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Learn Romanian: It's Easy, Fun & Rewarding!
by Daniela
If you’ve read Bram Stocker’s “Dracula”, or have seen any of the many Dracula movies, maybe your interest in Romania has been sparked. Or perhaps you have listened to the popular song ‘Dragostea din Tei’, from the Moldavian band O-zone, and sang along to words like ‘Mai-ia-hii Mai-ia-huu’ or ‘nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma iei’ (now also included in the dance video game Just Dance 2017).
But Romania is so much more than these and its language, even though it may not have worldwide potential like other languages such as Spanish, Italian or French, has unique characteristics that will make you fall in love with it.
Is Romanian a Slavic or Romance language?
Both! Well, not quite, but this aspect often proves misleading, as Romanian is a Latin language with Slavic influences. In fact, Romanian is the closest language to Latin grammar-wise, but has Slavic influences when it comes to its vocabulary. The country’s geographical position in Europe can also lead to confusion, as Romania is indeed surrounded by Slavic countries, however in a territory invaded by Slavic and Uralic populations, this romance language has prevailed due to its strong Roman and Latin influences. All these make the Romanian language have a unique sound: smooth and melodic as other Romance languages, with a bit of a Slavic hint.
You probably already know how to speak Romanian
If you have ever studied French, Italian or Spanish, then it’s likely that you already understand a couple of words. Why? According to studyromanian.com, “Romanian is 77% lexically similar to Italian, 75% to French, 72% to Portuguese, and 71% to Spanish. Speak Romanian and you will have access to vocabulary shared by a total of 920 million natives and 300 million non-native speakers of Romance languages.” Having access to any of the main Romance languages? Not bad at all!
And if you have studied Latin in school, you will have an easier understanding of its grammar. The reverse applies: learn Romanian and if you’d like to tackle Latin down the line, then you’ll find that much easier. Check out these examples:
Did you know? Romanian is a phonetic language, so all the words are pronounced as they are spelt. So, once you are comfortable with the vocabulary, Romanian is easy to read and speak.
Did you also know? Romanian is considered a “critical language” by the United States government, meaning that while there is a significant demand for Romanian speakers and those who are knowledgeable about the language, they come in short supply.
If you’re still hesitant whether you want to start learning Romanian or not, check out the beauty of the country itself. Romania has something to offer for everyone, and Romanian people appreciate when a foreigner tries to speak a few words in Romanian and to understand their culture.
Why visit Romania?
Prince Charles loves it
Go visit Transylvania and search for Dracula yourself. Or better yet, say Hi to Prince Charles on his own Romanian retreat in the picturesque village of Viscri. Prince Charles says he is “totally overwhelmed by its unique beauty and its extraordinarily rich heritage”. What better way to phrase it?
It’s affordable
Romania is probably one of the most — if not the most — affordable European country to visit. Eat and drink well, stay in comfortable accommodation, get around by public transport, train or car without breaking the bank, and don’t miss anything on your sightseeing list. Choose to go into the mountains or relax by the Black Sea, spend time in Europe’s largest preserved delta, or better yet, do it all!
Get your castle fix
If you’re dreaming of re-enacting some Games of Thrones scenes, or if you are interested in medieval architecture, there is no place like Romania. An abundance of castles, towers, walled cities, fortified churches, spread within one country.
The most beautiful road in the world
Transfagarasan has been named by Top Gear the most beautiful road in the world, but it already had been labelled as “The Road to the Sky” or “The Road to the Clouds”. Ranging in elevation from 1,630 feet to almost 6,700 feet, this spectacular road climbs, twists and descends through Moldoveanu and Negoiu, the highest peaks in Romania.
The people
Foreign visitors consider Romanians amongst the friendliest people in the world. Romanians pride themselves with being hospitable, fun and warm, with an innate sense of humour. Prepare to be wined and dined when a Romanian has you over. And if you want to make an impression, simply learning a few words in Romanian will break any cultural barrier.
Succes!
We offer Romanian tutoring at a wide variety of levels, from young learners to older learners (GCSE, IGCSE, A Level, IB, Pre-U, etc.) and even to adult learners (those doing undergraduates or Masters courses, or learning just for fun).
Our qualified Romanian tutors have been hand-picked by teaching experts (our longest-standing, most successful tutors, some of whom are PGCE qualified teachers) in our thorough selection process.
We offer varied Romanian tuition rates to suit all budgets, with prices depending on the tutors' qualifications and their total number of hours of private tuition or classroom teaching experience.
Let us find you a Romanian tutor to inspire you and get you back on track! Contact us today.