Pronunciation and Spelling

Vowels (Vocalele)

Rumanian has 7 vowels: a, ă, â, e, i, î, o, u (note that phonetically â=î), that sounds very similar to their Italian counterpart (except for â/î). According to the manner of articulation the vowels are classified as:

• open: a;
• semi-open: ă [=], e, o;
• closed: â [=], i, î, u.

posterior or velar: o, u, ă, î; central: a; anterior or palatal: i, e. This represents a clearly triangular pattern (see the graph.)

Rumanian vowels are not reduced in unstressed position.

• A a = [a], as a in British English far, but without lengthening; cf.:
alb adj  white.

• Ă ă has two pronunciations:
• = [] (occurs in stressed positions), similar to u in American English cut, cf.:

măr f  apple.
• = [] (occurs in unstressed positions), as a in English coma, cf.:

fată f  girl.

• â = [] occurs in medial position only; it is very similar to the Polish y or Russian ery, it is articulated by pronouncing the u of American cut, followed by a glide (as y in English yet), so that both elements to be mixed in a single sound; â denotes the same sound as î (see below) and is written etymologically, cf.:
când adv (from L. quando) when;
câmp m (from L. campus) field.
Note: For a period in the 2nd half of the 20th century â was used only in words related with the name “România” (in all other cases was used î), but since 1993 â was reintroduced.

• E e is pronounced in three manners:
• = [e], a syllabic vocal like English e in pet, cf.:

plec v  (I) go;
• = [j]  (as y in English yet) occurs before <a> in the beginning of the word, cf.:

ea [ja] pron she; see also diphthongs.
• = [je] in initial position in the words eu, el, ei, ele (personal pronouns) and eşti, este, e, eram, erai, era, erati, erau (forms of the verb “to be”).
Note: E is mute in the groups <ce, ge, che, ghe> when followed by a vowel in the same syllable; see also c, g, ch, gh.

• I i  is pronounced in three manners:
• = [i], a vowel like the Engliish i in pit, cf.:

invit v  (I) invite;
• = [j], a semi-vowel like the Engliish y in yet, cf.:

boi mpl  oxen; see diphthongs.
• = [ⁱ], a very short, soundless, unsyllabic vowel after consonant in final position, cf.:

lupi mpl wolves;
trenuri npl trains.
Note: I is mute in the groups <ci, gi, chi, ghi> when followed by a vowel in the same syllable; see also c, g, ch, gh.

• Î î = [] denotes the same sound as â (see â) and is written etymologically, cf.:
a începe (from L. incipere) v  to begin;
înţeligenţă (from L. intelligentia) f  intelligence.

• O o = [o] as the English o in gold, cf.:
socru m  father-in-law.

• U u = [u] as the English u in put, cf.:
lung adj  long.

Diphthongs (Diftongii)
 

	Diphthong		Pronunciation		Examples
	ai		[aj]		mai adv more
	ăi		[j]		răi adj (mpl) bad
	âi		[j]		câine m dog
	ei		[ej]		vrei v (you) want
	ii		[ij]		fii mpl sons
			[ji]		ştiinţă f science
	oi		[oj]		apoi adv after
	ui		[uj]		spui v (you) say
	ia		[ja]		piatră f stone
	ie		[je]		femeie f woman
	io		[jo]		iobăgie m yoke
	iu		[ju]		iute adj pricky
			[iw]		fiu m son
	au		[aw]		stau v (they) stand
	ău		[w]		flăcău m young man
	âu		[w]		râu m river
	eu		[ew]		leu m lion
	ou		[ow]		birou m bureau, desk
	uu		[uw]		continuu adj continuous
	ua		[wa]		steaua f the star
	uă		[w]		nouă adj (f) new
	ea		[ea]		seară f evening.
	eo		[eo]		vreodată adv  never
	oa		[oa]		poartă f  door, frumoasă adj (f) beautiful

Triphthongs (Triftongii)
 

	Triphthongs		Examples
	[ea] + [j]		ceai m thea
	[ea] + [w]		vreau v (I) want
	[ja] + [j]		ştiai v (you) knew
	[ja] +[w]		iau v (I) take
	[je] + [j]		miei mpl lambs
	[oa] + [j]		englezoaică f English woman
	[j] +[oa]		vioară f violin

Consonants (Consoanele)

• B b = [b] as in English, cf.:
bogat adj  rich.
bou m  ox.

• C c is pronounced in two ways:
• = [k] in front of a consonant or a, ă, â, î, o, u; it sounds as the English c in cast, cf.:

casă f  house;
cămilă f camel;
câmp n field;
cocoş m cock;
culă f round tower;
clar adj clear.
• = [t] before e, i;  it sounds as the English ch in check, chicken etc., cf.:

cer n  sky;
cine pron who;
Note: e and i are not pronounced if followed by another vowel, cf.:
ceas [tas] n  hour;
ciorap [to'rap] m  sockings.
Note: See also the digraph ch.

• D d = [d] as in English, cf.:
datorită prep due to.

• F f = [f] as in English, cf.:
frate m brother.

• G g (as c) is pronounced in two ways:
• = [g] in front of a consonant or a, ă, â, î, o, u; it sounds as the English g in gold, cf.:

galben adj yellow;
dragoste f  love;
pagubă f  loss;
glas n voice, melody, vote;
• = [d] before e, i;  it sounds as the English g in gem, gin etc., cf.:

gemă f gem;
pagină f page.
Note: e and i are not pronounced if followed by another vowel, cf.:
giuvaer [du-] n  false jewel;
Note: See also the digraph gh.

• H h = [x], as the Scottish ch in loch, cf.:
haide! interj come on!
hotări v (inf) to decide.
Note: H does not sound in the groups <che, chi, ghe ghi>. See the digraphs ch, gh.

• J j = [], as the English s in measure, vision..., cf.:
jelanie f sorrow;
joc m  game.

• L l = [l] as in English, cf.:
lac m  lake;
lacom adj avid, greedy.

• M m = [m] as in English, cf.:
mamă f  mother;
om m  man.

• N n = [n] as in English, cf.:
noroc n destiny, chance;
nume n  name.

• P p = [p] as in English, cf.:
pădure f forest;
prieten m friend.

• R r = [r] is always a tap, cf.:
roză f  rose.

• S s = [s] as in English, cf.:
soare m  sun;
soră f  sister.

• Ş ş = [] as the English sh in shop, cf.:
şase num.  six.

• T t = [t] as in English, cf.:
tată m  dad.
lucrator m  worker.

• Ţ ţ = [ts] as the English ts in assets or curtsy, cf.:
ţară f  land.

• V v = [v] as in English, cf.:
verde adj  green;
vorbă f  word.

• X x is pronounced in two manners:
• = [gz] in initial ex- followed by a vowel, cf.:

exemplu m  example;
exerciţiu m   exercice.
• = [ks] in all other cases, cf.:

axă f  axis;
taxi m  taxi.

• Z z = [z]  as in English, cf.:
zi m  day.

• drag adj dear   vs.  drac m devil;
• corb m raven   vs.  corp n body, corpse.

After the palatal vowels [e, i] the consonants are palatalized. The alternation of the final non-palatalized / palatalized consonants (in front of mute final i) discerns singular / plural of the nouns and 1st / 2nd person sg. of the present ndicative, cf.:
 

[r] => [r’] [n] => [n’] [l] => [l’] [m] => [m’] [ts] => [ts’] [p] => [p’] [] => [’] [] => [’] [v] => [v’] [b] => [b’]

bulgar m (sg) Bulgarian prieten m (sg) friend maşină f (sg) machine spăl vt (pres. ind. 1p. sg) (I) wash vamă f (sg) custom house hoţ m (sg) thief lup m (sg) wolf grijă f (sg) care cocoş m (sg) cock brav adj (m sg) brave întreb vt (pres. ind. 1p. sg) (I) ask

bulgari m (pl) Bulgarians prieteni m (pl) friends maşini f (pl) machines speli vt (pres. ind. 2p. sg) (you) wash vami f (pl) custom houses hoţi m (pl) thieves lupi m (pl) wolves griji f (pl) cares cocoşi m (pl) cocks bravi adj (m pl) brave întrebi vt (pres. ind. 2p. sg) (you) ask

Consonantic Digraphs

• ch = [k’] is written in front of e or i; it is pronounced as the English k in kept or kill, cf.:
cheie ['k’eje] key;
chip [k’ip] image, visage.

• gh = [g’] is written in front of e or i; it is pronounced as the English g in get or give, cf.:
ghem [g’em] sphere, orb;
gheaţă ['g’eats] ice.

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