Language/Romanian/Grammar/Forming-Questions
Introduction
Salut and welcome to our Romanian course! In this lesson, you will learn how to form questions in Romanian using question words and intonation. Questions are an important part of any language, as they allow you to ask for information and communicate more effectively. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to ask basic questions in Romanian and understand some common responses.
Question Words
In Romanian, question words (cuvinte interogative) are used to form direct questions. Here are some common question words:
| Question Word | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ce? | cheh | What? |
| Cine? | chee-neh | Who? |
| Unde? | oon-deh | Where? |
| Când? | kund | When? |
| De ce? | deh cheh | Why? |
| Cum? | koom | How? |
| Cât / Câți (masc.) / Câte (fem.)? | kuht / kuhtzee / kuhteh | How much / How many? |
Note that "cât" changes its suffix depending on gender (câta for feminine, cât for masculine, câți for masculine plural, and câte for feminine plural).
Forming Questions
In Romanian, questions are often formed by using a question word and intonation. For example, the statement "Tu ești student" (You are a student) can easily become a question by adding a question word and raising the pitch of your voice, like this:
"Cine ești tu?" (Who are you?)"
If you want to ask a question with a verb, you can invert the subject and the verb, like this:
"Ești student?" (Are you a student?)
Here are some more examples with common question words:
"Unde ești?" (Where are you?)
"Când vine trenul?" (When does the train come?)
"Ce mănânci?" (What are you eating?)
Negative Questions
In Romanian, negative questions are formed by adding the word "nu" (not) either before or after the verb. Here are some examples:
"Nu mai stai la hotel?" (Aren't you staying at the hotel anymore?)
"Platim sau nu?" (Are we paying or not?)
Practice
Now that you know how to form basic questions in Romanian, it's time to practice! Choose one of the following questions and try to answer it:
- "Ce mănânci?" (What are you eating?)
- "Când plecăm?" (When are we leaving?)
- "Unde mergeți?" (Where are you going?)
Remember to use the appropriate question word and intonation. Once you feel comfortable forming questions in Romanian, try asking a native speaker for practice!
Conclusion
Congratulations! You've learned how to form questions in Romanian using question words and intonation. This is an important skill that will help you communicate more effectively with Romanian speakers. Keep practicing and don't forget to check out our other lessons in the "Complete 0 to A1 Romanian Course". La revedere!