A Pocket Guide: Essential Romanian Phrases to Get Around (Part 4)
By now, you’ve mastered greetings, directions, eating out, and even casual conversations. That’s huge progress! But to move from getting by to truly belonging, you need to add more depth: emotions, opinions, small talk, and yes, weather talk (a favorite topic among Romanians).
This stage is about making Romanian feel personal. You’ll learn how to express what you think, feel, and notice around you, so you don’t just survive daily life, you connect.
1. Talking About Feelings and Emotions
Romanians value honesty and openness in friendships. Being able to share your emotions makes conversations warmer and more authentic.
- “Sunt fericit(ă).” = I’m happy.
- “Mă simt obosit(ă).” = I feel tired.
- “Îmi este dor de tine.” = I miss you.
- “Mă bucur pentru tine!” = I’m happy for you!
- “Îmi pare rău.” = I’m sorry.
- “Sunt entuziasmat(ă)!” = I’m excited!
- “Sunt îngrijorat(ă).” = I’m worried.
- “Mă simt bine aici.” = I feel good here.
2. Sharing Opinions and Preferences
Discussions in Romania often drift to food, politics, sports, or music. Don’t shy away, as Romanians love debates, as long as you stay polite. Direct disagreement is fine if you’re respectful. A calm tone keeps the conversation friendly.
- “Cred că…” = I think that…
- “În opinia mea…” = In my opinion…
- “Îmi place să citesc / să dansez / să gătesc.” = I like to read / dance / cook.
- “Nu îmi place muzica tare.” = I don’t like loud music.
- “Prefer să merg pe jos.” = I prefer to walk.
- “E interesant ce spui.” = What you say is interesting.
- “Nu sunt de acord, dar te înțeleg.” = I don’t agree, but I understand you.
3. Everyday Small Talk
Small talk is key to feeling included. You’ll hear it everywhere – in cafés, taxis, or with new classmates.
- “Ai planuri pentru weekend?” = Do you have plans for the weekend?
- “Unde ai fost în vacanță?” = Where did you go on holiday?
- “Îți place filmul acesta?” = Do you like this movie?
- “Ce muzică asculți de obicei?” = What music do you usually listen to?
- “Ai recomandări de locuri bune în oraș?” = Do you have recommendations for good places in town?
4. Talking About the Weather
Weather talk is the perfect icebreaker! If there’s one thing Romanians never run out of, it’s comments about the weather. It’s the safest way to start a chat, and you’ll hear it all year long.
- “Astăzi e foarte cald.” = Today is very hot.
- “E frig afară.” = It’s cold outside.
- “Plouă de dimineață.” = It’s been raining since morning. “Ninge!” = It’s snowing!
- “Bate vântul tare.” = The wind is strong.
- “Sper să fie soare mâine.” = I hope it’s sunny tomorrow.
- “Ce caniculă!” = What a heatwave!
- “E vreme bună pentru o plimbare.” = It’s good weather for a walk.
5. Humor and Sarcasm
Romanians often use irony and sarcasm, especially with friends. Don’t worry if you miss it at first, you’ll pick it up.
- “Super…” (with a smile or an eye-roll) can mean Awesome! or Oh great…
- “Ce tare!” = That’s cool!
- “Ai glumit, nu?” = You’re joking, right?
- “Lasă, că merge și așa.” = Eh, it works like this too (often used ironically).
- “Pe bune?” = Really?
6. Cultural Awareness = Connection
At this stage, how you say things matters as much as the words. Always add “vă rog” (please) and “mulțumesc” (thank you). Use “dumneavoastră” to address to teachers, elderly, or strangers - keep “tu” for friends. Don’t interrupt - Romanians like to finish their thoughts.
Compliments are welcome: “Îmi place ținuta ta!” = I like your outfit!
And don’t forget this important rule! If someone invites you over, expect to eat, a lot!Refusing food may be seen as impolite unless you explain why.
At this point, if you practice the four parts of these pocket guides you’re no longer just a visitor, but you can express yourself like a local! You can share how you feel, give your opinion, chat about the weather and laugh at jokes, even sarcastic ones.
I will link the three blog posts below:
A Pocket Guide: Essential Romanian Phrases to Get Around
A Pocket Guide: Essential Romanian Phrases to Get Around (Part 2)
A Pocket Guide: Essential Romanian Phrases to Get Around (Part 3)
That’s real progress!
Now it’s your turn: how would you say “It’s raining, but I’m happy” in Romanian? Write your answer in the comments below!
See you on the forums,
Roxana, OLS Community Manager – Romanian