oricine / orice / oriunde / oricând

Free-Choice Relatives

Level 4

Free-choice relatives are formed by adding the prefix ori- to relative pronouns or adverbs. They indicate that the specific choice of person, thing, time, or place does not matter.

How It Works

Ori- forms express free choice or an '-ever' meaning: oricine (anyone/whoever), orice (anything/whatever), oriunde (anywhere/wherever), oricând (anytime/whenever).

Free choice: Oricine poate încerca means 'Anyone can try'. Oricare often chooses from an understood set.

Concession: Orice ai spune, rămân aici means 'Whatever you might say, I am staying here'. Indicative and conditional forms are common in these clauses; a subjunctive is not a general requirement after an ori- word.

Case: Oricine has genitive/dative oricui. A personal direct object uses pe: Nu invit pe oricine.

Negation changes the meaning: Nu invit pe oricine means 'I do not invite just anyone'. It is grammatical and differs from Nu invit pe nimeni (I invite nobody). English 'anyone' after a negative can correspond to either pattern depending on scope.

Contrast with -va: Cineva introduces someone whose identity is unspecified; oricine makes the choice unrestricted.

Examples (6)

  1. Oricine poate învăța limba română.

    Anyone can learn the Romanian language.

    Word by Word: Anyone can learn language Romanian.

    Here, 'oricine' is the subject and expresses a general truth applicable to any person.

  2. Poți să mă suni oricând dorești.

    You can call me whenever you wish.

    Word by Word: You can to me call whenever you wish.

    'Oricând' functions as an adverb of time, indicating the specific moment is not important.

  3. Orice s-ar întâmpla, suntem aici.

    Whatever might happen, we are here.

    Word by Word: Whatever itself would happen, we are here.

    This uses 'orice' in a concessive clause with the conditional 's-ar întâmpla' to mean 'no matter what'.

  4. Dă-i această carte oricui are nevoie de ea.

    Give this book to anyone who needs it.

    Word by Word: Give-to-him this book to-anyone has need of it.

    'Oricui' is the Dative form of 'oricine', used here as the indirect object.

  5. Oricâtă apă ai bea, tot îți este sete.

    No matter how much water you drink, you are still thirsty.

    Word by Word: However-much water you-would drink, still to-you is thirst.

    'Oricâtă' is the feminine singular form of 'oricât', agreeing with 'apă' (water).

  6. Vom merge oriunde vrei tu.

    We will go anywhere you want.

    Word by Word: We will go anywhere want you.

    'Oriunde' indicates indifference regarding the destination.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the genitive/dative form after cu.

    Poți vorbi cu oricui.
    Poți vorbi cu oricine.

    Cu takes the accusative form oricine. Oricui is the genitive/dative form, as in Poți spune oricui.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

oricine / orice / oriunde / oricândLevel 4Free-Choice Relatives

Learn This First

To understand free-choice relatives (oricine, orice, etc.), you must first be familiar with the basic Romanian question words (cine, ce, unde, când) which serve as the base for these forms. Additionally, a grasp of how relative pronouns connect clauses is necessary to use these 'any-' forms correctly in complex sentences.

Words in This Pattern

oricineoriceoriceoriundeoricând