What is adjective agreement?

It is the rule that adjectives must change their ending to match the gender and number of the noun they describe. For example, `un băiat bun` vs `o fată bună`.

Does the adjective come before or after the noun?

In Romanian, adjectives almost always come after the noun. You would say `apa rece` (the water cold) instead of `rece apa`.

How do I know the gender of a noun?

You usually have to memorize it, but endings help: consonants are often masculine, and `-ă` or `-e` are often feminine.

What happens with neuter nouns in the plural?

Neuter nouns take feminine plural adjective endings. For example, `două scaune albe` (two white chairs).

Are there adjectives that never change?

Yes, these are called invariable adjectives. Common ones include colors like `maro` (brown), `roz` (pink), and `gri` (grey).

How many forms can a Romanian adjective have?

Most have four forms, but some have three, two, or even just one form that stays the same for everything.

What is a 2-form adjective?

It's an adjective like `mare` (big) that has one form for singular (`mare`) and one form for plural (`mari`), regardless of gender.

How do I make a masculine adjective plural?

Usually, you replace the final consonant or vowel with an `-i`. For example, `înalt` becomes `înalți`.

How do I make a feminine adjective plural?

Usually, you change the final `-ă` to an `-e`. For example, `bună` becomes `bune`.

Why does 'frumos' become 'frumoasă'?

This is a stem change where 'o' becomes 'oa' in the feminine form. It happens in many common adjectives to make them easier to pronounce.

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Adjective Agreement Rules

1 Adjective Placement 2 Common Adverbs 3 Adjective Agreement Rules 4 Descriptive Phrases

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A1 Adjectives 5 min read Fácil

Adjective Agreement Rules

Think of Romanian adjectives as mirrors that must perfectly reflect the gender and number of the noun they describe.

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Romanian, adjectives must match their noun in gender (masculine/feminine/neuter) and number (singular/plural).

Masculine singular: 'băiat bun' (good boy).
Feminine singular: 'fată bună' (good girl).
Plural: 'băieți buni' (good boys) / 'fete bune' (good girls).

Noun + Adjective (e.g., 👦 + bun / 👧 + bună)

Overview

Welcome to the colorful world of Romanian adjectives! These words are the spices of your language. They add flavor, detail, and personality to every sentence.

In Romanian, adjectives are extremely loyal. They never stand alone without thinking about their noun. They are like a best friend who copies your outfit.

If the noun changes, the adjective changes too. This is what we call agreement. It makes the language sound musical and rhythmic.

You will use this when ordering food or describing your new house. It is the foundation of speaking like a local. Don't worry if it feels like a puzzle at first.

Every puzzle has a pattern you can master. Let's dive into how these words transform.

How This Grammar Works

Think of Romanian adjectives as mirrors. They reflect the gender and number of the noun they describe. Romanian nouns have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter.

They also have two numbers: singular and plural. Your adjective must match both perfectly. If you have a masculine singular noun, use the masculine singular adjective.

If the noun becomes plural, the adjective must change its ending. It sounds like a lot of work, right? Actually, it helps listeners understand you better.

Even if they miss the noun, the adjective gives a clue. It is like a grammar safety net. Most adjectives sit comfortably after the noun.

This is the opposite of English. Instead of saying the blue car, you say the car blue.

Formation Pattern

Most Romanian adjectives follow a predictable four-form pattern. This is the most common group you will encounter.

Masculine Singular: This is the dictionary form. It usually ends in a consonant or u. Example: bun (good).

Feminine Singular: You usually add ă to the base. Example: bună (good).

Masculine Plural: You usually add i to the base. Example: buni (good).

Feminine Plural: You usually add e to the base. Example: bune (good).

Neuter nouns are tricky little chameleons. In the singular, they act masculine. In the plural, they act feminine. For example, un scaun bun (one good chair) but două scaune bune (two good chairs). Some adjectives are lazy and only have three forms. For example, mic (small) stays mici for both masculine and feminine plural. Others are even lazier and have only two forms, like mare (big). A few elite adjectives never change at all, like roz (pink). These are your best friends on a busy day!

When To Use It

Use adjective agreement every single time you describe something. Are you at a restaurant? You will need rece (cold) for your bere (beer).

Are you meeting a prieten (friend)? You might call them inteligent (intelligent). Use it when you are shopping for clothes.

You need to match the color to the item. Use it when giving directions to a clădire înaltă (tall building). It is essential for job interviews too.

You want to describe yourself as punctual (punctual) or serios (serious). Basically, if there is a noun, the adjective must agree. It is the glue that holds your descriptions together.

Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It keeps the flow of the conversation moving correctly.

When Not To Use It

There are very few times when you can skip this. You don't need to worry about agreement with adverbs. Adverbs describe actions, not things.

For example, in He speaks beautifully, the word beautifully doesn't change. Also, some borrowed colors like bleu or maro stay the same. They are like tourists who refuse to change their clothes.

You also don't use agreement with some fixed expressions. However, as an A1 learner, assume agreement is always needed. It is a safer bet than skipping it.

If you are using a linking verb like to be, agreement still happens. Băiatul este înalt (The boy is tall) vs Fata este înaltă (The girl is tall). Even across the verb, the adjective finds its noun.

Common Mistakes

One big mistake is using the English word order. Do not say un verde măr. Say un măr verde. It feels weird at first, like wearing shoes on the wrong feet. Another mistake is forgetting the neuter plural rule. Remember: Neuter plural = Feminine plural. Many learners try to make neuter plural look masculine. Don't fall into that trap! Also, watch out for the ă to e change. Sometimes the stem of the word changes slightly. For example, frumos becomes frumoasă. This is just Romanian being fancy. Even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they speak fast. If you forget an ending, just keep talking. Most people will still understand your meaning.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

In English, adjectives are boring and never change. One red apple, ten red apples. In Spanish or Italian, the rules are very similar to Romanian.

If you know a Romance language, you have a head start! However, Romanian has that unique neuter gender. French doesn't have a neuter, so Romanian is a bit more complex.

Compared to German, Romanian adjective endings are much simpler. We don't have four different cases for every single adjective form. Romanian is the middle ground of European grammar.

It has enough logic to follow, but enough quirks to stay interesting. Think of it as a more rhythmic version of Latin.

Quick FAQ

Do all adjectives change?

Most do, but some colors like gri stay the same.

Where does the adjective go?

Usually after the noun, like un film bun.

What about plural neuter nouns?

They use the feminine plural ending. Always.

Is it okay to make mistakes?

Yes! Communication is more important than perfect endings.

How do I say big?

Use mare. It only has two forms: mare and mari.

Do I need this for colors?

Yes, colors are adjectives too. O casă roșie.

Meanings

Adjectives in Romanian change their endings to agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify.

Basic Attribution

Describing a noun's quality.

“Pisica este mică.”

“Câinele este mare.”

Adjective Agreement Patterns

Gender	Singular	Plural
Masculine	bun	buni
Feminine	bună	bune
Neuter	bun	bune

Reference Table

Reference table for Adjective Agreement Rules
Gender/Number	Ending Pattern	Example: Bun (Good)	Example: Nou (New)
Masculine Singular	Consonant / -u	bun	nou
Feminine Singular	-ă	bună	nouă
Masculine Plural	-i	buni	noi
Feminine Plural	-e	bune	noi
Neuter Singular	(Same as Masc)	bun	nou
Neuter Plural	(Same as Fem)	bune	noi

Espectro de formalidad

Formal

Vremea este frumoasă.

Vremea este frumoasă. (Casual conversation)

Neutral

Vremea e frumoasă.

Vremea e frumoasă. (Casual conversation)

Informal

E vremea faină.

E vremea faină. (Casual conversation)

Jerga

E marfă vremea.

E marfă vremea. (Casual conversation)

The Adjective Agreement Mirror

Adjective

Gender

Masculine Băiat bun
Feminine Fată bună

Number

Singular Măr verde
Plural Mere verzi

Common Adjective Endings

Masc. Sing.

mic small

rece cold

Fem. Sing.

mică small

rece cold

Plural

mici small

reci cold

Which Ending Do I Use?

Is the noun plural?

YES ↓

Check Gender: M (-consonant), F (-ă)

Is the noun Masculine?

YES ↓

Use Feminine Plural (-e)

Use Masculine Plural (-i)

End

Adjective Types by Forms

🔢

4-Form (Standard)

• bun
• frumos
• nou

🛋️

2-Form (Lazy)

• mare
• verde
• rece

🗿

Invariable

• maro
• roz
• gri

Examples by Level

Băiatul este bun.

The boy is good.

Fata este bună.

The girl is good.

Merele sunt roșii.

The apples are red.

Mașina este mică.

The car is small.

Am o casă mare.

I have a big house.

Ei sunt prieteni buni.

They are good friends.

Avem nevoie de apă rece.

We need cold water.

Aceasta este o zi frumoasă.

This is a beautiful day.

Am cumpărat niște cărți interesante.

I bought some interesting books.

Ea are o atitudine pozitivă.

She has a positive attitude.

Câinii aceia sunt foarte agresivi.

Those dogs are very aggressive.

Am văzut niște filme vechi.

I saw some old movies.

Această decizie este absolut necesară.

This decision is absolutely necessary.

Rezultatele sunt extrem de promițătoare.

The results are extremely promising.

Am întâlnit oameni extrem de amabili.

I met extremely kind people.

Această problemă este destul de complexă.

This problem is quite complex.

O abordare metodică este esențială.

A methodical approach is essential.

Sunt necesare măsuri drastice.

Drastic measures are necessary.

Aceste fenomene sunt inexplicabile.

These phenomena are inexplicable.

Am avut o experiență memorabilă.

I had a memorable experience.

O retorică subtilă poate fi convingătoare.

Subtle rhetoric can be convincing.

Aceste nuanțe sunt imperceptibile.

These nuances are imperceptible.

O atitudine stoică este de admirat.

A stoic attitude is to be admired.

Sunt necesare soluții inovatoare.

Innovative solutions are necessary.

Easily Confused

Adjective Agreement Rules vs Neuter vs Masculine

Neuter nouns look masculine in singular but feminine in plural.

Adjective Agreement Rules vs Adjective placement

Learners often put the adjective before the noun.

Adjective Agreement Rules vs Plural endings

Mixing up 'i' and 'e' endings.

Errores comunes

✗

fată bun

✓

fată bună

Feminine nouns need feminine adjectives.

✗

băieți bun

✓

băieți buni

Plural nouns need plural adjectives.

✗

fete bun

✓

fete bune

Feminine plural needs 'e'.

✗

scaun bună

✓

scaun bun

Neuter singular acts like masculine.

Sentence Patterns

___ este ___.

Am o ___ ___.

Ei sunt ___ ___.

Această ___ este ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media constant

O zi frumoasă!

Travel very common

O cameră liberă.

Food Delivery common

Pizza fierbinte.

Job Interview common

O experiență relevantă.

Texting constant

Ești un prieten bun.

News very common

Măsuri drastice.

💡

The Neuter Hack

Don't stress about the neuter gender. Just remember it's a split personality: Masculine when alone (singular), Feminine when in a crowd (plural)!

⚠️

Word Order Alert

Putting the adjective before the noun is for poets and very dramatic people. Stick to Noun + Adjective to avoid looking like you're in a Shakespeare play.

🎯

The 'Mare' Shortcut

Words like mare (big) or verde (green) are easier because they don't care about gender in the plural. They just use mari or verzi for everyone!

💬

Politeness and Adjectives

In Romania, using adjectives like drăguț (nice) or bun (good) frequently in conversation is seen as very friendly and warm.

Smart Tips

It's almost certainly feminine, so use an adjective ending in 'ă'.

fată bun → fată bună

Check if it ends in 'i' or 'e'.

fete bun → fete bune

Look at the article (un/o).

un fată → o fată

Treat them as masculine in singular.

scaun bună → scaun bun

Pronunciación

IPA: /ə/

The 'ă' sound

A neutral vowel like the 'a' in 'about'.

Statement

Este bună. ↘

Falling intonation for facts.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'A' for feminine (fată bună), 'I' for masculine plural (băieți buni).

Visual Association

Imagine a boy wearing an 'I' shirt and a girl wearing an 'A' dress.

Rhyme

Fată bună, băiat bun, așa vorbim în drum.

Story

Ana is a girl (fată). She is good (bună). Her brother Ion is a boy (băiat). He is good (bun). Together, they are good children (copii buni).

Word Web

bunbunăbunibunemaremic

Desafío

Write 5 sentences describing objects in your room using the correct gender.

Notas culturales

People often use 'fain' instead of 'frumos'.

Regional variations in adjective usage.

Standard Romanian usage.

Derived from Latin adjective declensions.

Conversation Starters

“

Cum este vremea azi?

“

Cum este mâncarea?

“

Cum sunt prietenii tăi?

“

Ce părere ai despre acest film?

Journal Prompts

Describe your best friend.

Describe your favorite city.

Describe a difficult situation you faced.

Describe the cultural atmosphere of your country.

Test Yourself

Choose the correct form of the adjective 'frumos' (beautiful) for the feminine singular noun 'floare'.

Aceasta este o floare ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: frumoasă

Because 'floare' is feminine singular, the adjective 'frumos' changes to 'frumoasă'.

Complete the sentence with the correct plural form for 'băieți' (boys).

Ei sunt niște băieți ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: buni

Masculine plural nouns require the adjective to end in -i.

Pick the correct form for the neuter plural noun 'creioane' (pencils) using 'albastru' (blue).

Am trei creioane ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: albastre

Neuter plural nouns take the feminine plural ending, which for 'albastru' is 'albastre'.

Score: /3

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises

Fill in the blank.

Fata este ___ (bun).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bună

Feminine singular.

Choose the correct form. Opción múltiple

Băieții sunt ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: buni

Masculine plural.

Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Mașina sunt roșu.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Mașina este roșie.

Agreement error.

Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Băiatul este bun.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Băieții sunt buni.

Plural agreement.

True or False? True False Rule

Adjectives in Romanian usually come before the noun.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False

They follow the noun.

Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Cum e cafeaua? B: E ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fierbinte

Correct singular.

Build a sentence. Sentence Building

fete / sunt / frumoase

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Fetele sunt frumoase.

Correct structure.

Match noun to adjective. Match Pairs

fată - ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bună

Gender match.

Score: /8

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

To show agreement with the noun's gender and number.

A mix of masculine and feminine.

Only for emphasis, but it's rare.

Because 'fată' is feminine.

It has rules, but they are logical.

Look at the ending of the noun.

Yes, but focus on the patterns first.

Most, yes.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Concordancia

Romanian has a neuter gender.

French moderate

Accord

Romanian agreement is phonetic.

German partial

Deklination

Romanian is simpler.

Japanese none

No agreement

Romanian requires agreement.

Arabic moderate

Tabaqiyya

Romanian is Indo-European.

Chinese none

No agreement

Romanian is inflected.

Common Adverbs

Descriptive Phrases

Related Grammar Rules

Gendered Adjectives

Overview Welcome to the world of Romanian adjectives! Think of adjectives as the accessories of a sentence. In English,...