Guide · Language
Romanian in 16 phrases.
Most young people in Bucharest speak good English, but a few Romanian phrases go a long way. Romanian is a Latin language, so if you know some Italian, Spanish or French, many of them will look familiar.
Hello & goodbye
Come on, let's go. You'll hear it all day long.
Good day. The polite hello in shops and restaurants.
Hi, between friends or with younger people.
Goodbye / bye.
Being polite
Thank you.
Please.
Excuse me, sorry.
Yes / no.
Eating & drinking
Still water, without bubbles.
Sparkling water. In Romania, "minerală" means fizzy, so don't order it if you want still water.
Enjoy your meal.
Cheers! It also means luck.
The bill, please.
Getting around
How much is it?
Where is…?
Entrance / exit, on signs everywhere.
Pronunciation in one minute
Like the "a" in "about".
The same sound: a short "uh" from the back of the throat.
"sh", as in "shop".
"ts", as in "cats".
"che / chi", as in "cheese".
"ke / ki", as in "kettle".