eu / tu / el / ea / noi / voi / ei / ele

Subject Pronouns

Level 1

Eu, tu, el, ea, noi, voi, ei, ele identify subjects. Omission is common when the verb and context make the subject clear; an overt pronoun can clarify, contrast, or maintain the topic.

How It Works

Subject pronouns in Romanian represent the person or thing performing the action of the verb.

The Pronoun List:

  • Eu: I
  • Tu: You (singular, informal)
  • El: He / It (masculine/neuter singular)
  • Ea: She / It (feminine singular)
  • Noi: We
  • Voi: You (plural, informal)
  • Ei: They (masculine or mixed group)
  • Ele: They (feminine or neuter plural)

Politeness and Social Register:
1. Dumneavoastră: The standard polite address. Crucially, it always takes a 2nd-person plural verb (e.g., sunteți), even if you are talking to just one person.
2. Dumneata: A familiar or less formal form whose social tone depends on region and relationship; it can sound patronizing in some situations. Unlike dumneavoastră, it takes a singular verb (e.g., dumneata ești).
3. Polite 3rd Person: To show respect when talking about others, you can use dânsul (him) or dânsa (her). For explicitly polite reference, use dumnealui (him) or dumneaei (her).

Key Usage Rules:
1. Pronunciation: Pronouns starting with 'e' (eu, el, ea, ei, ele) and certain forms of a fi (ești, este, e) are pronounced with a hidden 'y' sound (/j/) at the beginning.
2. Pro-drop: Because verb endings usually indicate the person, you can often drop the pronoun. Including it can clarify, contrast, or maintain the subject in context.
3. Neuter Nouns: Objects with neuter gender use el in the singular but switch to ele in the plural.

Examples (6)

  1. Eu sunt student.

    I am a student.

    Word by Word: I am student.

    Using 'Eu' here emphasizes the identity of the speaker.

  2. Ea este aici.

    She is here.

    Word by Word: She is here.

    Note that 'Ea' is pronounced like 'ya'.

  3. Dumneavoastră sunteți profesor.

    You (formal) are a teacher.

    Word by Word: You (polite) are teacher.

    Even when addressing one person, 'dumneavoastră' always requires the plural verb form 'sunteți'.

  4. Dumneata ești acasă?

    Are you (semi-formal) at home?

    Word by Word: You (semi-formal) are home?

    Unlike 'dumneavoastră', the pronoun 'dumneata' takes a singular verb form like 'ești'.

  5. Dânsul este la birou.

    He (polite) is at the office.

    Word by Word: He (polite) is at office.

    Dânsul is a polite third-person pronoun in current standard Romanian. Regional speech may also use it as an ordinary third-person pronoun; do not treat that regional use as the standard politeness system.

  6. Ele sunt pe masă.

    They (the books) are on the table.

    Word by Word: They are on table.

    'Ele' is used for feminine plural nouns and also for plural neuter nouns.

Common Mistakes

  • Using subject pronouns after prepositions like 'cu' (with) or 'pentru' (for).

    Vino cu eu.
    Vino cu mine.

    After prepositions, you must use 'strong accusative' pronouns (like 'mine') instead of subject pronouns (like 'eu').

How It Connects

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eu / tu / el / ea / noi / voi / ei / eleLevel 1Subject Pronouns

Learn This First

Subject pronouns are a foundational element of Romanian grammar. To learn them, you only need a basic understanding of the Romanian writing system and pronunciation to correctly identify and say the words.

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euelnoivoieiele