthem Day on July 29.

3. How is the National Anthem Celebrated?

On National Anthem Day, people still have to work and go to school, seeing as it’s not a public holiday. However, a public ceremony is still held in a popular, historical place in Romania each year—typically the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

During this ceremony, the Romanian President is present, along with many other political and government leaders, as well as those who serve or have served in the Romanian military. There’s a twenty-one-gun salute, followed by speeches from the leaders in attendance. These speeches cover topics such as the country’s history, people worthy of mention, and what to expect for Romania’s future.

Romanians raise their flag high, and as expected, they sing the national anthem in its entirety.

4. The Author

So, who wrote the Romanian National Anthem?

Andrei Mureșanu wrote the lyrics of Romania’s National Anthem in 1848, based on an old religious tune.

Mureșanu grew up under the influence of his small business-owning family, and after studying philosophy and religion, he became a professor Brașov to publish his first sample of poetry not long after.

To give context to his work writing the Romanian National Anthem, Mureșanu also worked as an activist around the time of the 1848 Revolution.

5. Vocabulary You Need to Know for National Anthem Day

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for National Anthem Day in Romania!

• Preşedinte — President
• Ceremonie — Ceremony
• Cântec — Song
• A trezi — Wake up
• Libertate — Liberty
• Patriotism — Patriotism
• Strofă — Stanza
• 21 de salve de tun — 21-gun salute
• Somn — Sleep
• Tiran — Tyrant
• Veteran — Veteran
• Revoluție — Revolution

To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our Romanian National Anthem Day vocabulary list!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about National Anthem Day in Romania with us. Does your country have a holiday celebrating its national anthem? Let us know about it in the comments! We look forward to hearing from you!

To continue in your Romanian studies, explore RomanianPod101.com and take advantage of our fun and practical learning tools. Read more insightful blog posts like this one and study our free Romanian vocabulary lists, to start! By upgrading to Premium Plus, you can also begin learning Romanian with your own teacher and personalized plan with our MyTeacher program!

Learning Romanian can be a tough journey, but know that your determination and hard work will pay off. You’ll be speaking, writing, and reading Romanian like a native before you know it, and RomanianPod101 will be here to help every step of the way.

Quick, name five Romanian films.

Okay, fine, name two.

Can you even name one? That’s a shame. Especially if you’re studying Romanian!

It’s true that American and British culture have kind of overshadowed Romanian culture, even inside Romania. Most Romanians would have a much easier time naming American films, at the very least.

However, Romanian movies are not only a great window into the Romanian cultural consciousness, they’re also a great way to learn Romanian! In this list, we’ve got ten great Romanian movies that represent totally different aspects of Romanian society. And none of them are strange art-house pieces that you won’t be able to find information on.

Instead, these are the best Romanian movies to watch for language-learners, and they’re beloved by fans throughout the world. Join those fans and boost your Romanian with some of the best Romanian movies ever!

Without further ado, our Romanian movies list.

Table of Contents

1. Romanian Dramas
2. Nationalist Epics
3. Best Romanian Comedy Movies and Lighter Fare
4. How to Watch and Learn at the Same Time
5. Conclusion

1. Romanian Dramas

Right now, we’re still experiencing the Romanian New Wave, a cinema movement that began in the mid-2000s and continues strong. Many films, as you’ll see, have to do with the revolution of 1989 or its aftermath in some way. They’re characterized by a very realist style and a heavy use of black humor to get their points across.

California Dreamin’ (Endless)

Here’s a true, down-to-earth Romanian drama story. It focuses on a train full of American soldiers, which gets held up in a tiny Romanian town in the middle of nowhere during NATO operations in Yugoslavia. Their only problem is a missing customs form, but that’s enough of an excuse for Doiaru, the corrupt stationmaster, to keep them waiting as long as he can. During their wait, the film explores how the Americans make the best of their time in the small town, including entertainment, romance, and even a minor riot.

Key Vocabulary

Since the whole movie’s plot is made possible by birocrație, or “bureaucracy,” and a missing formular vamal, or “customs form,” it would be good to start with those words. The film is also known as Endless in English, a translation of the Romanian title Nesfârșit. The director actually passed away before the release of the film, and so it runs long because the editor didn’t want to throw away any material.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 săptămâni și 2 zile)

In the final years of the communist era in Romania, abortion was banned by the government in an effort to increase the birth rate. This film tells the story of two friends who go through a terrible ordeal in order to terminate a pregnancy. It’s loosely based on a true story, but the law and its consequences were lifted straight from history. The cinematography is intensely minimalistic, with no music and very long takes that may put the viewer in mind of a stage play.

Key Vocabulary

One of the most interesting words related to this historical period, and therefore certain Romanian history movies like this one, is decrețel, which describes a person born during the time of Decree 770, the law banning abortion.

Police, Adjective (Polițist, Adjectiv)

What should you do when your personal ethics go against the job you signed up for? In this film, Cristi, a policeman from a small town, is assigned to the case of a high school student facing a long prison term for drug trafficking. Cristi is married to a teacher and doesn’t want to ruin the life of a young man. But his superior puts more and more pressure on him to follow the letter of the law.

Key Vocabulary

The word închisoare means “prison,” and the root comes from închis, meaning “closed” or “shut.” You should also know, culturally speaking, that the secret police in Romania pre-revolution were strongly feared, and nobody was ever sure who was an informer and who was not. Therefore, the story of a policeman has different cultural baggage in Romania than it would in some other countries.

The Way I Spent the End of the World (Cum mi-am petrecut sfârşitul lumii)

Another film set in the final years of the Ceausescu regime, this film depicts the lives of two young people as they plan to escape Romania. One girl, Eva, is sent to reform school for accidentally breaking a statue of the dictator, but the boy with her is saved thanks to his government connections. She makes plans to swim across the Danube, and in revenge for her punishment, a seven-year-old boy begins to hatch a plan for full-throttle assassination.

Key Vocabulary

Most of the vocabulary in this film is pretty pedestrian. Do keep an eye out for the word supraveghetor, meaning “overseer” or watcher,” and used to refer to an informant or someone keeping tabs on the population for the government. It’s actually from the same roots as “surveillance,” essentially describing one who watches from above.

2. Nationalist Epics

Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu had a vision for Romania that many people are thankful didn’t come to pass. As part of his control over the populace, the government severely restricted creative freedom in the cinema and had virtually total control over how movies could be made. Despite these limitations, as well as the limitations of the technology at the time, the two movies about Romanian history in this section have stood for decades as pillars of Romanian cinema.

Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul)

Prince Michael of Wallachia, in the seventeenth century, made a grand effort to unite Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania into one country. This is an epic film, and one of the greatest Romanian war movies, with the kind of filmmaking and battle scenes that are no longer seen any more in cinema today—we’re talking about ten-thousand actors in some sequences. Originally, the film was meant to have American actors, but the government at the time nixed that idea, focusing only on Romanian stars. Today, decades later, it’s still considered a masterpiece of Romanian cinema.

Key Vocabulary

As this is a war film, you should be aware of words like sabia meaning “sword” or “sabre,” cal meaning “horse,” and suliță meaning “spear.” It might also help to know some of the film’s background, historically speaking. Mihai Bravu (another name for Prince Michael) is considered one of Romania’s national heroes. The element of unity found in the film fits perfectly with the aims of the totalitarian Romanian government at the time to promote nationalist ideals.

The Dacians (Dacii)

Now let’s turn the clock way back and take a look at an ancient war fought between the Romans and the Dacians in the first century AD. Dacia was the name of the land roughly the shape of Romania today, and it was conquered by the Romans in AD 106. Like Mihai Viteazul, this was also a nationalist film meant to make Romanians feel that they were the creation of the Dacian and Roman peoples. The film was a massive sword-and-sandal success, and even today is one of the most popular Romanian movies.

Key Vocabulary

Naturally, a viewer will want to know the words for these ancient kingdoms. Rome is known as Roma, and Romans are called romani. The word for “Dacia” is the same in English and in Romanian, and as you’ll see, has taken on a second, unrelated meaning since this film was released in the 1960s.

3. Best Romanian Comedy Movies and Lighter Fare

Up to this point, we’ve dealt with some pretty heavy-duty themes. You could be forgiven for thinking that Romanians are dreary people. However, that is absolutely not the case. These funny Romanian movies explore periods of change in Romanian society, but they’re not afraid to keep things light.

12:08 East of Bucharest

The date in the title of the movie refers to the time when the president fled following the start of the Romanian revolution.

If you have ever learned anything about the modern history of Romania, it probably has something to do with the overthrow of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. In this 2007 movie, a talk show host goes into the details of how the town of Vaslui was involved in the revolution, with a comedic cast of characters. That’s only to find out that many Romanians doubt that Vaslui contributed to the revolution at all, as there were no registered protests before moment the Romanian president fled.

Key Vocabulary

Since the whole movie is centered around the overthrow of the Ceausescu, you will hear the word revoluţie “revolution” being used continuously throughout the movie. That’s in addition to revolution related vocabulary such as proteste “protests” or politică “politics”.

My Beautiful Dacia

Here, Dacia refers not to an ancient kingdom, but to a car—specifically the most common car owned by Romanians during the twentieth century. The film shows the development of Romanian society through the eyes of different generations of Romanians, and the link between them is always one thing. Rich or poor, old or young, it’s always the Dacia. First it was a symbol of communist ambition, and now it’s a memento of the country’s past that many people are nostalgic for.

Key Vocabulary

Obviously, the main word to learn here is mașină, or “automobile.” But another concept you’ll hear a lot about in this movie is the piața neagră, or “black market,” where most people had to go to get auto parts or gasoline from time to time.

Asphalt Tango (Asfalt Tango)

How can you make a road-trip movie in a country where the roads are bad and almost nobody owns a car? Use a bus! This is a madcap comedy of eleven girls on a bus to Paris, and the romance stories that befall them on the way. Former lovers and future flings are played against each other, as well as the other long-suffering characters on the bus who are forced to become part of these eleven love stories at once. The director, Nae Caranfil, also directed The Rest is Silence.

Key Vocabulary

In the 1990s, Romania was developing fast, and one thing you’ll see a lot of in the movie is construcție, or “construction.” This movie is also unmistakably about the experience of a long-distance bus trip, which in Romanian is known as a călătorie cu autobuzul.

The Rest is Silence (Restul e tăcere)

In 1911, cinema the world over was seen as experimental and a strange new art form. Many people were quite critical of it, but none perhaps more so than theater owners. What happens, then, when the son of a theater owner gets bitten by the cinema bug? He never finds himself comfortable on stage, and instead finds himself drawn to lenses and film. This is the story of Romania’s first feature film, told with beautiful visuals befitting the subject matter.

Key Vocabulary

A “theater” is called a teatru in Romanian. The main character, though, is more interested in cinema, which at the time was called cinematograf. The word “camera” in English actually comes from the Latin word for “room,” since the first cameras were black boxes like small dark rooms. A “room” in Romanian is still camera today. Therefore the name for the picture-taking device in Romanian is cameră, with the accented ă to distinguish it.

4. How to Watch and Learn at the Same Time

Movies aren’t actually particularly efficient for language-learning, when it comes to actual words spoken per minute. When you watch the action epics, for instance, there’s a whole lot of fighting and shouting that isn’t teaching you very much Romanian at all.

But movies are great. There’s so much more that can be said artistically with a film compared to a TV show.

And just like with any other study method, you’re going to get out of it what you put into it. One of the best low-effort things you can do while watching a Romanian movie is to open the sound recorder or voice notes app on your phone and record short snippets of audio that you find challenging to understand.

Do your best to write down the words that you hear, and then check with a tutor or a transcript of the movie to see if you were correct.

The more you listen and re-listen to those little clips of dialogue, the easier all Romanian dialogue will become. You put the effort in, and you get the return.

5. Conclusion

How can you actually watch these movies? For some of them, DVD-by-mail services may be your best bet, as Romanian cinema unfortunately hasn’t broken into the streaming market in the way that many other genres have.

This article in the New York Times has links for some of these films, as well as recommendations for more that didn’t make this list. You may also come across some good finds by searching for Romanian movies online. RomanianPod101 also has an article dedicated to Romanian TV shows you may enjoy watching! Check it out for more great entertainment options.

Although none of these movies are particularly recent, Romania and its cinema industry are only growing in popularity. Your decision to learn Romanian now is going to continue to pay dividends as time goes on.

Which of these Romanian movies do you want to watch first? Are there any good ones we missed? Let us know in the comments!

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Romanian could be just what you need to find it.

Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Romanian partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At RomanianPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Romanian lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to make Romanian dating easy for you.

Table of Contents

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date
2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date
3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
4. Romanian Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day
5. Romanian Quotes about Love
6. Marriage Proposal Lines
7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines
8. Will Falling in Love Help You Learn Romanian Faster?

Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date

So, you have met your Romanian love interest. Congratulations! Who knows where this could take you…?! However, the two of you have just met and you’re not ready to say the Romanian word for love just yet. Great, it is better to get to know him/her first. Wow your prospective love by using these Romanian date phrases to set up a spectacular first date.

Would you like to go out to dinner with me?

• Vrei să mergi la cină cu mine?

The important question! In most cultures, this phrase indicates: ‘I’m romantically interested in you’. Flirting in Romanian is no different, so don’t take your date to Mcdonald’s!

Are you free this weekend?

• Ești liber în acest weekend?

This is a preamble to asking your love interest on a date. If you get an immediate ‘Yes’, that’s good news!

Would you like to hang out with me?

• Ai vrea să iți petreci timpul cu mine?

You like her/him, but you’re not sure if there’s chemistry. Ask them to hang out first to see if a dinner date is next.

What time shall we meet tomorrow?

• La ce oră să ne întâlnim mâine?

Set a time, and be sure to arrive early! Nothing spoils a potential relationship more than a tardy date.

Where shall we meet?

• Unde ar trebui să ne întâlnim?

You can ask this, but also suggest a place.

You look great.

• Arăți minunat.

A wonderful ice breaker! This phrase will help them relax a bit – they probably took great care to look their best just for you.

You are so cute.

• Eşti atât de drăguță.

If the two of you are getting on really well, this is a fun, flirtatious phrase to use.

What do you think of this place?

• Cum ți se pare acest loc?

This another good conversation starter. Show off your Romanian language skills!

Can I see you again?

• Pot să te văd din nou?

So the date went really well – don’t waste time! Make sure you will see each other again.

Shall we go somewhere else?

• Să mergem în altă parte?

If the place you meet at is not great, you can suggest going elsewhere. It is also a good question to follow the previous one. Variety is the spice of life!

I know a good place.

• Știu un loc bun.

Use this with the previous question. However, don’t say if you don’t know a good place!

I will drive you home.

• Te voi conduce acasă.

If your date doesn’t have transport, this is a polite, considerate offer. However, don’t be offended if she/he turns you down on the first date. Especially a woman might not feel comfortable letting you drive her home when the two of you are still basically strangers.

That was a great evening.

• A fost o seară minunată.

This is a good phrase to end the evening with.

When can I see you again?

• Când te mai pot revedea?

If he/she replied ‘Yes’ to ‘Can I see you again?’, this is the next important question.

I’ll call you.

• O să te sun.

Say this only if you really mean to do it. In many cultures, this could imply that you’re keeping the proverbial backdoor open.

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2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date

You learned all the Romanian phrases to make a date – congratulations! Now you have to decide where to meet, which can be tricky. Discuss these options with your lover to gauge whether you like the same things. Check out romantic date ideas in Romanian below!

museum

• muzeu

If you’re looking for unique date ideas that are fun but won’t break the bank, museums are the perfect spot! You won’t be running out of things to say in the conversations.

candlelit dinner

• cină la lumina lumânărilor

A candlelit dinner is perhaps best to reserve for when the relationship is getting serious. It’s very intimate, and says: “Romance!” It’s a fantastic choice if you’re sure you and your date are in love with each other!

go to the zoo

• mergi la grădina zoologică

This is a good choice for shy lovers who want to get the conversation going. Just make sure your date likes zoos, as some people dislike them. Maybe not for the first date, but this is also a great choice if your lover has children – you’ll win his/her adoration for inviting them along!

go for a long walk

• fă o plimbare lungă

Need to talk about serious stuff, or just want to relax with your date? Walking together is soothing, and a habit you can keep up together always! Just make sure it’s a beautiful walk that’s not too strenuous.

go to the opera

• du-te la operă

This type of date should only be attempted if both of you love the opera. It can be a special treat, followed by a candlelit dinner!

go to the aquarium

• du-te la acvariu

Going to the aquarium is another good idea if you need topics for conversation, or if you need to impress your lover’s kids! Make sure your date doesn’t have a problem with aquariums.

walk on the beach

• fă o plimbare pe plajă

This can be a very romantic stroll, especially at night! The sea is often associated with romance and beauty.

have a picnic

• mergi la un picnic

If you and your date need to get more comfortable together, this can be a fantastic date. Spending time in nature is soothing and calms the nerves.

cook a meal together

• gătește o masă împreună

If you want to get an idea of your date’s true character in one go, this is an excellent date! You will quickly see if the two of you can work together in a confined space. If it works, it will be fantastic for the relationship and create a sense of intimacy. If not, you will probably part ways!

have dinner and see a movie

• mergi la cină și vezi un film

This is traditional date choice works perfectly well. Just make sure you and your date like the same kind of movies!

3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary

Expressing your feelings honestly is very important in any relationship all year round. Yet, on Valentine’s Day you really want to shine. Impress your lover this Valentine’s with your excellent vocabulary, and make his/her day! We teach you, in fun, effective ways, the meanings of the words and how to pronounce them. You can also copy the characters and learn how to write ‘I love you’ in Romanian – think how impressed your date will be!

4. Romanian Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day

So, you now have the basic Valentine’s Day vocabulary under your belt. Well done! But, do you know how to say ‘I love you’ in Romanian yet? Or perhaps you are still only friends. So, do you know how to say ‘I like you’ or ‘I have a crush on you’ in Romanian? No? Don’t worry, here are all the love phrases you need to bowl over your Romanian love on this special day!

I love you.

• Te iubesc.

Saying ‘I love you’ in Romanian carries the same weight as in all languages. Use this only if you’re sure and sincere about your feelings for your partner/friend.

You mean so much to me.

• Însemni atat de mult pentru mine.

This is a beautiful expression of gratitude that will enhance any relationship! It makes the receiver feel appreciated and their efforts recognized.

Will you be my Valentine?

• Vrei să fii Valentinul meu?

With these words, you are taking your relationship to the next level! Or, if you have been a couple for a while, it shows that you still feel the romance. So, go for it!

You’re so beautiful.

• Ești atât de frumoasă.

If you don’t know how to say ‘You’re pretty’ in Romanian, this is a good substitute, gentlemen!

I think of you as more than a friend.

• Te consider mai mult decât un prieten.

Say this if you are not yet sure that your romantic feelings are reciprocated. It is also a safe go-to if you’re unsure about the Romanian dating culture.

A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.

• O sută de inimi ar fi prea puține pentru a purta toată dragostea mea pentru tine.

You romantic you…! When your heart overflows with love, this would be the best phrase to use.

Love is just love. It can never be explained.

• Iubirea este doar iubire. Ea nu poate fi explicată.

If you fell in love unexpectedly or inexplicably, this one’s for you.

You’re so handsome.

• Ești atât de chipeș.

Ladies, this phrase lets your Romanian love know how much you appreciate his looks! Don’t be shy to use it; men like compliments too.

I’ve got a crush on you.

• Am făcut o pasiune pentru tine.

If you like someone, but you’re unsure about starting a relationship, it would be prudent to say this. It simply means that you like someone very, very much and think they’re amazing.

You make me want to be a better man.

• Mă faci să doresc să fiu un om mai bun.

Gentlemen, don’t claim this phrase as your own! It hails from the movie ‘As Good as it Gets’, but it is sure to make your Romanian girlfriend feel very special. Let her know that she inspires you!

Let all that you do be done in love.

• Tot ceea ce faci să fie făcut cu dragoste.

We hope.

You are my sunshine, my love.

• Ești raza mea de soare, dragostea mea.

A compliment that lets your lover know they bring a special quality to your life. Really nice!

Words can’t describe my love for you.

• Cuvintele nu pot descrie dragostea mea pentru tine.

Better say this when you’re feeling serious about the relationship! It means that your feelings are very intense.

We were meant to be together.

• Am fost sortiți să fim împreună.

This is a loving affirmation that shows you see a future together, and that you feel a special bond with your partner.

If you were thinking about someone while reading this, you’re definitely in love.

• Dacă te-ai gândit la cineva în timp ai citit acest lucru, cu siguranță esti îndrăgostit.

Here’s something fun to tease your lover with. And hope he/she was thinking of you!

5. Romanian Quotes about Love

You’re a love champ! You and your Romanian lover are getting along fantastically, your dates are awesome, your Valentine’s Day together was spectacular, and you’re very much in love. Good for you! Here are some beautiful phrases of endearment in Romanian that will remind him/her who is in your thoughts all the time.

6. Marriage Proposal Lines

Wow. Your Romanian lover is indeed the love of your life – congratulations! And may only happiness follow the two of you! In most traditions, the man asks the woman to marry; this is also the Romanian custom. Here are a few sincere and romantic lines that will help you to ask your lady-love for her hand in marriage.

7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines

Instead of moving towards marriage or a long-term relationship, you find that the spark is not there for you. That is a pity! But even though breaking up is never easy, continuing a bad or unfulfilling relationship would be even harder. Remember to be kind to the person you are going to say goodbye to; respect and sensitivity cost nothing. Here are some phrases to help you break up gently.

8. Will Falling in Love help you Learn Romanian faster?

Most people will agree that the above statement is a no-brainer – of course it will! Your body will be flooded with feel-good hormones, which are superb motivators for anything. RomanianPod101 is one of the best portals to help help make this a reality, so don’t hesitate to enroll now! Let’s quickly look at the reasons why falling in love will speed up your learning of the Romanian language.

Three Reasons Why Having a Lover will Help you Learn Romanian Faster!

1- Being in a love relationship with your Romanian speaking partner will immerse you in the culture
RomanianPod101 uses immersive methods and tools to teach you Romanian, but having a relationship with a native speaker will be a very valuable addition to your learning experience! You will gain exposure to their world, realtime and vividly, which will make the language come alive even more for you. The experience is likely to expand your world-view, which should motivate you to learn Romanian even faster.

2- Having your Romanian romantic partner will mean more opportunity to practice speaking
Nothing beats continuous practice when learning a new language. Your partner will probably be very willing to assist you in this, as your enhanced Romanian language skills will enhance the relationship. Communication is, after all, one of the most important pillars of a good partnership. Also, you will get to impress your lover with the knowledge gained through your studies – a win/win situation!

3- A supportive Romanian lover is likely to make a gentle, patient teacher and study aid!
With his/her heart filled with love and goodwill for you, your Romanian partner is likely to patiently and gently correct your mistakes when you speak. This goes not only for grammar, but also for accent and meaning. With his/her help, you could sound like a native in no time!

Three Reasons Why RomanianPod101 helps you learn Romanian Even Faster when you’re In Love

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1- All the Resources and Materials Will Help Both of You
Falling in love with a man or woman speaking Romanian is an opportunity for both of you to learn a new language! For this reason, every lesson, transcript, vocabulary list, and resource at RomanianPod101 is translated into both English and Romanian. So, while your partner can help you learn Romanian faster, you can potentially also help him/her learn and master English!

2- Lessons Are Designed to Help You Understand and Engage with Romanian Culture
At RomanianPod101, our focus is to help our students learn practical vocabulary and phrases used by everyday people in Romania. This means that, from your very first lesson, you can apply what you learn immediately! So, when your Romanian partner wants to go out to a restaurant, play Pokemon Go, or attend just about any social function, you have the vocabulary and phrases necessary to have a great time!

3- Access to Special Resources Dedicated to Romantic Romanian Phrases
You now have access to RomanianPod101’s specially-developed sections and tools to teach you love words, phrases, and cultural insights to help you find and attract your Romanian soul mate. A personal tutor will assist you to master these brilliantly – remember to invite him/her to your wedding!

Romanian Unification Day was first celebrated in 2015, and commemorates one of the most significant events in Romania’s history: when it officially became Romania in 1866. Learn more about the Unification of Romania and how this holiday is celebrated with RomanianPod101.com!

We’ll go over its history, some vocabulary, and why Unification Day in Romania is so significant!

1. Why Should You Know About Romanian Unification Day?

Despite only recently becoming a celebrated holiday, Romanian Unification Day may just be the most important and significant Romanian holiday. This is because if the event it commemorates never took place, there would be no Romania as we know it today. Romanian Unification Day observes the day that Romania became Romania.

That said, in order to fully appreciate Romania and its language, it’s vital that you know as much about this day as possible, as well as the history surrounding it.

2. What is Romanian Unification Day?

On January 24, Unification Day in Romania is celebrated. There’s a lot of background to cover here, but essentially this commemorates the 1862 unification of Moldavia and Wallachia, which later became Romania.

Here’s a quick rundown of this holiday’s history.

1- Moldavia and Wallachia Before Unification

The two principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia were once called the Danubian Principalities, during the 14th century. In a sense, these two principalities were grouped together—following the 1774 Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca—because this made it easier to identify them as having a similar geopolitical stance.

2- Events Leading up to their Unification

While several events occured before the unification of Moldavia and Wallachia (and Transylvania), here are a few of the most significant:

• Power struggles and battles involving the Russians and Habsburgs
• Involvement in the Greek Independence War in the 1800s
• Russo-Turkish War (1828-29)
• Crimean War (1853-56)
• Treaty of Paris (1856)
• Formation of “The Great Powers”
• Ad hoc Divans allows Alexander Ioan Cuza to rule United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia

3- The Unification in 1862

In 1862, the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia was shortened to the Romanian United Principalities, thus paving the way for the creation of the Romanian Kingdom four years later, in 1866.

3. When is Unification Day in Romania?

Each year, Romania celebrates its Unification Day on January 24.

This new holiday was first celebrated in 2015, though it commemorates the day in 1862 when the United Principalities were formed from Moldavia and Wallachia. Four years later, this came to be called Romania, thus making this one of the most important events to happen in Romania’s history.

4. How is Romania Unification Day Celebrated?

Romanian Unification Day only became a largely celebrated holiday in 2015, and so there aren’t really set traditions for celebrations. However, this is a Sărbătoare națională or “public holiday,” meaning that the majority of Romanians take this day off of work and school.

On Unification Day, Romanians often celebrate with the following:

• Fireworks
• Speeches
• Singing and praying

And celebrations of this day aren’t limited to Romania—there are some other places around the world which find reason to celebrate this day, including Vancouver, Canada!

5. Additional Information

1- Romania’s Great Union Day

A quick note on this holiday:

Be sure not to confuse Romanian Unification Day with Romania’s Great Union Day.

The latter takes place on December 1 each year, and is Romania’s national holiday. It celebrates the day in 1918 when Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina officially united with The Romanian Kingdom.

While there isn’t too much information on Romanian Unification Day or its celebrations as of yet—considering its newer status as an official holiday—you can hopefully see why it really does deserve its own day. This is not a holiday to be undermined considering its significance and the weight it bears in Romania’s history.

6. Must-know Vocab for Unification Day in Romania

In order to celebrate Romanian Unification Day to its fullest, there’s some basic vocabulary you should know. Check out our list below:

• Bancă — Bank
• Discuţie — Discussion
• Companie — Company
• Ianuarie — January
• Istorie — History
• Constituție — Constitution
• Sărbătoare națională — Public holiday
• Închis — Closed
• Unit — United
• Oficial — Official
• Succes — Success
• A crea — Create

To hear the pronunciation of each word, you can visit our Romanian Unification Day vocabulary list, and listen to the audio file alongside each phrase.

7. Reading Practice: Alexander Ioan Cuza

Read, in Romanian, this paragraph about Alexander Ioan Cuza—the man who came to rule the united Moldavia and Wallachia!

1- Romanian

După ce a fost ales pe tronurile Moldovei și Valahiei, Alexandru Ioan Cuza a început să facă unii pași pentru unirea Principatelor Române într-o singură națiune. El a încercat să obțină recunoașterea oficială a celor două principate de către restul lumii, iar unii dintre liderii europeni, precum Napoleon al III-lea al Franței, au fost de acord să recunoască unirea, deși ministrul austriac a refuzat să o aprobe la Congresul de la Paris, din 1858. Din cauza problemelor recunoașterii unirii de către restul Europei, sultanul Abdulaziz al Imperiului Otoman nu a recunoscut autoritatea lui Cuza până în 1861.

2- English Translation

After being elected to the thrones of both Moldavia and Wallachia, Alexandru Ioan Cuza began making strides toward bringing the Romanian Principalities together into one nation. He sought to get the combination of the two principalities formally recognized by the rest of the world, and some European leaders, like Napoleon III of France, agreed to recognize the union, although the Austrian ministry refused to approve it at the 1858 Congress of Paris. Because of the problems getting the union recognized by the rest of Europe, Sultan Abdulaziz of the Ottoman Empire didn’t recognize his authority until 1861.

Conclusion

There you have it! Some of the most important information surrounding Romania Unification Day (January 24). What do you think about this holiday, and is there a similar holiday in your own country? Let us know about it!

If you want to learn even more about Romania’s history and culture, be sure to check us out at RomanianPod101.com! We have an array of blog posts and vocabulary lists to help you grasp the language quickly in the most entertaining way possible; we even an online community where you can discuss your learning with other language-learners! And for a one-on-one teaching experience, you can download our MyTeacher app.

We wish you the best as you seek to understand Romania’s culture and learn its language!

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!

Table of Contents

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
2. Romanian Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
4. How Can RomanianPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Romanian – Testing New Technology

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day

Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Romanian? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Romanian words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:

1. joke – a glumi
2. funny – amuzant
3. lie – minciună
4. surprise – surpriză
5. sneaky – șiret
6. prankster – farsor
7. prank – festă
8. play a joke – a face o festă cuiva
9. humor – umor
10. deceptive – înșelător
11. April 1st – întâi Aprilie
12. fool – prost

2. Romanian Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day

Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes – use these April Fools’ phrases in Romanian to prank your favorite Romanian friend or colleague!

1. All classes for today got canceled.
   • Toate clasele de astăzi au fost anulate.
2. I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
   • Îmi pare rău, dar tocmai am spart perechea ta preferată de ochelari.
3. Someone has just hit your car.
   • Cineva tocmai ți-a lovit masina.
4. You won a free ticket.
   • Ai câștigat un bilet gratuit.
5. Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
   • Vă mulțumesc pentru scrisoarea dumneavoastră de dragoste din această dimineață. Nu aș fi ghicit niciodată sentimentele dumneavoastră.
6. I saw your car being towed.
   • Am văzut că mașina ta a fost tractată.
7. I’m getting married.
   • Mă căsătoresc.
8. They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
   • În fața clădirii ei oferă carduri cadou gratuite .
9. A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
   • Un tip frumos te așteaptă afară.
10. Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
    • Poți veni jos? Am ceva special pentru tine.
11. A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
    • O doamnă frumoasă mi-a cerut să îți dau acest număr de telefon.

Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss – you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.

3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody

Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Romanian, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.

Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others – the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.

1- Infestation

This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.

2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?

Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.

3- Something Weird in the Restroom

At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.

Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.

Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!

4- Call Me Funny

Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number – 123-456-7890 – and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.

5- Minty Cookies

This is another simple but hugely effective prank – simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.

6- Wild Shopping

At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.

7- The Oldest Trick in the Book

Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book – smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!

8- Sneeze On Me

Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.

9- Word Play Repairs

Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.

10- Scary Face

Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.

11- Wake Up To Madness

Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.

12- Computer Prank

This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).

Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.

13- Monster Under the Cup

This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.

14- Prank Door

Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.

4. How Can RomanianPod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?

If you happen to visit Romania, or if you work for any Romanian company, knowing the above Romanian prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Romanian words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.

Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Romanian – bone up your Romanian language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, RomanianPod101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.

Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Romanian below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at RomanianPod101.

5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Romanian – testing new technology

Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.

• Note: This technology is in beta-phase of development, and we invite your input for fine-tuning.
• To participate: Watch the video for instructions, and leave a comment to rate it. Your comment will make you eligible for large enrollment-fee discounts. To watch the video, please click the play button.

Thank you for helping RomanianPod101! We’re serious about making learning Romanian fun.