Existential Constructions in Romanian

Overview

When you want to say "there is" or "there are" in Romanian, you have two main options: the verb a fi (to be) in its forms este (singular) and sunt (plural), or the verb a exista in its form există. These existential constructions are among the first structures you need as an A1 learner — they let you talk about what is present, available, or located somewhere.

Unlike English, Romanian does not use a dummy word like "there" to introduce existential sentences. You can simply begin with the verb: Este o farmacie pe strada asta (There is a pharmacy on this street). The word order is flexible, but placing the verb first is the most natural way to announce the existence of something.

The form există is slightly more formal and emphasizes existence itself rather than location. It works for both singular and plural without changing form: Există o soluție (There is a solution), Există multe soluții (There are many solutions). At the A1 level, este/sunt will cover most of your needs, but recognizing există is useful from the start.

How It Works

Este / Sunt (There Is / There Are)

Number	Form	Example
Singular	este (or short: e)	Este un parc aici. (There is a park here.)
Plural	sunt	Sunt multe magazine. (There are many shops.)

Există (There Exists / There Exist)

Există does not change for number:

Number	Form	Example
Singular	există	Există o problemă. (There is a problem.)
Plural	există	Există diferențe. (There are differences.)

Forming Questions

To ask whether something exists, use question intonation or invert word order:

Type	Example
Intonation	Este un bancomat aici? (Is there an ATM here?)
Inversion	Sunt locuri libere? (Are there free seats?)
With există	Există un restaurant bun? (Is there a good restaurant?)

Negation

Place nu before the verb:

• Nu este nimeni acasă. — There is nobody at home.
• Nu sunt probleme. — There are no problems.
• Nu există scuze. — There are no excuses.

Examples in Context

Romanian	English	Note
Este o pisică pe masă.	There is a cat on the table.	Location
Sunt trei copii în parc.	There are three children in the park.	Number + location
E apă în frigider?	Is there water in the fridge?	Short form e
Nu este lapte.	There is no milk.	Negation
Sunt multe mașini pe stradă.	There are many cars on the street.	Quantity
Există un tren direct?	Is there a direct train?	Travel context
Nu există loc de parcare.	There is no parking space.	Negation with există
Este cineva acolo?	Is someone there?	Asking about presence
Sunt flori în grădină.	There are flowers in the garden.	Description
Există diferențe între ele.	There are differences between them.	Abstract existence
Nu sunt bilete disponibile.	There are no tickets available.	Negation
Este un mesaj pentru tine.	There is a message for you.	Communication

Common Mistakes

Using sunt for singular existential statements

• Wrong: Sunt o carte pe masă.
• Right: Este o carte pe masă.
• Why: Sunt is for plural. With a singular noun, use este (or e).

Adding a word for "there"

• Wrong: Acolo este un parc aici. (using acolo as English "there")
• Right: Este un parc aici.
• Why: Romanian does not need a filler word for "there" in existential sentences. Acolo means "over there" as a real location word, not a grammatical placeholder.

Forgetting number agreement with este/sunt

• Wrong: Este multe restaurante.
• Right: Sunt multe restaurante.
• Why: When the noun is plural, use sunt. Only există stays invariable for number.

Usage Notes

In casual spoken Romanian, e almost always replaces este: E frig (It's cold), E bine (It's fine). This short form is perfectly acceptable in everyday communication.

The choice between este/sunt and există carries a subtle difference. Este/sunt is neutral and everyday — use it for concrete things and locations. Există has a slightly more abstract or emphatic feel — it stresses that something truly exists. Compare: Este o soluție (There's a solution — here it is) versus Există o soluție (A solution exists — don't worry).

Practice Tips

• Describe your room: Look around and list what exists: Este un pat. Sunt două ferestre. Este un laptop pe birou. This builds vocabulary while drilling the structure.
• Ask existence questions when traveling: Practice asking Este un/o... aici? for things you need — Este o toaletă aici? Este un bancomat aproape?

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Verb 'A Fi' (To Be) — existential este/sunt is built directly on the conjugation of a fi
• Next steps: Basic Prepositions — combine existential structures with location prepositions for richer descriptions