Understanding the Genitive Case in Romanian
In Romanian, the genitive case is used to show possession, relationships, or the origin of something. It's like saying 'of' or 'belonging to' in English.
Important Points
- The genitive case often answers the question 'whose?'
- Nouns in the genitive case usually follow the noun they describe.
- The genitive case can also show a part of a whole, like 'a slice of bread'.
- In Romanian, the genitive case can affect both nouns and adjectives.
To form the genitive case, Romanian nouns often change their endings. The endings depend on the gender and number of the noun. Let's look at how this works.
Important Points
- For masculine singular nouns, add '-ului' or '-lui'.
- For feminine singular nouns, add '-ei' or '-ii'.
- For neuter singular nouns, use the same endings as masculine.
- For plural nouns of any gender, add '-lor'.
Examples
- cartea fetei (the girl's book)
- pisica băiatului (the boy's cat)
- mărul copiilor (the children's apple)
Using the Genitive Case with Adjectives
When using adjectives with nouns in the genitive case, the adjectives must also be in the genitive form. They usually follow the noun they describe.
Examples
- cartea frumoasei fete (the beautiful girl's book)
- pisica micuțului băiat (the little boy's cat)
Common Uses of the Genitive Case
Important Points
- Showing possession
- Indicating relationships
- Expressing origin or source
- Describing parts of a whole
Examples
- cheia mașinii (the car's key)
- gustul ciocolatei (the taste of chocolate)