Present, Past, and Future Tenses
When you start to learn Romanian, one of the most essential grammar topics is understanding how verbs work. Verbs are the foundation of any sentence, and knowing how to conjugate them allows you to express actions, feelings, and thoughts. In the early stages of learning Romanian, students explore verbs in three key tenses: present, past, and future—allowing them to describe what they do, what they did, and what they plan to do.
Verb Basics: Romanian Verb Groups and Endings
Romanian verbs are categorized into four conjugation groups, based on the ending of their infinitive form:
Group I: -a (e.g., a lucra – to work)
Group II: -ea (e.g., a vedea – to see)
Group III: -e (e.g., a merge – to go)
Group IV: -i / -î (e.g., a dormi – to sleep)
Each group has its own pattern for conjugating verbs in the present, past, and future tenses.
Present Tense: Talking About Actions Now
Romanian present tense is used for daily activities, habits, and general truths.
Example:
Eu merg la curs. – I go to class.
Tu înveți română. – You are learning Romanian.
Noi vorbim românește. – We speak Romanian.
The present tense endings differ by group and person. Here is a simple conjugation for a merge (to go):
eu merg
tu mergi
el/ea merge
noi mergem
voi mergeți
ei/ele merg
Past Tense: Talking About What You Did
To express past actions, Romanian uses the perfect compus (compound past), formed with the auxiliary verb a fi or a avea and the past participle:
Eu am fost la curs ieri. – I was at the course yesterday.
Tu ai avut un telefon nou. – You had a new phone.
El a mers la supermarket. – He went to the supermarket.
Conjugation of the auxiliary a avea in past:
eu am
tu ai
el/ea a
noi am
voi ați
ei/ele au
Future Tense: Talking About What You Will Do
Romanian expresses the future using “voi + infinitive”, a simple and consistent pattern:
Eu voi merge – I will go
Tu vei vorbi – You will speak
El va face – He will do
Noi vom merge – We will go
This form helps you express plans, intentions, and scheduled actions.
Practical Examples from the Classroom
Romanian lessons use real-life verbs that students encounter every day:
a fi (to be): Eu sunt student. – I am a student.
a avea (to have): Noi avem manuale. – We have textbooks.
a merge (to go): Voi mergeți la magazin. – You go to the store.
a face (to do/make): Ea face temele. – She does the homework.
a vorbi (to speak): Ei vorbesc românește. – They speak Romanian.
In class, students practice conjugating and using these verbs in short dialogues, routines, and storytelling exercises to build fluency naturally.
Start Your Romanian Lessons and Speak with Confidence
Mastering verbs is the key to building meaningful conversations in Romanian. In our Romanian lessons at Punto Iberica, we guide you through practical exercises, real-life dialogues, and everyday grammar that helps you speak clearly and confidently. Join us today and start building your Romanian from the verb up!
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Disclaimer: This article was developed with the support of AI tools, based on original ideas created by our team. The content was carefully reviewed, edited, and adapted by a human to ensure accuracy, clarity, and relevance for learners of Romanian.
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