Romanian Language B1: How to Compare Prices in Everyday Situations

Learning Romanian becomes significantly more practical when learners reach the B1 level, where they start mastering real-life contexts such as shopping, comparing products, and making informed decisions in a Romanian-speaking environment. One essential component introduced at this stage is expressing comparisons of price and value—a crucial skill when navigating shops, markets, and online stores in Romania.

Understanding Price Comparison Structures in Romanian

In Romanian, price comparison relies on a mix of adjectives and determiners that reflect degrees of comparison. The key adjectives to know are “scump” (expensive) and “ieftin” (cheap). These are used with specific comparative structures that you can learn to manipulate easily.

Basic Forms:

• scump / ieftin – expensive / cheap

• mai scump / mai ieftin – more expensive / cheaper

• foarte scump / foarte ieftin – very expensive / very cheap

• cel mai scump / cel mai ieftin – the most expensive / the cheapest

In this grammar-focused B1 course segment, students also learn how to use the appropriate definite articles with these structures:

• cel, cei (masculine singular and plural)

• cea, cele (feminine singular and plural)

Example sentences:

• Această rochie este mai scumpă decât cealaltă.
  (This dress is more expensive than the other one.)

• Acei pantofi sunt cei mai ieftini din magazin.
  (Those shoes are the cheapest in the store.)

These patterns are introduced in a practical context, often using symbols (e.g., $, $$, $$$) to indicate pricing levels—a playful and visual way to reinforce language structures while developing vocabulary around clothing, accessories, and more.

Applying Comparative Language in Shopping Contexts

This part of the Romanian language B1 curriculum offers valuable exposure to shopping-related phrases, enabling learners to:

• Ask about prices and compare items

• Express preferences based on value

• Navigate a conversation with a vendor

• Understand and produce full sentences using comparisons

For instance:

• Toate tricourile de aici sunt +$$$ = Toate tricourile de aici sunt foarte scumpe.

• Pantofii aceștia sunt -$ = Pantofii aceștia sunt ieftini.

Students are encouraged to describe products using both grammatical structures and cultural context—ideal for travelers, expats, or anyone interacting in Romanian markets.

Why Comparative Language Matters in Romanian Language Learning

Learning how to compare prices helps students:

• Gain independence in real-life scenarios

• Build confidence in spoken Romanian

• Solidify knowledge of adjectives and determiners in context

• Expand functional vocabulary with direct application

Additionally, this lesson opens the door to understanding Romanian consumer culture and the subtle language used in marketing, product descriptions, and reviews.

Join Us and Practice Romanian Language Lessons in Real-Life Contexts

If you’re exploring the world of intermediate Romanian, this is your chance to dive into a highly practical and engaging area of study. From learning how to express preferences to becoming confident in daily transactions, our structured Romanian Lessons are designed to make you both fluent and culturally aware. Join our courses and start speaking Romanian with precision and authenticity today!

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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