The Romanian Alphabet

Level 1

Romanian uses the Latin alphabet plus 5 unique letters: ă, â, î, ș, and ț. These are distinct letters, not just accented versions of others.

How It Works

The Romanian alphabet consists of 31 letters. While 26 are standard Latin letters, the 5 diacritic letters are essential for correct pronunciation and grammar:

  • ă (a-breve): Sounds like the 'a' in 'about' (/ə/).
  • â and î (circumflex): Both represent the same high-central vowel (/ɨ/), produced by positioning the tongue in the center of the mouth. î is used at the start and end of words (e.g., început, a coborî), while â is used in the middle (e.g., cânta). Note: 'î' is retained after a prefix or in a compound when the base or second element begins with 'î' (e.g., neînceput, bineînțeles).
  • ș (s-comma): Sounds like 'sh' in 'shoe' (/ʃ/).
  • ț (t-comma): Sounds like 'ts' in 'cats' (/ts/).

In modern Romanian, it is critical to use the comma-below (ș, ț) rather than the cedilla characters (ş, ţ). While native speakers might omit these in casual texts, they are mandatory in all professional, educational, and legal contexts.

Examples (4)

  1. Am mâncat pește.

    I ate fish.

    Word by Word: I-have eaten fish.

    Note the 'ș' in 'pește'. Without it, 'peste' means 'over' or 'across'.

  2. România este o țară frumoasă.

    Romania is a beautiful country.

    Word by Word: Romania is a country beautiful.

    This sentence uses 'â' (middle of word), 'ț' (ts sound), and 'ă' (schwa sound).

  3. Înțeleg ce spui.

    I understand what you are saying.

    Word by Word: I-understand what you-say.

    Uses 'î' at the beginning of the word and 'ț' in the middle.

  4. Fata are o față curată.

    The girl has a clean face.

    Word by Word: The-girl has a face clean.

    Shows the difference between 'a' (definite article) and 'ă' (part of the noun 'față').

Common Mistakes

  • Treating 'ă' as an optional accent for 'a'.

    Vreau o casa.
    Vreau o casă.

    'Casa' means 'the house', while 'casă' means 'a house'. Diacritics often signal grammatical changes.

  • Using 'â' at the beginning of a word or 'î' in the middle of simple words.

    âmpărat, cîine
    împărat, câine

    Use 'î' at the start and end of words. Use 'â' in the middle of words, except in prefixed words or compounds that preserve an initial 'î' (like 'neînceput').

  • Using the cedilla (ş/ţ) instead of the comma (ș/ț).

    maşină
    mașină

    The comma-below is the only correct standard in modern Romanian orthography.

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The Romanian AlphabetLevel 1

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