How to Form Yes/No Questions in Romanian for English Speakers

Understanding Yes/No Questions in Romanian

In Romanian, yes/no questions are typically formed by intonation, word order, or by adding question particles. Unlike English, Romanian does not always require auxiliary verbs to form questions. This article will guide English speakers through the common ways to form yes/no questions in Romanian.

Using Intonation to Form Yes/No Questions

One of the simplest ways to form a yes/no question in Romanian is by using a rising intonation at the end of a statement. The word order remains the same as in a declarative sentence, but the speaker's tone indicates a question.

For example:

• Tu mergi la piață. – You are going to the market.
• Tu mergi la piață? – Are you going to the market?

Inverting Subject and Verb

Another common method is to invert the subject and the verb, similar to English. This inversion signals a question without changing the intonation much.

Example:

• El vorbește românește. – He speaks Romanian.
• Vorbește el românește? – Does he speak Romanian?

Using the Question Particle "-nu?"

Romanian often uses the question tag -nu? at the end of a statement to form a yes/no question, similar to "isn't it?" or "right?" in English. This particle expects a positive answer.

Example:

• Tu vii la petrecere, nu? – You are coming to the party, aren't you?

Using the Question Particle "oare"

The particle oare can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to express doubt or to form a yes/no question, often adding a nuance of curiosity or uncertainty.

Example:

• Oare el știe răspunsul? – Does he know the answer?

Common Question Words for Yes/No Questions

While yes/no questions do not require question words, sometimes words like este (is), are (has), or poate (can) are used at the beginning to form questions.

Example:

• Este el acasă? – Is he at home?
• Poate ea veni? – Can she come?

Summary of Yes/No Question Formation in Romanian

• Use rising intonation without changing word order.
• Invert the subject and verb for clarity.
• Add the question particle '-nu?' at the end for confirmation.
• Use 'oare' at the beginning to express doubt or curiosity.
• Start with verbs like 'este' or 'poate' to form direct questions.