A1 Expression 비격식체

Stai aici

Stay here

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A direct way to tell a friend or child to remain in their current location while you do something else.

  • Means: 'Stay here' or 'Wait here' in an informal setting.
  • Used in: Meeting friends, shopping, or giving directions to family.
  • Don't confuse: With 'Locuiește aici', which means 'to live/reside here'.
📍 + 👤 + ⏳ = Stai aici

Explanation at your level:

At this level, 'Stai aici' is a basic survival phrase. It consists of a simple verb and a location word. You use it to tell a friend to wait for you. It is very easy to learn because it is short and the words are used in their most basic forms. Just remember it is for friends only!
At the A2 level, you begin to use 'Stai aici' with time expressions, such as 'Stai aici cinci minute' (Stay here five minutes). You also learn the negative form 'Nu sta aici' (Don't stay here) and the formal version 'Stați aici'. You understand that this phrase is specifically for physical locations and not for living in a house.
Intermediate learners use 'Stai aici' within complex sentences involving conjunctions. For example, 'Stai aici până când mă întorc eu cu biletele' (Stay here until I return with the tickets). You start to recognize the difference between 'stai' and 'rămâi' (remain) and can choose the right one based on whether you want someone to wait or to stay behind.
At B2, you understand the pragmatic force of the imperative. You know that 'Stai aici!' with a sharp intonation is a command, while 'Stai aici...' with a rising intonation can be an invitation or a plea. You can use it figuratively in arguments or emotional discussions to mean 'don't abandon this conversation'. You also master the use of 'să stai' as a softer alternative.
Advanced learners analyze 'Stai aici' through the lens of Romanian's Latin roots and its contrast with Slavic influences. You understand how the verb 'a sta' functions in various idioms and how 'Stai aici' fits into the broader system of Romanian spatial deictics. You can use the phrase to create specific rhetorical effects in writing or storytelling, playing with the directness of the imperative.
At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of the subtle sociolinguistic implications of 'Stai aici'. You can identify regional variations in pronunciation and usage. You understand the cognitive linguistics behind the verb 'a sta'—how the concept of 'standing' evolved into 'staying' and how this reflects a specific Balkan-Romance worldview of stability and presence. You can use the phrase with perfect prosody to convey authority, intimacy, or urgency.

뜻

Telling someone to remain in a place.

🌍

문화적 배경

In Romania, personal space is often smaller than in Northern Europe. Telling someone 'Stai aici' might be accompanied by a light touch on the arm to guide them to the spot. In villages, 'stai' is often used to mean 'wait' in a broader sense, like 'Wait, let me tell you something'. It's a way to pause a conversation. Young people in cities like Cluj or Bucharest might use 'Stai chill' (Stay chill), blending Romanian with English slang to mean 'Relax' or 'Don't worry'. Romanians are very fond of their dogs. 'Stai aici' is the first command taught in almost every puppy school, usually followed by 'Șezi' (Sit).

💡

Add 'un pic'

Adding 'un pic' (a bit) after 'Stai aici' makes the command sound much softer and more natural.

⚠️

Watch the 'i'

If you forget the 'i' in 'stai', you are saying 'he/she stays', which will confuse people.

뜻

Telling someone to remain in a place.

💡

Add 'un pic'

Adding 'un pic' (a bit) after 'Stai aici' makes the command sound much softer and more natural.

⚠️

Watch the 'i'

If you forget the 'i' in 'stai', you are saying 'he/she stays', which will confuse people.

🎯

The 'Măi' Factor

Use 'Stai aici, măi' with close friends to sound like a local, but never use 'măi' with strangers.

셀프 테스트

Fill in the missing word to tell your friend to stay here.

________ aici, te rog!

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Stai

Since you are talking to a friend (informal), 'Stai' is the correct imperative form.

Which sentence is the most appropriate for a formal situation (e.g., speaking to a doctor)?

How do you say 'Stay here' formally?

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Stați aici, vă rog.

'Stați' is the formal/plural form, and 'vă rog' adds necessary politeness.

Complete the dialogue between two friends.

Andrei: Mă duc să iau apă. Elena: Bine, eu ________ aici cu bagajele.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: stau

Elena is saying 'I am staying', so she needs the first person singular present indicative 'stau'.

Match the phrase to the correct situation.

Match 'Nu sta aici!'

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Telling someone it's a bad place to wait.

'Nu sta aici' is the negative imperative, used as a warning or instruction not to remain.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

When to use 'Stai aici'

👫

Friends

  • • Waiting at a cafe
  • • Holding a spot in line
  • • Shopping together
🐕

Pets

  • • Training
  • • At the door
  • • In the park
🏠

Family

  • • With children
  • • At home
  • • During travel

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

It depends on the tone and who you are talking to. With friends, it's normal. With strangers, use 'Stați aici, vă rog'.

You can say 'Stau la hotel' (I am staying at a hotel), but you wouldn't use the command 'Stai aici' to mean 'Live in this hotel'.

The plural form is 'Stați aici'. Use this for two or more people.

You say 'Stai aici cu mine'.

'Stai' is more about waiting/not moving. 'Rămâi' is about staying behind when others leave.

Yes, it is the most common command for dogs in Romania.

Usually, yes. 'Aici stai' is possible but sounds very emphatic or angry.

Use 'Nu sta aici'. Note that 'stai' loses the 'i' in the negative singular imperative.

Yes, very often. 'Stai acolo, vin eu' (Stay there, I'm coming) is a common text.

Yes, it can mean 'Stand here' if the person is currently standing.

관련 표현

🔗

Rămâi aici

similar

Remain here

🔗

Așteaptă aici

similar

Wait here

🔗

Pleacă de aici

contrast

Go away from here

🔗

Stai așa

specialized form

Stay like that / Wait a second

어디서 쓸까?

🛍️

At the Mall

Andrei: Stai aici cu plasele, eu mă duc la baie.

Elena: Bine, dar grăbește-te!

informal
🐕

With a Pet

Stăpân: Rex, stai aici! Nu te mișca.

Rex: (Latră fericit)

informal
☕

Meeting a Friend

Mihai: Stai aici la masă, mă duc să iau cafelele.

Radu: Perfect, ia-mi un cappuccino.

informal
🙈

Playing Hide and Seek

Copil 1: Tu stai aici și numeri până la zece.

Copil 2: Unu, doi, trei...

informal
🎸

At a Concert

Ioana: Stai aici să nu pierdem locul în față!

Matei: Nu plec nicăieri, e trupa mea preferată.

informal
📸

Photo Opportunity

Turist: Stai aici sub copac, lumina e perfectă.

Prieten: Așa e bine? Zâmbesc?

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'STAtue'—it has to 'STAI' (stay) in one place. 'Aici' sounds like 'I see'—'I see you stay here!'

Visual Association

Imagine a bright red 'X' on the ground with a person standing on it, and a speech bubble coming from you saying 'Stai aici!'. The 'X' marks the spot where they must stay.

Rhyme

Stai aici, nu fi arici! (Stay here, don't be a hedgehog/don't be prickly!)

Story

You are at a busy Romanian market (Piața Obor). You find a great spot for 'mici' (grilled sausages). You tell your friend, 'Stai aici!', so you don't lose the table while you go buy the mustard.

Word Web

a staaiciacolorămâiașteaptălocoprireprezent

챌린지

Next time you are with a friend or a pet, use 'Stai aici' instead of 'Wait here'. Try to say it with three different emotions: urgent, friendly, and bored.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Quédate aquí

Romanian doesn't use a reflexive pronoun for this basic command.

French high

Reste ici

French 'reste' is a cognate of 'rămâi', while Romanian 'stai' is a cognate of 'station'.

German high

Bleib hier

German has a distinct formal 'Bleiben Sie hier', similar to Romanian 'Stați aici'.

Japanese moderate

ここにいて (Koko ni ite)

The word order is reversed compared to Romanian.

Arabic high

ابق هنا (Ibqa huna)

Arabic imperatives change significantly based on the gender of the person addressed.

Chinese partial

就在这里 (Jiù zài zhèlǐ)

Chinese focuses on the state of being at a location rather than the action of staying.

Korean moderate

여기 있어 (Yeogi isseo)

Korean uses different levels of politeness (honorifics) which are even more complex than Romanian's tu/dumneavoastră.

Portuguese high

Fica aqui

Portuguese 'fica' comes from Latin 'figicare' (to fix), while Romanian 'stai' comes from 'stare' (to stand).

Easily Confused

Stai aici 대 Locuiește aici

Learners think 'stay' always means 'live'.

Use 'stai' for minutes/hours, 'locuiește' for months/years.

Stai aici 대 Stă aici

Sounds almost identical to 'Stai aici'.

Listen for the 'i' sound at the end. 'Stă' is a statement (He stays), 'Stai' is a command.

자주 묻는 질문 (10)

It depends on the tone and who you are talking to. With friends, it's normal. With strangers, use 'Stați aici, vă rog'.

You can say 'Stau la hotel' (I am staying at a hotel), but you wouldn't use the command 'Stai aici' to mean 'Live in this hotel'.

The plural form is 'Stați aici'. Use this for two or more people.

You say 'Stai aici cu mine'.

'Stai' is more about waiting/not moving. 'Rămâi' is about staying behind when others leave.

Yes, it is the most common command for dogs in Romania.

Usually, yes. 'Aici stai' is possible but sounds very emphatic or angry.

Use 'Nu sta aici'. Note that 'stai' loses the 'i' in the negative singular imperative.

Yes, very often. 'Stai acolo, vin eu' (Stay there, I'm coming) is a common text.

Yes, it can mean 'Stand here' if the person is currently standing.

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