Explore Traditional and Modern Holidays
When you begin to learn Romanian, exploring the country’s holidays and celebrations is a fun and meaningful way to build your vocabulary and connect with the culture. Romanian holidays blend Christian traditions, ancient local beliefs, and modern family customs, offering rich opportunities to practice real-life language while understanding how people in Romania live, celebrate, and express identity.
Key Holidays in Romania: From New Year to Christmas
Among the first cultural lessons in Romanian courses, you’ll discover the most important holidays throughout the year. These are excellent conversation starters and help you practice time-related vocabulary, dates, and expressions.
🇷🇴 January 1st – New Year’s Day (Revelion / Anul Nou)
Romanians celebrate the new year with food, music, fireworks, and champagne. This is a time for joy and festive gatherings with friends and family.
❤️ February 24 – Dragobete, the Romanian Valentine’s Day
Rooted in ancient Dacian tradition, Dragobete celebrates youth and love. It is a symbolic day for expressing affection, similar to Valentine’s Day, but with unique Romanian flair.
🌸 March 1 – Mărțișor, the Symbol of Spring
Un mărțișor is a small token tied with red and white string, given to women and girls as a sign of spring and good luck. This tradition dates back centuries and is deeply cherished across Romania.
🌺 March 8 – International Women’s Day
This day is widely celebrated in Romania as Ziua Femeii or Ziua Mamei, where women receive flowers, gifts, and appreciation.
✝️ April (variable) – Easter (Paște)
Romanian Easter traditions include going to church at night, lighting candles (lumina), and enjoying traditional foods like painted eggs (ouă roșii) and lamb dishes. It’s a time for spiritual reflection and family reunions.
🛠️ May 1 – Labor Day (Ziua Muncii)
A public holiday for workers, often spent enjoying picnics or short vacations.
🎈 June 1 – Children’s Day (Ziua Copilului)
Children receive gifts, enjoy games, and attend parties. Schools and communities organize events to celebrate their joy and creativity.
🇷🇴 December 1 – Romania’s National Day (Ziua Națională)
This marks the 1918 unification of Transylvania with Romania. It’s celebrated with military parades, traditional food, and patriotic events.
🎄 December 25 – Christmas (Crăciunul)
Romanians decorate trees, go caroling (colindat), and receive gifts from Moș Crăciun (Santa Claus). Families gather for festive meals and religious observances.
Vocabulary and Grammar Highlights
These lessons help you develop useful vocabulary related to holidays, greetings, and celebrations:
La mulți ani! – Happy birthday / Happy New Year
Crăciun fericit! – Merry Christmas
Hristos a înviat! – Christ is risen (used at Easter)
sărbătoare – celebration/holiday
brad de Crăciun – Christmas tree
ouă vopsite – dyed eggs
cadou – gift/present
lumânare – candle
flori – flowers
familie – family
The use of past tense (a fost, a sărbătorit) and future expressions (va fi, vom merge) is integrated into lessons, helping learners speak naturally about both past and upcoming holidays.
Practice Romanian With Us and Celebrate Language and Culture
Cultural topics like holidays are an excellent way to make language learning more fun and personal. At Punto Iberica, our Romanian lessons connect grammar with meaningful real-life experiences—from learning how to say La mulți ani! to describing your favorite Romanian celebration. Join our community and discover the beauty of language through tradition!
For additional grammar explanations, check out our recommended grammar resources.
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