Understanding Romanian Vowels and Consonants for English Speakers

Overview of Romanian Sounds

Romanian is a Romance language with a rich system of vowels and consonants. Understanding these sounds is essential for English speakers learning Romanian to improve pronunciation and comprehension.

Romanian Vowels

Romanian has seven vowel sounds, which are generally pure and pronounced clearly. These vowels are: a, e, i, o, u, ă, and â/î. The last two vowels, ă and â/î, are unique to Romanian and can be challenging for English speakers.

• a – pronounced like 'a' in 'father'
• e – pronounced like 'e' in 'bed'
• i – pronounced like 'ee' in 'see'
• o – pronounced like 'o' in 'more'
• u – pronounced like 'oo' in 'boot'
• ă – pronounced like 'a' in 'sofa' (a schwa sound)
• â / î – pronounced like a close central unrounded vowel, similar to the 'i' in 'bird' (in non-rhotic accents)

Special Romanian Vowels: ă, â, and î

The vowel ă is a mid-central vowel, similar to the English schwa sound. It appears in words like măr (apple). The vowels â and î represent the same sound, a close central unrounded vowel, which does not exist in English. The letter î is used at the beginning or end of words, while â is used inside words.

Romanian Consonants

Romanian consonants are mostly similar to those in English, but there are some important differences and special sounds to note.

• ș – pronounced like 'sh' in 'shoe'
• ț – pronounced like 'ts' in 'cats'
• ch – pronounced like 'k' in 'cat'
• gh – pronounced like 'g' in 'go'
• j – pronounced like 's' in 'measure'
• c before 'e' or 'i' – pronounced like 'ch' in 'church'
• g before 'e' or 'i' – pronounced like 'j' in 'judge'

Consonant Pronunciation Tips

The letters ș and ț are unique Romanian letters with diacritics. They represent the sounds /ʃ/ and /ts/ respectively. The letters c and g change their pronunciation before front vowels e and i, similar to Italian or French.

Pronunciation Practice Examples

Common Pronunciation Challenges for English Speakers

English speakers often struggle with the Romanian vowels ă and â/î, as well as the consonants ș and ț. Practicing these sounds with native speakers or audio resources can greatly improve your Romanian pronunciation.