Expressing 'to be' (a fi)

01

The Present Forms

• eu sunt - I am
• tu ești - you are
• el / ea este (often shortened to e) - he / she / it is
• noi suntem - we are
• voi sunteți - you are (plural / polite)
• ei / ele sunt - they are

The eu and ei/ele forms are both sunt; the pronoun or context tells them apart. In speech este is very often reduced to e.

02

One Verb, Not Two

If you know Spanish, Italian or Portuguese, note an important simplification: Romanian has no split like ser vs. estar. The single verb a fi covers permanent identity and temporary state alike.

• Sunt student.

  I am a student.

• Ea este obosită.

  She is tired.

• Unde ești?

  Where are you?

• E ora nouă.

  It is nine o'clock.

03

Leaving Out 'a / an'

After a fi, the indefinite article is usually dropped in front of a job or role, where English keeps "a":

• Sunt bucătar.

  I am a cook.

• El este doctor.

  He is a doctor.

04

A Helper Verb Too

A fi also works as a helper in forms you will meet later, such as the past conditional aș fi mers (I would have gone). Note, though, that the everyday past ("I ate", "I have eaten") is built with a avea, not a fi.