The letter i in final position The letter i in final position after consonants stands for a very short [i]

sound, shorter and less sonorous than the syllabic [i]. It is a distinctive sound that marks the opposition between the singular and plural of certain nouns and adjectives: pom tree pomi trees, coal school coli schools, so husband soi husbands, bun good (m. sg.) buni good (m. stndpl.), liber free (m. sg.) liberi free (m. pl.), as well as between 1 and 2 person of the indicative or subjunctive present of verbs: eu ntreb I ask tu ntrebi you ask, eu lucrez I work tu lucrezi you work. It also occurs in the verbal auxilliaries ai, vei, oi, at the end of some pronominal forms (mi, i, i), and at the end of some other words. There are nouns in Romanian that have two letters i in the word-final position. These are read as [ii]. Even three letters i can appear, and are read as [ii]. The two-i combination can happen when the plural ending i comes after a stem ending in -i (when it replaces another vowel, as in fotoliu armchair fotolii armchairs) or when the ending -i is joined by the definite article -i (ministru minister minitri ministers minitrii the ministers; membru member membri members membrii the members). The group of three i can be found in the plural of a few nouns and adjectives when they are used with the definite article -i: copil child copii children copiii the children, propriu own (m. sing. no article) proprii own (m. pl. no article) propriii own (m. pl. def. article). 1.2.2.3. The letter e in initial position Initial e in words that come from Latin (some personal pronouns and some forms of the verb a fi to be) stands for the diphthong [ie]: eu I, ea she, el he, ei they, eti (you) are, este (he / she) is, e (he / she) is. In neologisms, initial e is pronounced [e]: electricitate electricity, emoie emotion, elev student, extraterestru alien. 1.2.2.4. The ce, ci, ge, gi, che, chi, ghe, ghi groups The groups of letters ce and ci represent the sound [t] like in 'chart', 'much', etc., and the groups ge and gi stand for the sound [ d ] like in 'germ', 'edge', etc.: ce what, acesta this, pace peace, cine who, acid acid, a munci to work, gem jam, agent agent, a merge to walk, gin gin, agitat restless, a fugi to run. The groups of letters che and chi represent the sound [k] like in 'chemistry', 'keen', etc. and the groups ghe and ghi represent the sound [g] like in 'together', 'geek', etc.: chenar border, pachet pack, chin torture, rechin shark, a ochi to aim, ochi eye, ghete boots, ngheat ice cream, ghinion bad luck, prghie lever. Declension of nominals The noun and other nominal parts of speech (article, adjective, pronoun, and numeral) are declinable in Romanian. The nominals are declined according to the cases. The case of a word reveals the relationship between a word and other elements in the sentence, as well as its function in that sentence: subject, direct object, indirect object, the object of a preposition. The grammatical meaning of a word is reflected by a change in its case. English has two cases the nominative (for the function of subject and object) and the genitive (for possession): Andrew nominative (Andrew has a younger sister.) and Andrew's genitive (Andrew's sister is younger than Andrew.). Romanians case system is more developed. There are five cases in Romanian: nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, and vocative. In form the nominative and the accusative are identical, and so are the genitive and the dative. Functionally, they differ: the nominative is primarily used to express the subject, while the accusative is the case of the direct object. The dative is the case of the indirect object, while the genitive is mainly the case of possession. The vocative is the case of direct address. Examples: nominative: Biatul este aici. The boy is here. accusative: Vd biatul. I can see the boy. genitive: Cartea biatului este aici. The boy's book is here. dative: i dau cartea biatului! I give the book to the boy! vocative: Biete, vino ncoace! Boy, come here!

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nouns adjectives verbs o followed by a consonant or consonant cluster mutates to oa with the next syllable containing or e o/oa mutation sing./pl. neuter nouns: avion plane avioane, camion truck camioane, izvor water spring izvoare adjectives masc./fem.: domn sir, mister doamn lady, madam, prost fool (m.) proast fool (f.) sing./pl.: capt masc./fem.: frumos beautiful (m., sg) frumoas beautiful (f., sg.), frumoi beautiful (m., pl.) blind (f., frumoase beautiful (f., pl.), orb blind (m., sg.) oarb blind (f., sg.), orbi blind (m., pl.) oarbe pl.) verbs indicative present: a muri to die: eu mor el moare, a cobor to descend: eu cobor el coboar subjunctive present: a muri to die: eu s mor el s moar, a cobor to descend: eu s cobor el s coboare mort dead moarte death derivation other possessive pron./adj.: al nostru a noastr ai notri ale noastre our(s) extremity capete, smbt Saturday smbete, numr number numere, mr apple mere, mr apple tree meri 2.2.1.2. e/ea mutation sing./pl.: proaspt fresh (m., sg.) proaspei fresh (m., pl.), proaspt fresh e followed by a consonant or consonant cluster mutates to ea when the next syllable contains (f., sg.) nouns adjectives verbs masc./fem.: romnesc Romanian (m., sg.) romneasc Romanian (f., sg.), negru black (m., sg.) neagr black (f., sg.) indicative present: a chema to call: eu chem el cheam, a pleca to leave: eu plec el pleac subjunctive present: a merge to walk: eu s merg el s mearg, a terge to wipe: eu s terg el s tearg 2.2.1.3. /e mutation

proaspete
fresh (f., pl.)

indicative present: a numra to count: eu numr tu numeri, a followed by a consonant, consonant cluster, or a syllable containing mutates to e with the next syllable vedea to see: eu containing vd tu e or i vezi subjunctive present: a numra to count: eu s numr tu s numeri, a vedea to see: eu s vd tu s vezi 2.2.1.4. a/e mutation (i)a followed by a syllable containing or e mutates to (i)e with the next syllable containing e or (ur)i nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: mas table mese, fat girl fete, piatr stone pietre, iarn winter ierni, via life viei, iarb grass ierburi, biat boy biei sing./pl.: belgian Belgian (m., sg.) belgieni Belgian (m., pl.), canadian Canadian (m., sg.) canadieni Canadian (m., pl.) indicative present: a lua to take: eu iau tu iei subjunctive present: a lua to take: eu s iau tu s iei 2.2.1.5. a/ mutation a followed by a syllable containing or e mutates to with the next syllable containing (ur)i nouns sing./pl.: ar country ri, gar station gri, carne meat crnuri, -are / -ri: lucrare paper lucrri, ntmplare event ntmplri, -ate / -i: cetate fortress ceti, -itate / iti: entitate entity entiti 2.2.1.6. ea/e mutation ea followed by a consonant(s) or a syllable containing mutates to e with the next syllable containing e or (ur)i nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: armean Armenian armeni, armeanc Armenian woman armence, diminea morning diminei

sing./pl.: viclean sly (m., sg.) vicleni sly (m., pl.), viteaz brave (m., sg.) viteji brave (m., pl.) indicative present: a bea to drink: eu beau tu bei, a vrea to want: eu vreau tu vrei subjunctive present: a bea to drink: eu s beau tu s bei, a vrea to want: eu s vreau tu s vrei 2.2.1.7. oa/o mutation oa followed by a syllable containing or e mutates to o and the or e in the next syllable change into i nouns adjectives sing./pl.: boal disease boli, floare flower flori, foaie sheet foi, ascuitoare pencil sharpener ascuitori sing./pl.: moale soft moi soft (pl.)

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verbs indicative present: a se scula to get up: el se scoal tu te scoli subjunctive present: a se scula to get up: el s se scoale tu s te scoli 2.2.1.8. ie/ia mutation ie followed by a consonant(s) mutates to ia with the next syllable containing adjectives verbs masc./fem.: biet poor (m., sg.) biat poor (f., sg.), fiert boiled (m., sg.) fiart boiled (f., sg.) indicative present: a ierta to forgive: eu iert el iart, a zbiera to roar: eu zbier el zbiar subjunctive present: a pieri to perish: eu s pier el s piar 2.2.1.9. /i mutation followed by a consonant(s) mutates to i with the next syllable containing e or i nouns sing./pl.: cuvnt word cuvinte, vn vein vine 2.2.1.10. a/ mutation a (stressed) mutates to (unstressed) verbs indicative present: a cuta to look for: eu caut noi cutm, a tcea to be silent: eu tac voi tcei subjunctive present: a cuta to look for: eu s caut voi s cutai, a tcea to be silent: eu s tac voi s tcei imperative: a cuta to look for: caut! cutai!, a tcea to shut up: taci! tcei! ar country ran peasant derivation 2.2.1.11. u/o mutation u (unstressed) mutates to o (stressed) verbs indicative present: a juca to play a game: eu joc noi jucm, a ruga to ask: eu rog noi rugm subjunctive present: a juca to play a game: eu s joc noi s jucm, a ruga to ask: eu s rog noi s rugm 2.2.2. Consonant mutations Consonant mutations occur when some consonants or groups of consonants are followed by e or i [], when forming the plural of the nouns (and some pronouns) and adjectives (pronominal included), and also in the conjugation of the verbs (in the indicative present, subjunctive present, and in the imperative).

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2.2.2.1. c/ce or ci mutation nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: copac tree copaci, capac lid capace, crac branch crci, banc bank bnci, nemoaic German woman nemoaice sing./pl.: mic() small (sg.) mici small (pl.), slbatic wild (m., sg.) slbatici wild (m., pl.), slbatic wild (f., sg.) slbatice wild (f., pl.) indicative present: a face to do, to make: eu fac tu faci el face noi facem voi facei ei fac, a duce to carry: eu duc tu duci el duce noi ducem voi ducei ei duc subjunctive present: a urca to climb up: eu s urc tu s urci el s urce, a juca to play a game: eu s joc tu s joci el s joace slbatic wild slbticie wildness derivation 2.2.2.2. g/ge or gi mutation nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: fag beech tree fagi, dung stripe dungi, pung bag pungi, slug servant slugi, catarg mast catarge sing./pl: drag dear (m., sg.) dragi dear (m., pl.), larg wide (m., sg.) largi wide (pl.), lung long (m., sg.) lungi long (pl.) indicative present: a trage to pull: eu trag tu tragi el trage noi tragem voi tragei ei trag, a ajunge to arrive: eu ajung tu ajungi el ajunge noi ajungem voi ajungei ei ajung subjunctive present: a trage to pull: eu s trag tu s tragi el s trag noi s tragem voi s tragei ei s trag lung long lungime length derivation 2.2.2.3. s/ + i mutation nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: urs bear uri, rus Russian rui sing./pl.: frumos beautiful (m., sg.) frumoi beautiful (m., pl.), gras fat (m., sg.) grai fat (m., pl.) indicative present: a mirosi to smell: eu miros tu miroi, a lsa to let: eu las tu lai subjunctive present: a mirosi to smell: eu s miros tu s miroi, a lsa to let: eu s las tu s lai 2.2.2.4. st/t + i mutation nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: artist artist artiti, poveste fairy tale poveti sing./pl.: ngust narrow (m., sg.) nguti narrow (m., pl.), prost stupid (m., sg.) proti stupid (m.,
pl.)

indicative present: a asista to assist: eu asist tu asiti, a gusta to taste: eu gust tu guti subjunctive present: a asista to assist: eu s asist tu s asiti, a gusta to taste: eu s gust tu s guti

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2.2.2.5. str/tr + i mutation nouns adjectives other sing./pl.: astru star atri, ministru minister minitri sing./pl.: albastru blue (m., sg.) albatri blue (m., pl.), ecvestru equestrian (m., sg.) ecvetri
equestrian (m., pl.)

possessive pron./adj.: al nostru ours (m., sg.) ai notri ours (m., pl.), al vostru yours (m., sg.) ai votri yours (m., pl.) 2.2.2.6. sc/t + i or e mutation nouns adjectives verbs broasc frog broate, molusc mollusc molute, casc earphone cti romnesc Romanian (m., sg.) romneti Romanian (m., pl.), chinezesc Chinese (m., sg.) chinezeti Chinese (m., pl.) indicative present: a cunoate to know: eu cunosc tu cunoti el cunoate, a bnui to suspect: eu bnuiesc tu bnuieti el bnuiete subjunctive present: a cunoate to know: eu s cunosc tu s cunoti noi s cunoatem, a privi to watch: eu s privesc tu s priveti cunoscut well-known cunoatere knowledge, romnesc Romanian romnete in Romanian
(adv.)

derivation 2.2.2.7. c/t + e or i mutation nouns verbs sing./pl.: cuc cage cuti, puc rifle puti indicative present: a muca to bite: eu muc tu muti, a mpuca to shoot: eu mpuc tu mputi subjunctive present: a muca to bite: eu s muc tu s muti, a mpuca to shoot: eu s mpuc tu s mputi 2.2.2.8. t/ + i or e mutation nouns adjectives verbs derivation sing./pl.: brbat man brbai, frate brother frai, tat father tai, cetate fortress ceti sing./pl.: atent attentive (m., sg.) ateni attentive (m., pl.), cult cultured (m., sg.) culi cultured (m., pl.), direct straight (m., sg.) direci straight (m., pl.) indicative present: a cnta to sing: eu cnt tu cni, a bate to beat: eu bat tu bai subjunctive present: a cnta to sing: eu s cnt tu s cni, a bate to beat: eu s bat tu s bai brbat man brbie manhood, atent attentive atenie attention, frate brother frete brotherly, cetate fortress, city cetean citizen

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2.2.2.9. d/z + i/ or mutation nouns adjectives verbs sing./pl.: brad fir tree brazi, lad box lzi sing./pl.: verde green (sg.) verzi green (pl.), blnd kind (m., sg.) blnzi kind (m., pl.) indicative present: a cdea to fall: eu cad tu cazi, a nchide to close: eu nchid tu nchizi subjunctive present: a cdea to fall: eu s cad tu s cazi, a deschide to open: eu s deschid tu s deschizi in the gerund: a deschide to open deschiznd opening, a cdea to fall cznd falling a deschide to open deschiztur opening (noun) derivation 2.2.2.10. z/j + i mutation nouns adjectives derivation sing./pl.: obraz cheek obraji, cneaz prince cneji sing./pl.: viteaz brave (m., sg.) viteji brave (m., pl.), treaz awake (m., sg.) treji awake (m., pl.) viteaz brave vitejie braveness 2.2.2.11. l/ + i mutation nouns adjectives sing./pl.: cal horse cai, cale way ci sing./pl.: moale soft (sg.) moi soft (pl.), gol empty (m., sg.) goi empty (m., pl.) 2.2.2.12. n/ + i mutation verbs indicative present: a pune to put: eu pun tu pui, a rmne to stay: eu rmn tu rmi, a veni to come: eu vin tu vii subjunctive present: a pune to put: eu s pun tu s pui, a rmne to stay: eu s rmn tu s rmi, a veni to come: eu s vin tu s vii