How to Point, Identify, and Express
When you start to learn Romanian, a crucial step in building real-world communication is learning how to point to, identify, and describe people and objects around you. Demonstratives like “this”, “that”, “these”, and “those” help you navigate interactions at home, in the store, or in the classroom. In Romanian, these demonstratives are essential, and they change depending on gender, number, and proximity.
What Are Demonstratives in Romanian?
Demonstratives are words like:
acest, această, acești, aceste – this / these
acel, acea, acei, acele – that / those
They act as adjectives (placed before the noun) or as pronouns (standing in place of the noun).
Example as adjective:
acest băiat – this boy
această fată – this girl
acești studenți – these students
aceste fete – these girls
Example as pronoun:
Acesta este colegul meu. – This is my colleague.
Aceasta este profesoara. – This is the teacher.
Aceștia sunt prietenii mei. – These are my friends.
Acestea sunt cărțile mele. – These are my books.
Gender and Number Agreement
Romanian demonstratives must agree with the gender and number of the noun:
| Gender | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | acest / acesta | acești / aceștia |
| Feminine | această / aceasta | aceste / acestea |
Use them confidently with the definite article for clarity:
Pixul acesta este al meu. – This pen is mine.
Casa aceasta este frumoasă. – This house is beautiful.
Practical Examples from the Classroom
The manual introduces learners to structured practice like:
Acești colegi sunt din Italia.
Aceasta este rochia preferată.
Aceste pantofi sunt noi.
Acest text este dificil.
Students are encouraged to practice both adjective and pronoun forms, alternating between dialogue and description tasks.
How to Build Fluency with Demonstratives
Fluency means using the right demonstrative naturally. Practice involves: ✅ Matching gender and number
✅ Placing the demonstrative before or after the noun as needed
✅ Using intonation in questions and identification:
Cine este acea persoană? – Who is that person?
Îți place această geantă? – Do you like this bag?
Lessons also connect demonstratives to real contexts:
shopping for clothes: acest pulover, această geantă
describing classroom objects: acest caiet, această carte
Join Our Romanian Lessons and Speak with Confidence
Understanding how to describe and refer to people and objects clearly is a huge leap in language fluency. In our Romanian lessons at Punto Iberica, we make grammar practical, conversational, and connected to your real-life needs. Come learn with us and discover how easy and enjoyable it is to express yourself in Romanian!
For additional grammar explanations, check out our recommended grammar resources.
How this was written: We sometimes use AI tools to help organize and expand on our teaching ideas — but every article is reviewed, edited, and polished by a human.
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