Start here: Romanian basics in minutes
Romanian (romanian) is a Romance language, so many words feel familiar to English speakers via French, Italian, or Latin. That’s a big win for any beginner. Focus your first sessions on greetings, numbers, and survival phrases you’ll use every day.
Pronunciation is friendlier than it looks. Vowels are clear and steady; pay attention to ă, â, and î. The letter c sounds like “ch” before e/i and “k” elsewhere. Stress often falls near the end of a word. Start small: mimic short phrases, then read them aloud slowly until they flow.
- Hello/Good day; goodbye; please; thank you; sorry
- Yes/no; I am; you are; my name is…
- Numbers 1–10; prices; time
- Common places: station, pharmacy, supermarket
- Polite starters: Could you…, I would like…, Where is…
Free ways to learn Romanian online
You can learn a lot for free. Combine audio, text, and light grammar to keep things balanced. Look for beginner playlists, podcast snippets with transcripts, open textbooks, and public-domain readers. Many sites offer printable pdf phrasebooks and conjugation tables at no cost.
Use a bilingual dictionary with audio, a spaced-repetition flashcard app, and a simple note system. When possible, pick resources that align around the same topic in a given week (e.g., travel, food) so new words repeat across formats.
- Short video lessons with captions (repeat at 0.75x speed)
- Beginner podcasts + transcript for shadowing
- Open educational resources (OER) and grammar pdf handouts
- Online dictionaries with audio and example sentences
- Community forums or language exchange for quick feedback
A 15-minute daily routine for beginners
Small, consistent sessions beat marathon study. This routine fits into busy days and keeps you moving. If you have more time, double a step rather than adding new ones. The goal is to build confidence, not cram.
Track what you did and a single win each day. After a week, review your notes and recycle any tricky phrases. You’ll be surprised how much a few focused minutes add up.
- 3 minutes: Review yesterday’s flashcards (10–15 items).
- 5 minutes: Listen to a short clip, then shadow it once.
- 4 minutes: Speak out loud—introduce yourself, ask for something, or read a mini-dialogue.
- 2 minutes: Micro-grammar—one pattern (definite article, present tense, prepositions).
- Bonus: Keep a one-line journal in romanian to recycle today’s words.
Pronunciation and grammar: the essentials
Sounds first: keep vowels short and clean. Practice ă (like a relaxed ‘uh’) and î/â (a central vowel). c + e/i = “ch,” g + e/i = “j” (as in “measure”). Read slowly, pausing at syllables, then increase speed.
Core grammar is friendlier than it seems. Romanian marks the definite article at the end of nouns (băiatul = the boy, fata = the girl). Present-tense verbs are regular enough to get you speaking fast. Gender (masculine/feminine), plural endings, and basic prepositions are early wins. Word order is usually Subject–Verb–Object, and “nu” makes negatives.
- Learn the article-in-suffix idea early: it unlocks real texts.
- Focus on present tense; add past tense when everyday phrases feel easy.
- Memorize 50 high-frequency verbs and 100 core nouns.
- Shadow native audio to fix rhythm and stress from day one.
Cheat sheets, pdfs, and a simple checklist
Create a one-page pdf cheat sheet to anchor your study. Keep it minimal so you actually use it. It should cover all the basics you reach for when speaking: greetings, key verbs, and starter phrases with blanks you can swap.
Print it or save it offline on your phone for quick review on buses, lines, or coffee breaks. Update it weekly: delete what feels easy and add new phrases from your current theme.
- Top 20 phrases (polite requests, introductions, directions).
- Present-tense patterns for 5 must-have verbs (to be, to have, to go, to want, to like).
- Numbers, days, time cues (today, tomorrow, now, later, minutes).
- Definite article examples (singular/plural) at a glance.
- Personal details template: name, nationality, phone, email, address.
FAQ
- Can I really learn Romanian free and online?
- Yes. Use beginner video lessons, podcasts with transcripts, OER grammar notes, and open-source pdf sheets. Mix listening, speaking, and a few flashcards to keep progress steady.
- How many minutes a day should beginners study?
- Aim for 15–20 minutes daily. That’s enough to review, listen, and speak briefly. If you miss a day, do a single 10-minute catch-up instead of cramming.
- Is Romanian hard for English speakers?
- Not especially. It’s a Romance language, so many words look familiar. Pronunciation is consistent, and beginner grammar is approachable once you see the article-at-the-end pattern.
- Should I start with grammar or phrases?
- Start with phrases for confidence, then attach light grammar to what you say. Learn a pattern, use it immediately, and repeat it in real or simulated conversations.
- Where can I get a useful pdf for the basics?
- Search for public-domain phrasebooks, OER courses, or university language pages offering beginner pdf handouts. If you can’t find one, build your own one-page cheat sheet from your core phrases.