Question
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Chara2
21 dic 2018

  • Inglese (Stati Uniti)
  • Rumeno
  • Spagnolo (Spagna)
  • Irlandese
Domande Rumeno

When do you use cel/cea/cei/cele? Is there some grammar thing that I am missing? I would love to understand when to use these words, and some examples would be helpful. Mulțumesc!

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Hannahmiriam
21 dic 2018

  • Rumeno
I now realise that they are unusual for an English speaker because in all these cases you would use "the", "the one" or "the (+ adj. +) one", but in Romanian it is not a definite article. I won't go into all the details of the "grammar thing" as they are too complex to be explained here, but I will tell you when it is use. First, you should know that the four forms are for the gender and the number: "cel" is masculine or neutral singular, "cea" is feminine singular, "cei" is masculine plural, and "cele" is feminine plural. Secondly, they are in Nominative-Accusative. There are different forms for Dative-Genitive (celui - m+n sg, celei - f sg, celor - m+f+n pl). In Romanian they are demonstratives or adjectivals (articles or pronouns), while when translated into English they all become a definite article (or "the (+adj.+) one". 😂 In Romanian, these forms contain the definite article in themselves (they are all definite forms). I will use some examples found on the internet. When it comes before an adjective, replacing a noun, it functions like a pronoun, but it needs the adjective that comes after. Mie îmi place culoarea roșie, lui cea galbenă. (I like red (while) he likes yellow). A word by word translation into English would be: "I like the red color, to him THE yellow ONE." (the...one replaces "the color") It can appear: a. Before an adjective "cel mare" - the big/the great (one), "cea bună" - the big/ the great (one) "cei deștepți" - the smart (ones) "cele frumoase" - the beautiful (ones) b. Before a numeral "cei trei (frați)" - the three (brothers) "cea de-a doua" - the second one c. As part of the superlative (adjectives/adverbs) "cei mai bogați" - THE most rich "cele mai frumoase" - THE most beautiful "Eu/ei/ele vorbesc cel mai tare." - I/they speak THE loudest When used as an adverb, the form is the same for all persons/numbers, "cel". Some set adverbial phrases like "cel mai târziu" - at the latest (lit. THE latest) "în cel mai bun caz" - best case scenario (lit. in the best case) d. They are part of proper... kings/conquerors' nicknames Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great) Sejong the Great would become Sejong cel Mare As I said, it can replace a noun, but you've probably noticed that there are cases (like the one above) when it appears together with one. "omul cel bun" - THE good man "fata cea înaltă" - THE tall girl In these cases it helps one identify the person in question among many other people who share some of the same features (the tall one among the girls you know/see). Some more examples: "cea de acolo" - THE ONE over there "cel de ieri" THE ONE from yesterday "cea care plânge" - lit. THE ONE who is crying I haven't realised it before, but we use it quite a lot. There might be things that I have forgotten, so feel free to ask.

I now realise that they are unusual for an English speaker because in all these cases you would use "the", "the one" or "the (+ adj. +) one", but in Romanian it is not a definite article. I won't go into all the details of the "grammar thing" as they are too complex to be explained here, but I will tell you when it is use.
First, you should know that the four forms are for the gender and the number: "cel" is masculine or neutral singular, "cea" is feminine singular, "cei" is masculine plural, and "cele" is feminine plural. Secondly, they are in Nominative-Accusative. There are different forms for Dative-Genitive (celui - m+n sg, celei - f sg, celor - m+f+n pl).
In Romanian they are demonstratives or adjectivals (articles or pronouns), while when translated into English they all become a definite article (or "the (+adj.+) one". 😂
In Romanian, these forms contain the definite article in themselves (they are all definite forms).
I will use some examples found on the internet.
When it comes before an adjective, replacing a noun, it functions like a pronoun, but it needs the adjective that comes after.
Mie îmi place culoarea roșie, lui cea galbenă. (I like red (while) he likes yellow). A word by word translation into English would be: "I like the red color, to him THE yellow ONE." (the...one replaces "the color")

It can appear:
a. Before an adjective
"cel mare" - the big/the great (one),
"cea bună" - the big/ the great (one)
"cei deștepți" - the smart (ones)
"cele frumoase" - the beautiful (ones)

b. Before a numeral
"cei trei (frați)" - the three (brothers)
"cea de-a doua" - the second one

c. As part of the superlative (adjectives/adverbs)
"cei mai bogați" - THE most rich
"cele mai frumoase" - THE most beautiful
"Eu/ei/ele vorbesc cel mai tare." - I/they speak THE loudest
When used as an adverb, the form is the same for all persons/numbers, "cel".
Some set adverbial phrases like
"cel mai târziu" - at the latest (lit. THE latest)
"în cel mai bun caz" - best case scenario (lit. in the best case)

d. They are part of proper... kings/conquerors' nicknames
Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great)
Sejong the Great would become Sejong cel Mare

As I said, it can replace a noun, but you've probably noticed that there are cases (like the one above) when it appears together with one.
"omul cel bun" - THE good man
"fata cea înaltă" - THE tall girl
In these cases it helps one identify the person in question among many other people who share some of the same features (the tall one among the girls you know/see).

Some more examples:
"cea de acolo" - THE ONE over there
"cel de ieri" THE ONE from yesterday
"cea care plânge" - lit. THE ONE who is crying

I haven't realised it before, but we use it quite a lot. There might be things that I have forgotten, so feel free to ask.

Utente esperto
Chara2
21 dic 2018

  • Inglese (Stati Uniti)
That help so much! Before I just thought that cel/cea/cei/cele was the word “the” because it seemed like it. But then I thought “wait, Romanian doesn’t have “the”, that’s why they use -ul at the end of masculine nouns sometimes(I know there are different things for different nouns).” So this helps a lot! I can not express my gratitude over this website but I will try. Mulțumesc mult! Mulțumesc mult! Mulțumesc mult! :)))
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Hannahmiriam
21 dic 2018

  • Rumeno

Honestly, I used to think that Romanian is easy, but then I realised that it is not easy even for native speakers. I would not want to learn it as a foreign language, so I can only admire the few people who do. Keep it up! As I told another user, it's one of the few things I can do for my country, so don't hesitate to ask. 😉

Utente esperto
Chara2
21 dic 2018

  • Inglese (Stati Uniti)
I won’t!😁 @Hannahmiriam
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Mosseyy
1 mag 2023

  • Inglese (Regno Unito)

Hi @Hannahmiriam - could I please ask a follow up question (5 years later - lol)? If we take the following sentence:

“He has the biggest tomato”

Is the cel/cea chosen on the basis of the gender of the “He” who has the tomato, or on the gender of the noun “tomato”?

Or if we say: “She is the most beautiful person”, is the cel/cea chosen based on the gender of the woman in question, or the gender of the noun “person”?

I’m not very good with grammar terminology, but I think I am asking whether the cel/cea form is based on the gender of the subject or object of the sentence?

Many thanks! Will

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