Romanian is a Romance language with Slavic influences, making it both familiar and intriguing for travellers. Whether you're hiking in the Carpathians or exploring Bucharest’s Old Town, these 25 words will help you navigate daily interactions smoothly.
Greetings & Basics
Bună
/bun/“Hello”
The standard greeting, used any time of day.
Mulțumesc
[mult͡suˈmi]“Thank you”
Essential for polite interactions. The informal version is 'mersi' (pronounced like French 'merci').
Da / Nu
/da/ /nu/“Yes / No”
Short and straightforward, just like in English.
Getting Around
Unde este...?
/ˈun.de ˈjes.te/“Where is...?”
Use this to ask for directions, e.g., Unde este gara? (Where is the train station?).
Stație de autobuz
/ˈsta.t͡si.e de a.u.toˈbuz/“Bus stop”
Handy for public transport.
Aeroport
[a.e.ɾo.ˈpoɾt]“Airport”
Pronounced similarly to the English word.
Food & Drink
Apă
/ˈa.pə/“Water”
Specify apă minerală (mineral water) or apă plată (still water).
Meniu
[meˈniw]“Menu”
Useful in restaurants.
Ceai
/t͡ʃe̯aj/“Tea”
Romania has great herbal teas – try ceai de munte (mountain tea).
Shopping & Money
Cât costă?
/kɨt ˈkos.tə/“How much does it cost?”
A must for markets and small shops.
Bon
/bon/“Receipt”
Often requested in shops.
Leu
/lew/“Romanian currency”
The plural is lei.
Emergencies & Help
Ajutor!
/a.ʒuˈtor/“Help!”
Hopefully you won’t need this, but good to know.
Poliție
/poˈlit͡si.e/“Police”
For emergencies, dial 112.
Farmacie
/far.maˈt͡ʃi.e/“Pharmacy”
Useful if you need medication.
Nature & Adventure
Munte
/ˈmun.te/“Mountain”
Romania’s Carpathians are stunning.
Pădure
/ˈpə.du.re/“Forest”
Home to bears and wolves – hike cautiously.
Lac
/lak/“Lake”
Romania has beautiful glacial lakes.
Romanian is phonetic, so words are pronounced as they’re spelled. If you’re unsure, just ask: Poți să repeți, te rog? (Can you repeat, please?).
For more travel phrases, check out our guide to Estonian for Travelers or Swedish Travel Phrases.
