A1 Questions 6 min read Facile

Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce)

Use cine for people and ce for everything else to start any basic Romanian question effortlessly.
Marquer comme appris
Entraîne-toi

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'Cine' for people and 'Ce' for things to ask questions in Romanian.

  • Use 'Cine' when asking about a person: 'Cine este el?' (Who is he?)
  • Use 'Ce' when asking about an object or idea: 'Ce este asta?' (What is this?)
  • These pronouns usually come at the start of the sentence, just like in English.
Cine (Person) / Ce (Thing) + Verb + ...?

Overview

Welcome to the very start of your Romanian journey! Imagine you are in a cozy cafe in Bucharest. You see someone interesting or a dish you cannot name.
How do you satisfy your curiosity? You use interrogative pronouns. These are the question words that help you identify people and things.
In Romanian, the two heavy hitters are cine and ce. Think of them as the keys to unlocking information. They are simple, direct, and incredibly powerful.
You will use them every single day. Whether you are meeting a new friend or shopping for souvenirs, these words do the heavy lifting. They are the bread and butter of your daily conversations.
Let's dive in and see how they work. Don't worry, it is much easier than choosing a favorite type of Romanian pastry!

How This Grammar Works

In Romanian, interrogative pronouns replace the person or thing you are asking about. The word cine translates to who. You use it exclusively for people. On the other hand, ce translates to what. You use this for objects, ideas, or actions.
Here is the best part for beginners. At the A1 level, these words do not change based on gender. It does not matter if you are asking about a man or a woman.
Cine stays exactly the same. The same goes for ce. It works for a single book or a whole library of books.
It is like a universal remote for your questions. You just point it at what you want to know and click. This simplicity makes them the perfect starting point for your grammar adventure.
You don't need to memorize complex tables yet. Just remember: people get cine and things get ce.

Formation Pattern

1
Building a question with these pronouns follows a very logical path. You can think of it as a three-step recipe.
2
Identify your target. Are you asking about a person or a thing?
3
Place the pronoun at the very beginning of your sentence.
4
Add your verb immediately after the pronoun.
5
For example, if you want to ask Who is he?, you start with cine. Then you add the verb to be which is este. Finally, you add the pronoun he which is el. Put it together: Cine este el?. It is like building with Lego blocks. You just snap the pieces together in order. If you want to ask What is this?, you follow the same steps. Start with ce. Add the verb este. Add the word for this which is aceasta. You get Ce este aceasta?. The structure is very similar to English, which is a huge relief. You are basically just swapping the English words for Romanian ones. Just keep the pronoun at the front to show everyone you are asking a question.

When To Use It

You will use cine and ce in almost every social interaction. Use cine when you hear a knock at the door. You shout Cine este? to see who is there.
Use it at a party to ask about the host. Use it when looking at old family photos with a Romanian friend. It is your primary tool for social discovery.
Now, let's talk about ce. Use ce when you are at a traditional market. You point at a mysterious vegetable and ask Ce este asta?.
Use it when you are confused about an activity. If someone is busy, you might ask Ce faci? which means
What are you doing?
. This is also a very common way to say How are you? in a casual way.
Use these words when you are curious, confused, or just being friendly. They are the lightbulbs that turn on when you want to learn something new about your surroundings.

When Not To Use It

Even though these words are versatile, they have boundaries. Do not use cine for animals, even if you really love your cat. In Romanian, pets are usually treated as things grammatically, so you use ce.
It might feel a bit cold, but that is just how the language flows. Also, do not use ce when you are choosing between specific options. If you have three shirts and want to ask Which one?, you should use care, not ce.
Think of ce as asking for a definition or a name. If you use ce when you should use care, you might sound a bit like a robot. Finally, do not use these pronouns as connectors in the middle of a complex sentence yet.
At A1, keep them at the start. Using them as relative pronouns is a level up for later. For now, let them lead the way at the beginning of your questions.

Common Mistakes

One of the most frequent slip-ups is using ce for people. You might be tempted to ask Ce este el? when you mean Who is he?. In Romanian, this sounds like you are asking what species he is! Unless you suspect your friend is an alien, stick to cine. Another common mistake is forgetting the verb. In English, we sometimes skip words in casual speech. In Romanian, you really need that verb to make sense. Don't just say Cine ea?. You must say Cine este ea?. It is like a bridge; without the verb, your question falls into the river. Also, watch out for the plural. While cine and ce don't change, the verb after them must match the answer you expect. If you see five people, ask Cine sunt ei? using the plural verb. Yes, even native speakers get a bit lazy with this, but you want to start strong!

Contrast With Similar Patterns

It is helpful to compare these to the word care. While ce asks What is it?, care asks
Which one from the group?
. Imagine a tray of donuts.
Ce este asta? asks what a donut is. Care este al tău? asks which specific donut belongs to you. It is a subtle difference but a big one for clarity.
Also, compare cine to the English whom. Romanian has a version of whom (pe cine), but at the A1 level, you can mostly stick to the basic cine for subject questions. Think of cine and ce as the wide-angle lens on a camera. They take in the whole scene.
Other words like care are more like a zoom lens, focusing on one specific thing among many. Mastering the wide-angle first makes the zoom much easier to handle later.

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I use ce to ask about someone's job?

Yes! This is a special case. Ce este el? can mean

What is his profession?
.

Q

Is cine formal or informal?

It is both! You can use it with your best friend or the President of Romania.

Q

Do I need to change the tone of my voice?

Yes, just like in English, let your voice go up at the end of the question.

Q

Is there a short version of ce este?

Often, you will hear people say Ce-i asta? instead of Ce este asta?. It is just a shortcut!

Q

Can ce mean how?

In some expressions like Ce frumos! it means How beautiful!, but it is not a question there.

3. Basic Interrogative Usage

Pronoun Category English Example
Cine
Person
Who
Cine este?
Ce
Thing
What
Ce este?
Pe cine
Person (Acc)
Whom
Pe cine vezi?
Ce fel de
Quality
What kind of
Ce fel de om?
Cineva
Person (Indef)
Someone
Cineva vine.
Ceva
Thing (Indef)
Something
Vreau ceva.

Common Contractions

Full Form Contraction Meaning
Ce este
Ce-i
What is
Cine este
Cine-i
Who is
Ce are
Ce-are
What has

Meanings

These are the two fundamental interrogative pronouns used to identify people or objects in a sentence.

1

Identifying a person

Used to ask for the identity of a human subject.

“Cine este profesorul tău?”

“Cine a sunat?”

2

Identifying an object

Used to ask for the identity of an inanimate object or abstract concept.

“Ce este pe masă?”

“Ce faci?”

Reference Table

Reference table for Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce)
Pronoun English Equivalent Target Category Example
Cine
Who
Humans / People
Cine este acolo?
Ce
What
Objects / Things
Ce este pe masă?
Ce
What
Animals
Ce este acel animal?
Ce
What
Actions / Activities
Ce faci acum?
Cine
Who
Identity
Cine sunt ei?
Ce
What
Professions
Ce este tatăl tău?

Spectre de formalité

Formel
Cine este acea persoană?

Cine este acea persoană? (Identifying someone)

Neutre
Cine este acesta?

Cine este acesta? (Identifying someone)

Informel
Cine-i ăsta?

Cine-i ăsta? (Identifying someone)

Argot
Cine-i tipu'?

Cine-i tipu'? (Identifying someone)

Romanian Question Starters

Interrogative Pronouns

People (Cine)

  • Prieten Friend
  • Doctor Doctor

Things (Ce)

  • Carte Book
  • Mâncare Food

Who vs. What

Cine (Who)
Cine ești? Who are you?
Cine vine? Who is coming?
Ce (What)
Ce faci? What are you doing?
Ce cauți? What are you looking for?

Choosing the Right Word

1

Are you asking about a human?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Ce'
2

Are you asking about their identity?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Ce' (for jobs)
3

Final Answer

NO
Use 'Cine'

Usage Categories

👤

Human Subjects

  • • Cine ești?
  • • Cine știe?
📦

Inanimate Objects

  • • Ce este?
  • • Ce vezi?

Exemples par niveau

1

Cine este acesta?

Who is this?

2

Ce este acesta?

What is this?

3

Cine vine?

Who is coming?

4

Ce faci?

What are you doing?

1

Ce carte citești?

What book are you reading?

2

Cine a spus asta?

Who said that?

3

Ce-i în cutie?

What's in the box?

4

Cine este prietenul tău?

Who is your friend?

1

Pe cine ai văzut la magazin?

Whom did you see at the store?

2

Nu știu ce vrei să spui.

I don't know what you mean.

3

Cine ar fi crezut?

Who would have thought?

4

Ce fel de mâncare preferi?

What kind of food do you prefer?

1

Cine va fi ales, va decide.

Whoever is chosen will decide.

2

Ce-ar fi dacă am pleca?

What if we left?

3

Nu contează cine vine.

It doesn't matter who comes.

4

Ce s-a întâmplat este grav.

What happened is serious.

1

Cine pe cine a ajutat?

Who helped whom?

2

Ce-o fi în mintea lui?

What could be on his mind?

3

Oricine ar fi, nu deschide.

Whoever it is, don't open.

4

Ce-a fost a fost.

What was, was.

1

Cine-i cine în acest oraș?

Who is who in this city?

2

Ce-i drept, e drept.

What is true, is true.

3

Cine știe ce va urma?

Who knows what will follow?

4

Ce-ar putea fi mai bine?

What could be better?

Facile à confondre

Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce) vs Cine vs Care

Learners use Cine for selection.

Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce) vs Ce vs Că

Both sound similar in fast speech.

Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce) vs Ce vs Ceva

Learners use them interchangeably.

Erreurs courantes

✗

Ce este omul?

✓

Cine este omul?

Use Cine for people.
✗

Cine este pe masă?

✓

Ce este pe masă?

Use Ce for objects.
✗

Ce faci tu?

✓

Ce faci?

Subject pronoun is redundant.
✗

Cine carte?

✓

Ce carte?

Cine is a pronoun, not a determiner.
✗

Pe ce ai văzut?

✓

Pe cine ai văzut?

People take 'Pe cine'.
✗

Ce este acesta carte?

✓

Ce carte este aceasta?

Word order.
✗

Cine-i asta?

✓

Cine-i acesta?

Gender agreement.
✗

Cine ai văzut?

✓

Pe cine ai văzut?

Missing accusative marker.
✗

Ce vrei tu?

✓

Ce vrei?

Pro-drop is more natural.
✗

Cine este care a venit?

✓

Cine a venit?

Redundant structure.
✗

Ce-o fi aia?

✓

Ce-o fi aceea?

Register mismatch.
✗

Cine pe care a ajutat?

✓

Cine pe cine a ajutat?

Wrong pronoun.
✗

Ce-i drept, este drept.

✓

Ce-i drept, e drept.

Stylistic preference.

Structures de phrases

Cine este ___?

Ce este ___?

Pe cine ai ___?

Ce fel de ___ preferi?

Real World Usage

Social Media constant

Cine e online?

Texting constant

Ce faci?

Job Interview common

Cine va fi responsabil?

Travel common

Ce este acesta?

Food Delivery common

Ce ai comandat?

Classroom very common

Cine știe răspunsul?

💡

The Pet Rule

In Romania, even if your dog is your best friend, use ce to ask what he is. Using cine might make people think you're talking about a human in a costume!
⚠️

Don't Forget the Verb

Romanian questions need a verb to feel complete. Cine tu? sounds like caveman talk. Always add the verb: Cine ești tu?.
🎯

The 'Ce-i' Shortcut

Listen for Ce-i in fast conversation. It's just Ce este wearing a tracksuit. It's faster, easier, and makes you sound like a local.
💬

Polite Inquiry

When someone knocks, a quick Cine este? is perfectly polite. You don't need a long, formal sentence to be respectful here.

Smart Tips

Always use 'Cine'.

Ce este el? → Cine este el?

Always use 'Ce'.

Cine este pe masă? → Ce este pe masă?

Use 'Care' instead of 'Cine/Ce'.

Ce carte vrei? → Care carte o vrei?

Use contractions like 'Ce-i'.

Ce este asta? → Ce-i asta?

Prononciation

/ˈtʃi.ne/

Cine

Pronounced 'chee-neh'.

/tʃe/

Ce

Pronounced 'cheh'.

Question

Cine este? ↗

Rising intonation at the end.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Cine sounds like 'seen' (who have you seen?), Ce sounds like 'say' (what did you say?).

Association visuelle

Imagine a person wearing a 'Cine' badge and a box labeled 'Ce'.

Rhyme

Cine is for the people you see, Ce is for the things that be.

Story

Ion walks into a room. He asks 'Cine este aici?' (Who is here?). He sees a strange object and asks 'Ce este acesta?' (What is this?). He finds a note and says 'Ceva interesant!' (Something interesting!).

Word Web

CineCeCinevaCevaCareCând

Défi

Ask 5 people today 'Ce faci?' and 5 people 'Cine ești?' (if appropriate).

Notes culturelles

Asking 'Ce faci?' is a standard greeting, not just a literal question about activity.

Locals might use 'Ce-i' more frequently in daily speech.

Slightly different intonation patterns for questions.

Derived from Latin 'quis' (who) and 'quid' (what).

Amorces de conversation

“

Ce faci astăzi?

“

Cine este actorul tău preferat?

“

Ce ai mâncat ieri?

“

Cine crezi că va câștiga?

Sujets d'écriture

Write about your day using 'Ce'.
Describe a person you admire using 'Cine'.
Reflect on a mystery using 'Cine' and 'Ce'.
Write a dialogue between two people meeting.

Erreurs courantes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Test Yourself

Choose between 'Cine' or 'Ce' based on the context.

___ este la telefon?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cine
Since a person is usually on the other end of a phone call, we use 'Cine' (Who).
Identify the correct pronoun for an object.

___ vrei să bei?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ce
You are asking about a beverage (a thing), so 'Ce' (What) is the correct choice.
Select the pronoun for a group of people.

___ sunt acei oameni?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cine
Even for a group of people, 'Cine' is the correct pronoun for 'Who'.

Score: /3

Exercices pratiques

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

___ este acesta?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ce
It's an object.
Choose the correct pronoun. Choix multiple

___ vine la petrecere?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cine
It's a person.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Cine este pe masă?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ce este pe masă?
Objects take Ce.
Order the words. Sentence Building

este / cine / acesta

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cine este acesta?
Standard order.
Match the pronoun. Match Pairs

Person -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Cine
Cine is for people.
Fill in the blank.

Pe ___ ai văzut?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: cine
Accusative person.
Choose the correct one. Choix multiple

___ fel de mașină este?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ce
Ce fel de is standard.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Cine carte este a ta?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Care carte este a ta?
Care is for selection.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

Usually no, use Ce unless the pet is like a family member.

No, it stays Ce.

It's a contraction of 'Cine este'.

Use Cine if you suspect it's a person.

No, Care is for selection.

Cine ești?

No, that's 'că'.

Yes, but be careful with register.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Quién/Qué

Spanish has accent marks.

French high

Qui/Quoi

French has more complex inversion rules.

German moderate

Wer/Was

German pronouns decline for case more strictly.

Japanese low

Dare/Nani

Japanese is SOV.

Arabic low

Man/Ma

Arabic is VSO/SVO.

Chinese low

Shéi/Shénme

Chinese is tonal.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Question Words (Unde, Când)

Related Grammar Rules

A1

Question Words (Unde, Când)

Overview Imagine you are standing in the middle of a bustling street in Bucharest. You are hungry, you are a bit lost, a...
Was this helpful?

Commentaires (0)

Connectez-vous pour Commenter
Pas encore de commentaires. Soyez le premier à partager vos idées !