Advanced Romanian Syntax: Understanding Subordinate Clauses for English Speakers

What Are Subordinate Clauses in Romanian?

In Romanian, subordinate clauses are dependent clauses that cannot stand alone and are used to provide additional information to the main clause. They are essential for forming complex sentences and expressing nuanced ideas.

Types of Subordinate Clauses

Romanian subordinate clauses can be categorized into several types, including:

• Relative clauses
• Complement clauses
• Adverbial clauses

Relative Clauses in Romanian

Relative clauses provide more information about a noun in the main clause. They are introduced by relative pronouns such as care (who, which, that) or ce (what). For example:
Cartea care este pe masă este a mea. (The book that is on the table is mine.)

Complement Clauses

Complement clauses function as the object or subject of a verb and are often introduced by conjunctions like că (that). For example:
Știu că el vine mâine. (I know that he is coming tomorrow.)

Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses modify the verb in the main clause and express time, cause, condition, or purpose. Common conjunctions include când (when), pentru că (because), dacă (if). For example:
Voi pleca când va sosi trenul. (I will leave when the train arrives.)

Word Order and Verb Placement in Subordinate Clauses

Unlike English, Romanian subordinate clauses often follow a different word order, especially with verb placement. The verb typically appears towards the end of the clause, which is important to remember when constructing sentences.

For example:
El a spus că mâine va pleca. (He said that tomorrow he will leave.) Notice how the verb va pleca (will leave) comes at the end of the subordinate clause.

Using Subjunctive Mood in Subordinate Clauses

Romanian frequently uses the subjunctive mood in subordinate clauses to express wishes, doubts, or commands. The subjunctive is often introduced by conjunctions like să. For example:
Vreau să merg la piață. (I want to go to the market.)

The subjunctive verb form is crucial in advanced Romanian syntax and differs from English verb forms, so learners should practice recognizing and using it correctly.

Common Conjunctions Introducing Subordinate Clauses

Here are some common Romanian conjunctions used to introduce subordinate clauses:

• că (that)
• dacă (if)
• pentru că (because)
• deși (although)
• când (when)
• înainte să (before)
• după ce (after)
• ca să (so that)

Examples of Complex Sentences with Subordinate Clauses

Let's look at some examples combining different types of subordinate clauses:

• El crede că va ploua mâine. (He believes that it will rain tomorrow.)
• Fata care poartă rochia roșie este sora mea. (The girl who is wearing the red dress is my sister.)
• Vom pleca după ce terminăm munca. (We will leave after we finish the work.)
• Îți spun să fii atent. (I tell you to be careful.)

Tips for English Speakers Learning Romanian Subordinate Clauses

• Pay attention to the conjunctions introducing subordinate clauses; they often differ from English.
• Practice the verb placement, especially placing verbs towards the end of the clause.
• Learn the subjunctive mood forms as they are frequently used in subordinate clauses.
• Use relative pronouns correctly to form relative clauses.
• Read and listen to complex Romanian sentences to get familiar with natural usage.