The definite article in Romanian is
attached at the end of the word.
Definite article in the singular
For a masculine noun ended into a
consonant, the definite article is "l".
This letter is attached at the end of the noun and it is preceded by
the vowel "u".
Băiatul
= băiat + u + l
(engl. the boy)
Studentul
= student + u + l
(engl. the boy)
Bărbatul
= bărbat + u + l
(engl. the man)
If the masculine noun ends in the vowel
"e",
the definite article is "le".
Fratele
= frate + le
(engl. the brother)
Câinele
= câine + le
(engl. the dog)
For a feminine word, the definite
article is "a".
If the last letter of the feminine word
is "ă",
"ă"
turns into "a"
(fată → fata)
Fata
= fată + a
(engl. the girl, fr. la fille)
If the last letter of the feminine word
is "e"
and "e"
is preceded by a consonant, the definite article "a"
is added at the end of the word (carte→ cartea,dragoste → dragostea).
Cartea
= carte + a
(engl. the book)
Dragostea
= dragoste + a
(engl. the love)
If the last letter of the feminine word
is "e"
and "e"
is preceded by a vowel, the last vowel "e"
turns into "a"
(femeie → femeia,lămâie → lămâia).
Femeia
= femeie + a
(engl. the women)
Lămâia
= lămâie + a
(engl. the lemon)
For some words ended in "ea"
or "a"
the definite article "a"
is preceded by the consonant "u"
(cafea → cafeaua,cafenea → cafeneaua).
Cafeaua
= cafea + u + a
(engl. the coffee)
Canapeaua
= canapea + u + a
(engl. coffee shop)
For a neuter noun, the definite article
has the same forms as for a masculine noun and obeys to the same
rules and restrictions as a masculine word:
-l
(preceded by "u"
if the nouns ends into a consonant)
-le
(if the noun ends in "e").
Telefonul
= telefon + u + l
(engl. the phone)
Obiectul
= obiect + u + l
(engl. the object)
Spatele
= spate + le
(engl. the back)
Definite article in the plural
For a masculine noun, the definite
article is "i"
and it is added at the end of the word. The article is preceded by
the plural ending.
Băieții
= băieți + i
(engl. the boys)
Frații
= frați + i
(engl. the brothers)
For a feminine word, the definite
article "le"
is added at the end of the word, after the plural ending.
Fetele
= fete + le
(engl. the girls)
Mamele
= mame + le
(engl. the mothers)
The definite article for a neuter word
is the same as for a feminine word - "le".
The article is attached after the plural ending.
Obiectele
= obiecte + le
(engl. the objects,)
Computerele
= computere + le
(engl. the computers)
Indefinite article in the singular
The indefinite article is attached in
front of the word. For a masculine and a neuter noun the article is
"un"
and for a feminine word the article is "o".
un băiat (engl. a boy)
o fată (engl. a girl)
un loc (engl. a place)
Indefinite article in the plural
The indefinite article in the plural is
the same for all the genders - "niște"
and it is attached in front of the noun. The noun has to be in the
plural.
article
