Understanding Romanian Conjunctions: Coordinating and Subordinating for English Speakers

What Are Conjunctions in Romanian?

Conjunctions are words that connect clauses, sentences, or words in Romanian, just like in English. They help to link ideas and make sentences more complex and interesting.

Coordinating Conjunctions in Romanian

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal importance. They are essential for combining ideas smoothly.

Common Romanian coordinating conjunctions include:

• şi (and)
• sau (or)
• dar (but)
• iar (and/but)
• ci (but rather)

Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

- Vreau să merg la piaţă şi să cumpăr fructe. (I want to go to the market and buy fruits.)

- Poți alege ce vrei, sau poți să nu alegi nimic. (You can choose what you want, or you can choose nothing.)

Subordinating Conjunctions in Romanian

Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, showing a relationship such as cause, time, condition, or purpose.

Common Romanian subordinating conjunctions include:

• pentru că (because)
• deşi (although)
• dacă (if)
• când (when)
• că (that)
• înainte să (before)

Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions

- Nu am venit pentru că eram bolnav. (I didn't come because I was sick.)

- O să plecăm când se termină ploaia. (We will leave when the rain stops.)

Tips for Using Romanian Conjunctions

• Remember that some conjunctions can have multiple meanings depending on context.
• Practice combining sentences using both coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
• Pay attention to word order changes after subordinating conjunctions, as Romanian syntax can differ from English.