Bun venit to our Romanian language course! The Romanian language has a rich history, and its unique blend of Slavic and Latin influences makes it a fascinating language to learn. It’s a Romance language spoken by approximately 24 million people worldwide, primarily in Romania and Moldova, but also heard in Ukraine, Hungary, Greece, Serbia & Montenegro, the US, and elsewhere.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Romania, have recently moved there, or are simply looking to expand your linguistic knowledge, here are five things you need to know about Romanian:
Romanian has a complex grammar system that includes multiple verb conjugations and noun declensions. However, it also shares many similarities with other Romance languages, such as Italian and Spanish, which makes it easier to pick up if you already speak one of these languages, and vice versa!
Our Romanian course completes our Romance language list—you can now learn Spanish (Central American and European), Italian, French, Portuguese (Brazilian and European), and Romanian with Drops!
Romanian vocabulary is heavily influenced by Latin and Slavic languages and includes many loanwords from French and Turkish. The language also has its own unique words and expressions that are not found in other languages. In the Introduction to Romanian topic, we include phrases like sărumâna, which is a respectful greeting in Romania for an elderly female you pay respect to, e.g. aunt, grandmother, or teacher.
Romanian pronunciation is relatively straightforward; the stress is usually placed on the second syllable of a word. The language uses a combination of Latin and Slavic letters, and its spelling is highly phonetic, making it easier to learn than many other languages.
Not only can learning Romanian help you learn Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese, but additionally, knowing Romanian can be a valuable skill in a business setting. Romania has a rapidly growing economy and is a member of the European Union.
I asked a couple of our Romanian team members here at Drops why someone should learn Romanian and they said whether you’re planning a trip to Romania or have recently relocated there, learning the language is a great way to connect with locals and spark meaningful conversation. “It’s also fun to confuse people, like ‘what language is that? Is she speaking Italian or Russian?’” she added.
Supporting Ukrainian Refugees in Romania
At Drops, we believe in the power of connecting through language. In the last year, over 98,000 Ukrainians have fled to Romania. Part of our vision in creating this course was to continue our support of Ukrainian refugees by helping them feel more at ease in their new surroundings. We hope this course will not only help refugees but also help Romanians access the Ukrainian course as well.
Romanian is a fascinating and unique language that offers many benefits for language learners. Whether you’re interested in the country’s rich history and culture, or simply want to communicate with its people, learning Romanian is a great way to expand your horizons. Give it a try today!
Chelsea Roden (she/they) is the Head of Learning Content at Drops where they develop and curate courses in 46 languages. Previously she worked in educational publishing and taught language and writing courses. They’re currently based in Germany.
