How to Use Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives in Romanian

Understanding Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives in Romanian

Interrogative pronouns and adjectives are essential in Romanian for forming questions. They help you ask about people, things, places, and reasons. Unlike English, Romanian interrogatives change form depending on gender, number, and case, so it's important to learn their variations.

What Are Interrogative Pronouns?

Interrogative pronouns replace the noun in a question. For example, in English, "Who is there?" uses the interrogative pronoun "who". In Romanian, these pronouns vary by gender and number.

Common Romanian interrogative pronouns include:

• cine (who) – used for people, singular and plural
• ce (what) – used for things or concepts
• care (which) – used to ask about choice or selection

What Are Interrogative Adjectives?

Interrogative adjectives modify a noun and ask questions about it, similar to "which" or "what" in English when they describe a noun. In Romanian, these adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

Examples of Romanian interrogative adjectives:

• ce (what) – e.g., Ce carte? (What book?)
• care (which) – e.g., Care carte? (Which book?)

Detailed List of Romanian Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives

Let's look at the most common interrogative pronouns and adjectives with examples.

1. Cine (Who) – Interrogative Pronoun

Used to ask about people. It does not change with gender or number.

Example: Cine este acolo? (Who is there?)

2. Ce (What) – Interrogative Pronoun and Adjective

Used to ask about things or concepts. As a pronoun, it stands alone; as an adjective, it modifies a noun.

Examples:

• Pronoun: Ce este asta? (What is this?)
• Adjective: Ce carte citești? (What book are you reading?)

3. Care (Which) – Interrogative Pronoun and Adjective

Used to ask about choice or selection. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it refers to.

Examples:

• Pronoun: Care este preferata ta? (Which one is your favorite?)
• Adjective: Care carte îți place? (Which book do you like?)

Agreement and Usage Tips

Romanian interrogative adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they modify. For example:

• Masculine singular: Care băiat? (Which boy?)
• Feminine singular: Care fată? (Which girl?)
• Masculine plural: Care băieți? (Which boys?)
• Feminine plural: Care fete? (Which girls?)

Interrogative pronouns like cine and ce do not change form.

Common Questions Using Interrogative Pronouns and Adjectives

Here are some typical questions you might ask in Romanian using interrogative pronouns and adjectives:

• Cine este profesorul? – Who is the teacher?
• Ce vrei să mănânci? – What do you want to eat?
• Care este adresa ta? – What is your address?
• Ce carte citești? – What book are you reading?

Practice Examples