In English, nouns almost always need a small word before them — an article. There are only three: a, an, and the. In Romanian there are no separate words like this — the article is built into the noun ending — so this is new territory!
a book, a car, a tree
an apple, an egg, an idea
the book, the cars, the idea
💡 The Golden Rule
Use a / an when you introduce something for the first time, or when it could be any one of its kind.
Use the when both you and the listener already know which specific one you mean.
"I saw a dog in the park." → Any dog, first mention.
"The dog was very friendly." → Now we both know which dog.
Common Examples
| A / An | The | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I have a cat. | The cat is black. | First mention → now specific |
| She reads a book. | The book is interesting. | First mention → now specific |
| He eats an apple. | The apple is red. | First mention → now specific |
| We live in a house. | The house is big. | First mention → now specific |
| I need an umbrella. | The umbrella is yellow. | First mention → now specific |
✏️ Practice – Choose A, An, or The
Fill in the blank with a, an, or the. Press Enter or Tab to move to the next blank.
The most important verb in English is to be. In Romanian it is a fi. In the present tense it has three forms depending on the subject.
| Subject | Verb | Example | Romanian |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | am | I am happy. | Eu sunt fericit(ă). |
| You | are | You are kind. | Tu ești drăguț(ă). |
| He / She / It | is | She is a teacher. | Ea este profesoară. |
| We | are | We are from Romania. | Noi suntem din România. |
| You (plural) | are | You are students. | Voi sunteți studenți. |
| They | are | They are friends. | Ei sunt prieteni. |
💡 Key Point
Am is only for I. Never say "You am" or "She am".
Is is only for He, She, It (and single names: "Maria is…").
Are is for everything else: You, We, They.
Negative Form – Am not / Is not / Are not
| Positive | Negative | Short form |
|---|---|---|
| I am tired. | I am not tired. | I'm not tired. |
| She is happy. | She is not happy. | She isn't happy. |
| They are here. | They are not here. | They aren't here. |
Question Form – Am I? / Is she? / Are they?
To make a question, move the verb before the subject.
| Statement | Question | Romanian |
|---|---|---|
| I am late. | Am I late? | Sunt eu târziu? |
| He is a doctor. | Is he a doctor? | Este el doctor? |
| They are home. | Are they home? | Sunt ei acasă? |
✏️ Practice – Fill in Am, Is, or Are
✏️ Practice – Write the negative or question form
Rewrite each sentence as a negative or question as instructed.
2. Are they from Romania?
3. I am not hungry. / I'm not hungry.
4. Is he a student?
My name is Ana. I am twenty-eight years old. I am a teacher. I work at a school in Cluj-Napoca. The school is near the city centre.
I have a small flat. The flat is on the third floor. It is not big, but it is very comfortable. I have a cat. The cat is orange and white. Her name is Mici.
My brother is called Radu. He is an engineer. He is very good at his job. We are a small family but we are very close. Our parents are in Sibiu.
Today is Monday. I am at school. The students are in the classroom. They are quiet and attentive. It is a good day.
Comprehension Questions – Answer in English
2. She lives in Cluj-Napoca, in a small flat on the third floor.
3. Her cat is called Mici. It is orange and white.
4. Radu is an engineer.
5. Her parents are in Sibiu.
Translation – English → Romanian
Translate the following passage into Romanian.
Translate each sentence into English. Pay attention to the articles and the correct form of "to be".
2. He is a good doctor.
3. We are from Romania.
4. She is not tired. / She isn't tired.
5. The dog is in the garden.
6. Are they at home?
7. This is a big apple.
Topic: Introduce yourself in English
Write a short paragraph (at least 80 words) about yourself. Use a, an, and the correctly, and use am, is, and are at least once each.
Include:
- Your name and age
- Your job or what you study
- Where you live
- One family member (use is)
- Something you have (a pet, a car, a book…)
Lesson Complete!
Here is your final score for the graded exercises:
correct answers