Capitalization Rules in Romanian for English Speakers

Understanding Capitalization in Romanian

Capitalization in Romanian follows specific rules that differ in some ways from English. Knowing when to use capital letters is essential for writing correctly and respectfully in Romanian.

Capitalizing the First Word of a Sentence

Just like in English, the first word of every sentence in Romanian is capitalized. This rule is straightforward and applies universally.

Capitalization of Proper Nouns

Proper nouns, such as names of people, places, and organizations, are capitalized in Romanian. For example, Maria, București, and Universitatea București all start with capital letters.

Days of the Week and Months

Unlike English, Romanian does not capitalize the names of days of the week or months of the year unless they begin a sentence. For example, luni (Monday) and ianuarie (January) are written in lowercase.

Languages and Nationalities

In Romanian, names of languages and nationalities are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. For example, română (Romanian language) and american (American) are lowercase.

Titles and Headings

In titles and headings, only the first word and any proper nouns are capitalized. This differs from English title case. For example, Istoria României (The History of Romania) capitalizes only the first word and the proper noun.

Religious Terms and Holidays

Names of religions and religious holidays are capitalized in Romanian. For example, Creștinism (Christianity) and Paște (Easter) are capitalized.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations and acronyms are usually written in uppercase letters, similar to English. For example, ONU (United Nations) and UE (European Union).

Summary of Key Capitalization Differences

• Days of the week and months are lowercase unless at the start of a sentence.
• Languages and nationalities are lowercase unless at the start of a sentence.
• Religious terms and holidays are capitalized.
• Titles capitalize only the first word and proper nouns.