If you are planning a trip to Romania or Moldova, it is useful to learn how to greet people in Romanian. Since this is a language characterized by both formal and informal greetings, find out how to find the most appropriate one based on the context. If in doubt, say 'Bună ziua.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Greet Formally
Step 1. To greet in Romanian, say 'Bună ziua, which literally means "Good morning" or "Good afternoon"
It is the standard greeting provided for formal situations, which can be used from morning to afternoon.
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 2. In the morning you can use the following greeting:
Bună dimineața, but at this time Bună ziua is fine too.
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 3. To greet in the late afternoon or evening, say 'Bună seara
It is not appropriate to say Bună ziua at these times.
- Hear the pronunciation here.
- Although noapte bună means "goodnight", you shouldn't use it to say hello to someone, as it is used just before going to bed. Instead, say 'Bună seara.
Step 4. Answer the phone by saying Bună ziua or Alo, which means "hello", but is only used to answer the phone
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 5. Greet someone by asking how they are doing
To greet an acquaintance in a formal way, say: Ce mai faceţi?. Use it with an older person, with someone you don't know well, or when you meet more than one person.
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 6. To greet an acquaintance informally, say:
Do you ever do it?, which means "how are you?" and only serves to greet one person at a time.
Hear the pronunciation here
Method 2 of 2: Greet Informally
Step 1. Greet your friends by saying Bună, which literally means "good" and is the short form of Bună ziua
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 2. You can say hello to your friends by saying hello too
This is an informal greeting which literally means "welcome". You can use it just like "ciao" in Italian, so both when you meet someone and when you go away.
Hear the pronunciation here
Step 3. In Transylvania, informally greet friends, family and children by saying Servus or Ceau
Both mean "hello" and you can use them both when you meet someone and when you leave.
Hear the pronunciation here and here
Advice
- Use formal greetings to address more than one person, someone you don't know well or want to show respect to.
- Use informal greetings with a good friend, family member, or child.
- When speaking in Romanian, pronounce the letters clearly. Generally, each letter corresponds to a sound.
