Introduction to Romanian Language
Romanian Alphabet
The Romanian Alphabet
The Romanian alphabet is your first step into the language, and it's built on a familiar foundation. It uses the Latin script, just like English, so you'll recognize almost all the letters. In total, there are 31 letters. That's the standard 26 you already know, plus five special characters with unique sounds.
The best part is that Romanian words aren’t that hard to pronounce, as most of them are spelled exactly how they are written.
This phonetic consistency is a huge advantage. Once you learn the sound for each letter, you can confidently pronounce almost any word you see. Many letters sound just like their English counterparts, making your job even easier.
| Letter | Pronunciation Guide |
|---|---|
| B, b | Like 'b' in bat |
| D, d | Like 'd' in dog |
| F, f | Like 'f' in fish |
| H, h | Like 'h' in hat (but softer, sometimes almost silent) |
| L, l | Like 'l' in lamp |
| M, m | Like 'm' in man |
| N, n | Like 'n' in nose |
| P, p | Like 'p' in pen |
| V, v | Like 'v' in van |
| Z, z | Like 'z' in zoo |
The vowels are also straightforward. Unlike in English, they don't change their sounds as often. They are pure and consistent.
- A, a sounds like the 'a' in ah or father.
- E, e sounds like the 'e' in bed.
- I, i sounds like the 'ee' in see.
- O, o sounds like the 'o' in go.
- U, u sounds like the 'oo' in moon.
Some consonants change their sound depending on the vowel that follows, which is a key rule to remember. The letters 'C' and 'G' are the main ones to watch.
When followed by 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant:
- C sounds like 'k' in cat.
- G sounds like 'g' in goat.
When followed by 'e' or 'i':
- C sounds like 'ch' in cheese.
- G sounds like 'j' in gem.
The Special Characters
Now for the five letters unique to Romanian. These characters might look new, but their sounds are simple to master with a little practice. They are essential for correct pronunciation.
diacritic
noun
A mark, point, or sign added or attached to a letter or character to distinguish it from another of similar form, to give it a particular phonetic value, or to indicate stress.
Here are the five letters with diacritics and how to pronounce them.
| Letter | Sound | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ă, ă | /ə/ | The unstressed 'a' sound in about or sofa. It's a very relaxed, neutral vowel. |
| Â, â & Î, î | /ɨ/ | This sound doesn't exist in most English dialects. It's like the 'i' in ill, but made with your tongue pulled back toward the center of your mouth. |
| Ș, ș | /ʃ/ | The 'sh' sound in shoe or shy. |
| Ț, ț | /ts/ | The 'ts' sound at the end of cats or hats. |
You might wonder why there are two letters, 'â' and 'î', for the same sound. The rule is simple: 'â' is used in the middle of words, while 'î' is used at the beginning or end. The word for Romania itself, România, uses 'â'.
A quick recap: most letters are familiar, vowels are pure, and the five special characters give Romanian its unique flavor. Master these sounds, and you're well on your way.
Let's test what you've learned about the Romanian alphabet.
How many letters are in the Romanian alphabet?
The Romanian vowel 'a' is pronounced like the 'a' in the English word 'cat'.
With these fundamentals, you are now ready to start recognizing and pronouncing Romanian words.