The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Romanian
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Romanian. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 65 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | Bună ziua | BU-nah ZI-wah |
| Hello (informal) | Salut | sa-LUT |
| Goodbye | La revedere | la re-ve-DE-re |
| Thank you | Mulțumesc | mul-tsu-MESK |
| Please | Vă rog | vuh ROG |
| Yes | Da | DA |
| No | Nu | NU |
| Sorry | Scuze | SKU-zeh |
| I don't understand | Nu înțeleg | nu in-tse-LEG |
| Do you speak English? | Vorbiți engleză? | vor-BITS en-GLE-zeh? |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Bună dimineața | BU-nă di-mi-NEA-ța |
| Good evening | Bună seara | BU-nă SE-a-ra |
| How are you? | Ce mai faci? | CHE mai FATS' |
| My name is… | Mă numesc… | Mă nu-MESK… |
| Nice to meet you | Îmi pare bine | ÎM PA-re BI-ne |
| I am from Israel | Sunt din Israel | SUNT din IS-ra-el |
| See you | Ne vedem | NE ve-DEM |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | Unde este poarta? | UN-deh ES-teh PO-ar-tah? |
| Is the flight delayed? | Zborul este întârziat? | ZBO-rul ES-teh in-tir-zi-YAT? |
| Boarding pass | Cartă de îmbarcare | KAR-teh de im-bar-KA-reh |
| My suitcase did not arrive | Bagajul meu nu a sosit | ba-GA-zjul ME-u nu a so-SIT |
| I have a connecting flight | Am un zbor de legătură | AM un ZBOR de le-gă-TU-reh |
| Window seat | Loc la fereastră | LOK la fe-REAS-tra |
| Aisle seat | Loc la culoar | LOK la ku-LO-ar |
| Where is passport control? | Unde este controlul pașapoartelor? | UN-deh ES-teh kon-TRO-lul pa-sha-PO-ar-te-lor? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please | La această adresă, vă rog | la ah-CHES-tah ah-DRE-sah, vah ROG |
| How much to the center? | Cât costă până în centru? | kət KOS-teh PI-nah in CHEN-tru |
| One ticket to... | Un bilet către... | un bi-LET KE-treh |
| Which platform? | Care peron? | KA-reh pe-RON |
| Where is the bus station? | Unde este stația de autobuz? | UN-deh ES-teh STAH-tzi-yah deh ah-oo-to-BOOZ |
| Stop here, please | Opriți aici, vă rog | o-PRITSH ah-EETSCH, vah ROG |
| Is it far? | Este departe? | ES-teh de-PAR-teh |
| Turn left/right | Întoarceți la stânga/dreapta | in-TWAR-tsets lah STIN-gah/DREAP-tah |
| Straight | Drept înainte | drept in-ai-IN-teh |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation. | Am o rezervare. | AM o re-ZER-va-reh. |
| Check-in / Check-out | Check-in / Check-out | CHEK-IN / CHEK-OUT |
| Is breakfast included? | Micul dejun este inclus? | MI-kul de-ZHUN ES-te in-KLUS? |
| Room key | Cheia camerei | KE-ya KA-me-rei |
| Wi-Fi password | Parola Wi-Fi | pa-RO-la VAI-FAI |
| Can I leave my luggage? | Pot să las bagajele? | POT se LAS ba-GA-zhe-leh? |
| The air conditioner doesn't work. | Aerul condiționat nu funcționează. | AI-e-rul kon-DI-tsyo-nat nu funk-tsyo-NEA-zeh. |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Table for two | O masă pentru doi | o MA-sah PEN-tru doi |
| The menu, please | Meniul, vă rog | me-NI-ul vă ROG |
| What do you recommend? | Ce recomandați? | che re-ko-man-DATZ |
| The bill, please | Nota de plată, vă rog | NO-ta de PLA-ta vă ROG |
| Tap water | Apă de la robinet | A-pa de la ro-bi-NET |
| I have a nut allergy | Sunt alergic la nuci | sunt a-LER-gik la NUTZ |
| No meat | Fără carne | FE-ra KAR-ne |
| It was excellent | A fost excelent | a FOST ek-she-LENT |
| Can I pay by card? | Pot plăti cu cardul? | pot plă-TI ku KAR-dul |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | Cât costă? | KUT KOS-tah? |
| It's too expensive. | E prea scump. | eh PREH-ah SKOOMP. |
| Do you accept credit cards? | Acceptați carduri de credit? | ahk-TSEHP-tahts' KAR-doo-ree deh KREH-deet? |
| I'm just looking. | Doar mă uit. | DWAR meh OO-eet. |
| Can I have a receipt? | Pot primi un bon? | poht PREE-mee oon BON? |
| Where is an ATM? | Unde este un bancomat? | OON-deh ES-teh oon ban-ko-MAT? |
| A smaller size. | O mărime mai mică. | oh meh-REE-meh my MEE-kah. |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Romanian | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Ajutor! | a-ZHU-tor! |
| Call a doctor. | Chemați un doctor. | khe-MATZ oon DOK-tor. |
| Call the police. | Chemați poliția. | khe-MATZ po-LI-tzi-ya. |
| Where is a pharmacy? | Unde este o farmacie? | UN-deh ES-teh o far-ma-TZI-yeh? |
| I don't feel well. | Nu mă simt bine. | nu mah SIMT BI-neh. |
| I'm lost. | M-am pierdut. | mam PIER-dut. |
| I need a hospital. | Am nevoie de un spital. | am ne-VO-yeh deh oon spi-TAL. |
| It hurts here. | Mă doare aici. | mah DVO-a-reh a-YITCH. |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Romanian?
"Mulțumesc" (mul-tsu-MESK). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Romanian do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Romanian is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Romanian as an official language?
Romanian is a main language in 2 countries: Moldova, Romania.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"Vorbiți engleză?" (vor-BITS en-GLE-zeh?) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data