Learning a new language opens up a world of opportunities, and one of the most fascinating languages to explore is Romanian. As a Romance language, Romanian shares many similarities with Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, yet it has its unique charm and characteristics. If you’re learning Romanian, one of the most useful areas to focus on is vocabulary for describing physical traits. Whether you’re describing yourself, others, or simply expanding your vocabulary, this guide will provide you with essential words and phrases to enrich your Romanian language skills.
Describing General Physical Appearance
To start, let’s cover some basic terms that describe general physical appearance. These words will help you create a foundational understanding and enable you to describe people in broad terms.
– Frumos/Frumoasă – Beautiful (masculine/feminine)
– Urat/Urată – Ugly (masculine/feminine)
– Drăguț/Drăguță – Cute (masculine/feminine)
– Înalt/Înaltă – Tall (masculine/feminine)
– Scund/Scundă – Short (masculine/feminine)
– Slab/Slabă – Thin (masculine/feminine)
– Gras/Grasă – Fat (masculine/feminine)
– Puternic/Puternică – Strong (masculine/feminine)
– Slab/Slabă – Weak (masculine/feminine)
These terms can be used to describe someone’s overall appearance. For example:
– El este înalt și frumos. (He is tall and handsome.)
– Ea este scundă și drăguță. (She is short and cute.)
Describing Facial Features
Next, let’s delve into more specific vocabulary related to facial features. Here are some key terms:
Eyes
– Ochi – Eyes
– Ochi albaștri – Blue eyes
– Ochi căprui – Brown eyes
– Ochi verzi – Green eyes
– Ochi negri – Black eyes
– Mari – Big (eyes)
– Mici – Small (eyes)
Examples:
– Ea are ochi albaștri și mari. (She has big blue eyes.)
– El are ochi căprui și mici. (He has small brown eyes.)
Hair
– Păr – Hair
– Păr lung – Long hair
– Păr scurt – Short hair
– Păr drept – Straight hair
– Păr creț – Curly hair
– Păr blond – Blonde hair
– Păr brunet – Brown hair
– Păr negru – Black hair
– Păr roșcat – Red hair
Examples:
– Ea are păr lung și blond. (She has long blonde hair.)
– El are păr scurt și negru. (He has short black hair.)
Nose and Mouth
– Nas – Nose
– Nas mare – Big nose
– Nas mic – Small nose
– Nas drept – Straight nose
– Nas cârn – Snub nose
– Gură – Mouth
– Gură mare – Big mouth
– Gură mică – Small mouth
– Buze – Lips
– Buze subțiri – Thin lips
– Buze pline – Full lips
Examples:
– Ea are nas cârn și buze pline. (She has a snub nose and full lips.)
– El are gură mare și nas drept. (He has a big mouth and a straight nose.)
Skin
– Piele – Skin
– Piele deschisă – Light skin
– Piele închisă – Dark skin
– Pistrui – Freckles
Examples:
– Ea are piele deschisă și pistrui. (She has light skin and freckles.)
– El are piele închisă. (He has dark skin.)
Describing Body Type and Build
In addition to height and general appearance, you might want to describe someone’s body type or build. Here are some useful terms:
– Atletic/Atletică – Athletic (masculine/feminine)
– Musculos/Musculoasă – Muscular (masculine/feminine)
– Slab/Slabă – Slim (masculine/feminine)
– Plinuț/Plinuță – Chubby (masculine/feminine)
– Robust/Robustă – Robust (masculine/feminine)
Examples:
– El este atletic și musculos. (He is athletic and muscular.)
– Ea este slabă și plinuță. (She is slim and chubby.)
Describing Clothing and Style
Describing physical traits isn’t just about the body itself; clothing and personal style also play a significant role. Here are some terms to describe what someone might be wearing:
– Haine – Clothes
– Rochie – Dress
– Costum – Suit
– Pantaloni – Pants
– Fustă – Skirt
– Bluză – Blouse
– Tricou – T-shirt
– Palton – Coat
– Șapcă – Cap
– Pălărie – Hat
– Adidași – Sneakers
– Sandale – Sandals
– Încălțăminte – Footwear
Examples:
– Ea poartă o rochie roșie și sandale albe. (She is wearing a red dress and white sandals.)
– El poartă un costum și adidași negri. (He is wearing a suit and black sneakers.)
Describing Age and Other Characteristics
Age and other characteristics can also be important when describing someone. Here are some terms to help you:
– Tânăr/Tânără – Young (masculine/feminine)
– Bătrân/Bătrână – Old (masculine/feminine)
– Copil – Child
– Adolescent/Adolescentă – Teenager (masculine/feminine)
– Adult/Adultă – Adult (masculine/feminine)
– Vârstnic/Vârstnică – Elderly (masculine/feminine)
Examples:
– Ea este o tânără adolescentă. (She is a young teenager.)
– El este un bătrân adult. (He is an old adult.)
Using Adjectives and Pronouns
When describing physical traits in Romanian, it’s important to remember that adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe. Here are some examples of how to use adjectives and pronouns correctly:
– El este înalt și frumos. (He is tall and handsome.)
– Ei sunt scunzi și drăguți. (They are short and cute.)
– Ele sunt slabe și frumoase. (They [feminine] are thin and beautiful.)
Notice how the adjectives change form to match the gender and number of the subject.
Putting It All Together
Now that you have a comprehensive list of vocabulary, let’s see how you can put it all together in sentences and short descriptions.
Example 1:
– Maria este o femeie tânără cu păr lung și blond, ochi albaștri și piele deschisă. Ea este scundă și drăguță.
(Maria is a young woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and light skin. She is short and cute.)
Example 2:
– Andrei este un bărbat înalt și atletic, cu păr scurt și negru, ochi căprui și buze subțiri.
(Andrei is a tall and athletic man with short black hair, brown eyes, and thin lips.)
Example 3:
– Ei sunt o familie frumoasă și drăguță cu piele deschisă și ochi verzi. Părinții sunt înalți, iar copiii sunt scunzi.
(They are a beautiful and cute family with light skin and green eyes. The parents are tall, and the children are short.)
By using these vocabulary words and structures, you can describe a wide range of physical traits in Romanian. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll find it easier to describe people and their appearances in this beautiful language. Happy learning!
