Learn Romanian: Understanding the Adjective
Welcome to another lesson in our series, “Romanian Lessons for Expats and Foreigners”. Today, we’ll study an important part of the Romanian grammar: the adjective.
What is an Adjective?
In Romanian, an adjective (adjectivul) is a flexible part of speech that describes a characteristic of an object. It accompanies and determines a noun, and it agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it determines. For example, “om frumos” (beautiful man), “oameni frumoși” (beautiful people); “mașină frumoasă” (beautiful car), “mașini frumoase” (beautiful cars).
Classification of Adjectives in The Romanian Grammar
Adjectives can be classified based on their structure and their inflection.
Structure
Adjectives can be simple or compound. Simple adjectives consist of a single word, such as “bun” (good), “frumos” (beautiful), or “harnic” (hardworking). Compound adjectives are formed by combining several words into one, such as “atotștiutor” (all-knowing), “cumsecade” (decent), or “atotputernic” (almighty).
Inflection
Adjectives can be variable or invariable. Variable adjectives change their form according to gender, number, and case. For example, “bun” (good) can become “bună” (good – feminine), “buni” (good – plural), or “bune” (good – feminine plural). Invariable adjectives keep their form regardless of gender, number, and case. They often come from foreign languages and suggest colors or other characteristics, such as “gri” (gray), “bordo” (burgundy), or “vivace” (vivacious).
Degrees of Comparison
Adjectives can have three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative. The positive degree expresses a usual quality without comparing it to another: “elev harnic” (diligent student), “trandafir roșu” (red rose), “apa limpede” (clear water).
Conclusion
Understanding adjectives is key to mastering Romanian as a foreign language. With this guide, you’re well on your way to becoming fluent in Romanian. Stay tuned for more Romanian lessons!
Remember, learning a new language opens up a world of opportunities. So, keep practicing, and soon you’ll be able to say with pride: “I speak Romanian!”