A1 문제 6 min read 쉬움

Question Words (Unde, Când)

Ask questions by placing unde or când first, followed immediately by the verb and then the subject.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'Unde' for location and 'Când' for time to turn any statement into a specific question.

  • Place 'Unde' at the start of the sentence to ask about location: 'Unde locuiești?'
  • Place 'Când' at the start of the sentence to ask about time: 'Când pleci?'
  • Keep the verb after the question word for standard word order: 'Unde este casa?'
Question Word (Unde/Când) + Verb + Subject/Object?

Overview

Imagine you are standing in the middle of a bustling street in Bucharest. You are hungry, you are a bit lost, and you really need to find a pharmacy. Or maybe you are meeting a new friend for coffee and need to know what time they will arrive.
In English, we rely on 'where' and 'when' to navigate these moments. In Romanian, your new best friends are unde and când. These two words are the absolute foundation of survival Romanian.
They help you navigate space and time like a local. Without them, you are just pointing at things and hoping for the best. With them, you are a traveler having a real conversation.
They are simple, powerful, and very easy to learn because they don't require the complex grammar 'gymnastics' that some other languages do. Let's get you ready to ask questions with confidence.

How This Grammar Works

Romanian is incredibly friendly to beginners when it comes to questions. Why? Because the word order is very straightforward.
In English, we often use auxiliary verbs like 'do' or 'does' (e.g., 'When does the train leave?'). In Romanian, we throw that extra baggage away. You don't need 'do', 'does', or 'did'.
You simply take the question word and follow it with the verb. Think of the question word as the engine of a train. It leads the way, and the verb is the very first car attached to it.
Everything else—the subject, the adjectives, the extra details—just follows behind. It is a straight, logical line. If you can say a basic sentence, you can ask a question.
Even native speakers appreciate this directness. It makes the language feel punchy and active. You spend less time worrying about 'helper' words and more time getting the information you actually need.

Formation Pattern

1
Building a question with unde or când is as easy as building a three-piece LEGO set. Follow these steps:
2
Choose your 'Key': Pick unde for locations or când for time.
3
Add the 'Action': Place your verb immediately after the question word. No 'do' or 'does' allowed!
4
Add the 'Subject': Put the person or thing you are asking about at the end of the phrase.
5
Add the 'Optional Topping': If you need to say 'from where' or 'until when', place a small word like de or până before the question word.
6
Pattern: [Question Word] + [Verb] + [Subject]?
7
Example: Unde + este + hotelul? (Where is the hotel?)
8
Example: Când + începe + filmul? (When starts the movie?)

When To Use It

You will use these words in almost every real-world scenario you encounter. Use unde when you are lost or looking for something. It works for physical locations like unde este muzeul? (where is the museum?) or for finding your misplaced keys.
It is also the go-to word for asking about someone's origin by adding de (from). Use când for any situation involving a clock, a calendar, or a season. Whether you are ordering food and want to know when it will be ready, or you are at a job interview asking when the position starts, când is your tool.
  • Ordering food: Când este gata mâncarea? (When is the food ready?)
  • Asking directions: Unde este stația de autobuz? (Where is the bus station?)
  • Meeting friends: Când vii la petrecere? (When are you coming to the party?)
  • Job context: Unde este biroul meu? (Where is my office?)

When Not To Use It

Don't use unde if you are actually asking 'how' to do something. For example, if you want to know the method of travel, use cum (how), not unde. Also, try not to use these words in isolation if you want to be polite.
Just barked 'Unde?' at someone is like pointing a finger; it's a bit rude. Always pair it with a verb like este to soften the tone. Furthermore, don't use când to mean 'if'.
In English, we sometimes mix these up in casual speech, but in Romanian, 'if' is strictly dacă. Finally, don't use unde for people. If you want to know 'who' someone is, you need cine.
Keep unde for places and când for times, and you’ll avoid most grammar traffic jams.

Common Mistakes

The most common mistake is forgetting the verb entirely. In English, we might lazily say 'Where the bathroom?'. If you say Unde toaleta? in Romanian, people will understand you, but it sounds like 'Me Tarzan, you Jane.' Always include the verb: Unde este toaleta?. Another classic slip-up is the 'English brain' adding extra words. Do not say Când face trenul pleacă? (trying to translate 'When does the train leave?'). Just say Când pleacă trenul?. Short, sweet, and correct. Also, watch out for the spelling of când. It has that special â in the middle. If you write it with a normal 'a', it’s technically a different sound. Think of the â as a little mountain you have to climb with your voice. Yes, even native speakers get lazy with spelling in texts, but you should aim for perfection!

Contrast With Similar Patterns

In English, we have 'Where' and 'Where from'. Romanian does the exact same thing but more consistently. We just snap a preposition onto the front. De unde means 'from where'. Până când means 'until when'. It’s like adding a topping to a pizza; the base stays the same, but the flavor changes.
  • English: Where are you? vs. Where are you from?
  • Romanian: Unde ești? vs. De unde ești?
One big difference to note: Romanian loves to put the subject at the very end of the question. While English says 'When is the concert?', Romanian says Când este concertul?. In this specific case, they match!
But if the verb is more complex, Romanian still prefers the subject at the end: Când pleacă trenul tău? (When leaves your train?). Keep that subject at the back of the line like it's waiting for bread in the 80s.

Quick FAQ

Q

Can I shorten unde este?

Yes! Locals say unde-i. It sounds much more natural in casual conversation.

Q

Is când used for 'since when'?

Yes, just add de to get de când.

Q

Does unde change if I'm talking to a boss?

No, the question word stays the same. Just change the verb to the formal version if needed.

Q

Why is there a hat on the 'a' in când?

That is a diacritic. It changes the sound to a deep 'uh' sound. Don't ignore the hat!

Meanings

These are interrogative adverbs used to elicit information regarding physical location (Unde) and temporal occurrence (Când).

1

Location

Asking for a place or destination.

“Unde este biblioteca?”

“Unde lucrezi?”

2

Time

Asking for a specific moment, date, or time.

“Când este examenul?”

“Când începe filmul?”

Question Word Structures

Question Word Meaning Verb Example
Unde Where este Unde este?
Unde Where mergi Unde mergi?
Unde Where locuiești Unde locuiești?
Când When este Când este?
Când When pleci Când pleci?
Când When ai timp Când ai timp?

Reference Table

Reference table for Question Words (Unde, Când)
Romanian Word English Meaning Common Example Context
Unde Where Unde este gara? Asking for directions
Când When Când este masa? Asking about schedules
De unde From where De unde ești? Asking about origins
Până când Until when Până când lucrezi? Asking about duration
Unde-i Where's Unde-i cheia? Casual/Shortened form
De când Since when De când ești aici? Asking about start time

격식 수준 스펙트럼

격식체
Unde mergeți?

Unde mergeți? (Asking about destination)

중립
Unde mergi?

Unde mergi? (Asking about destination)

비격식체
Unde te duci?

Unde te duci? (Asking about destination)

속어
Unde o ștergi?

Unde o ștergi? (Asking about destination)

Mapping Unde & Când

Question Words

Space (Unde)

  • Unde Where
  • De unde From where

Time (Când)

  • Când When
  • Până când Until when

English vs Romanian Structure

English (Auxiliary)
When DOES the bus leave? Uses 'does'
Romanian (Direct)
Când pleacă autobuzul? No extra words

How to Ask a Question

1

Is it about a place?

YES ↓
NO
Use 'Când' for time.
2

Do you have a verb?

YES ↓
NO
Stop! You need a verb like 'este'.

Quick Usage Guide

📍

Unde (Place)

  • • Muzeu
  • • Acasă
  • • Restaurant
⏰

Când (Time)

  • • Luni
  • • Diseară
  • • Ora 5
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Examples by Level

1

Unde este casa?

Where is the house?

2

Când este masa?

When is the meal?

3

Unde mergi?

Where are you going?

4

Când pleci?

When are you leaving?

1

Unde lucrezi în București?

Where do you work in Bucharest?

2

Când începe cursul de română?

When does the Romanian course start?

3

Unde ai pus cheile?

Where did you put the keys?

4

Când ne vedem la cafea?

When are we meeting for coffee?

1

Nu știu unde a plecat colegul meu.

I don't know where my colleague went.

2

Când vei avea timp, te rog să mă suni.

When you have time, please call me.

3

Unde s-a întâmplat accidentul?

Where did the accident happen?

4

Când a fost ultima dată când ai fost aici?

When was the last time you were here?

1

Unde să caut informații despre acest subiect?

Where should I look for information about this topic?

2

Când va fi finalizat proiectul, vom sărbători.

When the project is finished, we will celebrate.

3

Nu mi-a spus unde locuiește exact.

He didn't tell me exactly where he lives.

4

Când am ajuns, totul era închis.

When I arrived, everything was closed.

1

Unde ar putea fi mai bine decât aici?

Where could it be better than here?

2

Când o fi fost, nu mai contează.

Whenever it was, it doesn't matter anymore.

3

Unde s-o fi ascuns pisica?

Where could the cat have hidden?

4

Când te-ai fi așteptat mai puțin, a apărut.

When you least expected it, he appeared.

1

Unde-i lege, nu-i tocmeală.

Where there is law, there is no bargaining.

2

Când va fi să fie, se va întâmpla.

When it is meant to be, it will happen.

3

Unde-s mulți, puterea crește.

Where there are many, power grows.

4

Când ești în Roma, fă ca romanii.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Easily Confused

Question Words (Unde, Când) 대 Unde vs. De unde

Learners often use 'Unde' for origin.

Question Words (Unde, Când) 대 Când vs. Cât timp

Learners use 'Când' for duration.

Question Words (Unde, Când) 대 Unde vs. Încotro

Learners use 'Unde' for direction.

자주 하는 실수

✗

Unde tu ești?

✓

Unde ești?

Subject pronoun is redundant.
✗

Când este tu pleci?

✓

Când pleci?

Do not use 'este' as an auxiliary.
✗

Unde merge el la?

✓

Unde merge el?

No preposition needed at the end.
✗

Când este ora?

✓

Cât este ceasul?

Confusing 'when' with 'what time'.
✗

Unde el locuiește?

✓

Unde locuiește el?

Verb-subject order is preferred.
✗

Când ai tu timp?

✓

Când ai timp?

Unnecessary pronoun.
✗

Unde este situat casa?

✓

Unde este casa?

Over-complicating the sentence.
✗

Nu știu unde el merge.

✓

Nu știu unde merge.

Subject placement in subordinate clauses.
✗

Când am ajuns, eu am văzut.

✓

Când am ajuns, am văzut.

Redundant pronoun.
✗

Unde să eu merg?

✓

Unde să merg?

Verb conjugation implies the subject.
✗

Unde o fi fost el?

✓

Unde o fi fost?

Subject is implied.
✗

Când va fi să fie el gata.

✓

Când va fi să fie gata.

Subject is implied.
✗

Unde s-o fi dus el?

✓

Unde s-o fi dus?

Subject is implied.
✗

Când te-ai fi așteptat tu.

✓

Când te-ai fi așteptat.

Subject is implied.

Sentence Patterns

Unde este ___?

Când este ___?

Unde ___ tu?

Când ___ tu?

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Unde ești?

Travel very common

Unde este hotelul?

Social Media common

Când postăm?

Job Interview occasional

Când pot începe?

Food Delivery common

Unde este comanda?

Meeting Friends constant

Când ne vedem?

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💡

The 'Is' Shortcut

If you forget the verb for 'Where is...', just use Unde-i. It's one syllable and sounds like a pro.
⚠️

The 'Do' Trap

Never try to translate 'do' or 'does'. If you say 'Când face trenul pleacă', you're asking 'When does the train make leave', which makes zero sense.
🎯

Subject at the End

For the most natural rhythm, put the subject (the person or thing) after the verb. Când pleacă el? sounds better than Când el pleacă?.
💬

Polite Inquiries

Romanians are direct, but adding vă rog (please) after your question makes Unde este gara? sound much warmer.

Smart Tips

Always start with 'Unde'.

Casa este unde? → Unde este casa?

Always start with 'Când'.

Pleci când? → Când pleci?

Drop the subject pronoun.

Unde mergi tu? → Unde mergi?

Use these words as connectors.

Nu știu. Unde este? → Nu știu unde este.

발음

/ˈun.de/

Unde

Pronounced 'oon-deh'. Stress the first syllable.

/kɨnd/

Când

Pronounced 'kuhnd'. The 'â' is a central vowel.

Question Intonation

Unde mergi? ↗

Rising intonation at the end of the question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Unde sounds like 'under' (a place), Când sounds like 'can't' (I can't wait for the time).

Visual Association

Imagine a map for 'Unde' and a clock for 'Când'. Every time you say the word, visualize the object.

Rhyme

Unde pentru loc, Când pentru timp pe loc.

Story

Ion is lost. He asks 'Unde este gara?' (Where is the station?). He is late. He asks 'Când pleacă trenul?' (When does the train leave?). He finds his way and his time.

Word Web

UndeCândLocTimpÎntrebareVerb

챌린지

Write 5 questions using 'Unde' and 5 using 'Când' about your daily routine.

문화 노트

Romanians are very direct with these questions. It is not considered rude to ask 'Unde mergi?' to a friend.

Usage is identical to standard Romanian, though some regional accents might emphasize the 'â' in 'Când'.

Often adds a polite particle or uses slightly different verb forms, but 'Unde' and 'Când' remain standard.

Both words derive from Latin: 'Unde' from 'unde' and 'Când' from 'quando'.

Conversation Starters

“

Unde locuiești?

“

Când ai timp liber?

“

Unde ai vrea să călătorești?

“

Când a fost ultima ta vacanță?

Journal Prompts

Scrie despre locul tău preferat.
Scrie despre programul tău zilnic.
Descrie o călătorie ideală.
Reflectează asupra timpului tău liber.
Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Choose the correct word to ask about the location of the park.

___ este parcul?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unde
Unde is used for locations (Where), while când is for time.
Ask when the coffee is ready.

___ este gata cafeaua?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Când
Când is used for time-related questions (When).
Complete the informal question 'Where is the cat?'.

___ pisica?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unde-i
Unde-i is the contraction of unde este (where is).

Score: /3

연습 문제

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with Unde or Când.

___ este biblioteca?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unde
Library is a place.
Choose the correct question. 객관식

___ pleci?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Când
Leaving is an action related to time.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Unde tu ești?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unde ești?
Drop the pronoun.
Order the words. Sentence Building

este / unde / casa

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Unde este casa?
Question word + verb + subject.
Translate to Romanian. 번역

When do you work?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Când lucrezi?
When = Când.
Match the question to the answer. Match Pairs

Unde ești? - Acasă.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Correct
Unde asks for location.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: ___ pleci? B: Mâine.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Când
Mâine is a time.
Sort into categories. Grammar Sorting

Unde, Când, Cine, Ce

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Place, Time, Person, Object
Unde=Place, Când=Time.

Score: /8

자주 묻는 질문 (8)

No, it is usually dropped because the verb conjugation makes it clear.

No, 'Unde' is strictly for location.

No, it is neutral and used in all contexts.

Because the subject pronoun is redundant and changes the natural flow.

English uses 'do/does', Romanian does not.

Very few; these words are standard across all Romanian-speaking areas.

Yes, they act as connectors.

Ask yourself questions about your day using these words.

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

dónde/cuándo

Spanish often requires the subject pronoun more frequently than Romanian.

French high

où/quand

French often uses 'est-ce que' for questions, which Romanian does not.

German moderate

wo/wann

German word order is much more rigid than Romanian.

Japanese low

doko/itsu

Japanese question words are usually placed in the middle, not the start.

Arabic moderate

ayna/mata

Arabic has a different root system and gender agreement.

Chinese low

nǎlǐ/shénme shíhòu

Chinese question words stay in the same position as the answer.

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Interrogative Pronouns (Cine, Ce)
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Simple Negation (Nu)

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