Greetings and Basic Expressions in Romanian

Overview

Greetings and basic expressions are the very first words you will use in Romanian, and they establish the social foundation for all communication that follows. Romanian, like many European languages, has a clear distinction between formal and informal registers, and choosing the right greeting signals respect, familiarity, and social awareness. Getting this right from the A1 level is essential because Romanians are attentive to appropriate formality in social interactions.

Romanian greetings have Latin roots and share similarities with Italian and other Romance languages. The core expressions — bună ziua (good day), mulțumesc (thank you), te rog (please) — are used millions of times daily across Romania and Moldova. They are the building blocks of polite interaction in shops, restaurants, offices, and on the street.

Beyond simple greetings, this concept covers essential survival phrases: how to thank someone, apologize, ask for help, and say goodbye. These expressions function as complete conversational units that you can use immediately, even before you learn any grammar. They are your first toolkit for real communication in Romanian.

How It Works

Greetings by Time of Day

Romanian	English	When to Use
Bună dimineața!	Good morning!	Until around 10-11 AM
Bună ziua!	Good day!	Standard daytime greeting (formal)
Bună seara!	Good evening!	From late afternoon onward
Noapte bună!	Good night!	When parting for the night
Bună!	Hi!	Informal, any time
Salut!	Hi! / Bye!	Informal, any time (also used for goodbye)

Formal vs. Informal

Context	Greeting	Response
Formal (stranger, elder, official)	Bună ziua!	Bună ziua!
Informal (friend, peer, child)	Bună! / Salut!	Bună! / Salut!
Formal inquiry	Ce mai faceți? (How are you?)	Bine, mulțumesc. Dumneavoastră?
Informal inquiry	Ce faci? (How are you?)	Bine, tu?

Essential Polite Expressions

Romanian	English	Register
Mulțumesc.	Thank you.	Universal
Mulțumesc foarte mult!	Thank you very much!	Universal
Cu plăcere.	You're welcome. / With pleasure.	Universal
Te rog.	Please.	Informal
Vă rog.	Please.	Formal
Scuze.	Sorry.	Informal
Scuzați. / Scuzați-mă.	Excuse me. / I'm sorry.	Formal
Îmi pare rău.	I'm sorry. (expressing regret)	Universal

Goodbye Expressions

Romanian	English	Register
La revedere!	Goodbye!	Formal
Pa!	Bye!	Informal
Salut!	Bye!	Informal
Pe mâine!	See you tomorrow!	Informal
Pe curând!	See you soon!	Universal
O zi bună!	Have a nice day!	Universal

Useful Survival Phrases

Romanian	English
Da.	Yes.
Nu.	No.
Vorbesc puțin română.	I speak a little Romanian.
Nu înțeleg.	I don't understand.
Puteți să repetați?	Can you repeat? (formal)
Cum se spune...?	How do you say...?
Ce înseamnă...?	What does ... mean?

Examples in Context

Romanian	English	Note
Bună ziua! Ce mai faceți?	Good day! How are you?	Formal greeting + inquiry
Bine, mulțumesc. Dumneavoastră?	Fine, thanks. And you?	Formal response
Salut! Ce faci?	Hi! How are you?	Informal greeting
Bine, mersi! Tu?	Fine, thanks! You?	Informal response (mersi = casual "thanks")
Mulțumesc foarte mult!	Thank you very much!	Expressing strong gratitude
Scuzați, puteți să mă ajutați?	Excuse me, can you help me?	Formal request for help
Îmi pare rău că întârzii.	I'm sorry I'm late.	Expressing regret
La revedere! O zi bună!	Goodbye! Have a nice day!	Formal parting
Pa pa! Pe mâine!	Bye bye! See you tomorrow!	Informal parting
Nu înțeleg. Puteți vorbi mai încet?	I don't understand. Can you speak more slowly?	Survival phrase
Vorbesc doar puțin română.	I only speak a little Romanian.	Setting expectations
Da, vă rog.	Yes, please.	Polite acceptance (formal)

Common Mistakes

Using bună ziua with friends.

• Wrong: Bună ziua, Maria! (to a close friend your age)
• Right: Bună, Maria! or Salut, Maria!
• Why: Bună ziua is formal. Using it with close friends or peers sounds stiff and distant. Reserve it for strangers, elders, and professional settings.

Using te rog in formal situations.

• Wrong: Te rog, domnule profesor. (using informal "please" with a professor)
• Right: Vă rog, domnule profesor.
• Why: Te rog uses the informal second person. In formal address, use vă rog, which matches dumneavoastră.

Responding to ce faci? with a detailed answer.

• Wrong: Launching into a lengthy description of your day.
• Right: Bine, mulțumesc! (Fine, thanks!) or Bine, tu?
• Why: Like "How are you?" in English, Ce faci? is primarily a social greeting. A brief, positive response is expected in most contexts.

Forgetting to greet and going straight to business.

• Wrong: Walking into a shop and immediately asking a question.
• Right: Bună ziua! first, then your question.
• Why: Romanians consider it impolite to skip the greeting. Always say bună ziua (or the appropriate greeting) before making a request or starting a conversation.

Usage Notes

Romanian social interaction places significant importance on greetings. Entering a shop, office, elevator, or waiting room typically involves greeting everyone present with bună ziua. Failing to greet is considered rude, even between strangers.

The informal mersi (from French merci) is widely used alongside mulțumesc in casual settings. Both are perfectly acceptable, though mulțumesc carries a more genuinely Romanian character and is preferred in formal contexts.

Sărut mâna (literally "I kiss your hand") is a traditional respectful greeting still used, particularly by men addressing older women or by children addressing adults. While it may sound archaic, it remains current in many social circles and is considered charming rather than old-fashioned.

In Moldova, you may hear noroc (literally "luck") used as a casual greeting equivalent to salut.

Practice Tips

• Practice the formal/informal pair for each expression: te rog / vă rog, ce faci / ce faceți, scuze / scuzați. Being able to switch between registers instantly is a key social skill.
• Role-play entering and leaving a shop: greet (bună ziua), make a request (vă rog), thank (mulțumesc), and depart (la revedere). This micro-conversation covers most survival situations.
• Listen to how Romanians greet each other in videos or podcasts, paying attention to the warmth and rhythm of the exchange. Mimicking the natural flow will make your greetings sound authentic.

Related Concepts

This is a standalone foundational concept with no strict prerequisites or direct grammar dependencies. It connects naturally to all other A1 topics as you begin forming sentences with the verbs a fi and a avea and applying the formal/informal distinction throughout the language.