If you want to learn Romanian for work, start with the phrases you need on day one: greetings, a short introduction, asking for help and understanding simple instructions. You do not need perfect grammar for this. A small set of polite phrases, used every day, already changes the way your colleagues talk to you.
Below you will find these phrases grouped by situation, each with an English translation and a simple pronunciation hint, plus a realistic plan for your first weeks at a new job in Romania.
Why learn Romanian for work if your team speaks English?
Because English often works for the tasks, but Romanian works for the people around you. In many companies in Romania, managers and office staff use English, while colleagues on the production line, in the warehouse, on site or in the kitchen may speak mostly Romanian.
You will meet Romanian in many small moments of the working day:
- safety signs and notices on the walls;
- short messages in the team group on the phone;
- the handover at the end of a shift;
- documents and forms from the HR department;
Even a few words show respect, make it easier to ask for help and make life outside work simpler.
How do you greet colleagues in Romanian?
Use bună dimineața in the morning, bună ziua during the day, bună seara in the evening and la revedere when you leave. With colleagues of your age, a simple bună or salut is common.
- Bună dimineața. (Good morning; say: BOO-nuh dee-mee-NYAH-tsah)
- Bună ziua. (Good day / Hello; say: BOO-nuh ZEE-wah)
- Bună seara. (Good evening; say: BOO-nuh SYAH-rah)
- Bună. / Salut. (Hi; informal)
- La revedere. (Goodbye; say: lah reh-veh-DEH-reh)
- Ne vedem mâine. (See you tomorrow; say: neh VEH-dem MUH-ee-neh)
After the greeting, colleagues often ask how you are. With a colleague you say Ce faci? (How are you?; say: cheh FAHCH). With a manager or an older person you hear the polite form, Ce mai faceți? A short answer is enough: Bine, mulțumesc. Dumneavoastră? (Fine, thank you. And you?)
Romanian has two ways of saying "you": tu for friends and colleagues, dumneavoastră for people you do not know well, older people and managers. If you are not sure, start with dumneavoastră. People will tell you when you can switch to tu.
How do you introduce yourself and your job?
A short introduction has three parts: your name, where you come from and what you do in the company. Three or four sentences are enough on the first day.
- Your name: Bună ziua, mă numesc Ravi. (Hello, my name is Ravi.)
- Where you are from: Sunt din Nepal. (I am from Nepal.) You can also say Sunt din India, Sunt din Sri Lanka or Sunt din Turcia.
- That you are new: Sunt nou aici. Azi este prima mea zi. (I am new here. Today is my first day.) A woman says Sunt nouă aici.
- Your job: Lucrez în producție. (I work in production.) Or Lucrez în depozit (in the warehouse), la recepție (at reception), în bucătărie (in the kitchen).
When the other person tells you their name, answer with Îmi pare bine. (Nice to meet you; say: uhm PAH-reh BEE-neh). To ask for someone's name, use Cum vă numiți? (polite) or Cum te cheamă? (informal; say: koom teh KYAH-muh).
How do you ask for help or ask someone to repeat?
Three phrases cover most situations: Nu înțeleg (I don't understand), Puteți să repetați, vă rog? (Can you repeat, please?) and Mai rar, vă rog (More slowly, please). Asking is always better than guessing, especially at work.
- Nu înțeleg. (I don't understand; say: noo uhn-tseh-LEG)
- Puteți să repetați, vă rog? (Can you repeat, please?; say: poo-TETS suh reh-peh-TATS, vuh ROG)
- Mai rar, vă rog. (More slowly, please.)
- Ce înseamnă „...”? (What does "..." mean?)
- Cum se spune în română...? (How do you say ... in Romanian?)
- Mă puteți ajuta, vă rog? (Can you help me, please?)
- Mulțumesc. (Thank you; say: mool-tsoo-MESK) The answer is Cu plăcere. (You're welcome.)
Vă rog is the polite "please". With a colleague you use te rog: Mă ajuți, te rog? (Can you help me, please?)
Which instructions will you hear in your first week?
Most first-week instructions are short commands: where to go, what to take, what to wear and when to start or stop. Listen for the verb and the object.
- Vino aici. (Come here.) The polite form is Veniți aici, vă rog.
- Așteaptă puțin. (Wait a moment.)
- Pune-ți casca. (Put on your helmet.)
- Poartă mănușile. (Wear the gloves.)
- Atenție! (Careful!)
- Oprește mașina. (Stop the machine.)
- Ia cutia și du-o acolo. (Take the box and carry it over there.)
- Începem la ora șapte. (We start at seven.)
- Ai înțeles? (Did you understand?)
To the last question, answer honestly: Da, am înțeles (Yes, I understood) or Nu, nu am înțeles (No, I didn't understand). A good habit is to repeat the instruction in your own words: Deci, duc cutia în depozit. Corect? (So, I take the box to the warehouse. Right?) This shows you are careful and gives the other person a chance to correct you.
How do you practice without feeling embarrassed?
Practice in small, safe steps: use one new phrase a day with one colleague, and tell people openly that you are learning. Most people are patient when they see that you are trying.
These three sentences open many doors:
- Învăț limba română. (I am learning Romanian.)
- Vorbesc puțin românește. (I speak a little Romanian.)
- Mă corectați, vă rog, dacă greșesc? (Will you correct me, please, if I make a mistake?)
A simple routine for the first weeks:
- Greet everyone in Romanian every morning, even if the rest of the conversation is in English.
- Learn one new word from your work each day and write it in a list on your phone.
- Ask one colleague how to say one thing in Romanian.
- At the end of the week, read your list aloud and use three of the words.
Mistakes are normal. If you say Eu lucra aici instead of Eu lucrez aici (I work here), your colleagues will still understand you, and many will gently give you the correct form.
What is a realistic first goal?
A realistic first goal is to handle simple daily situations in Romanian: greet people, introduce yourself, understand basic instructions and ask for help. In the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe), these situations belong to the beginning of level A1.
Next, you learn to talk about your schedule, your tasks and your team. Here a teacher helps, because you practice real conversations, not isolated words. The Prezentare personală la locul de muncă module (Personal introduction at work, A1–A2) works on exactly these situations: introducing yourself, your job and your company, simple phone calls and informal conversations at work, in 15 lessons with a teacher.
Frequently asked questions
Is Romanian hard to learn for English speakers?
Romanian is a Romance language, like Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, so if you know one of these, many words will look familiar. The grammar has some new parts for English speakers, such as noun endings that change. The good news is that spelling is very regular: once you know the letters, you can read almost any word aloud.
Do I need Romanian to work in Romania?
It depends on the job and the company. Many international teams work in English, but in production, construction, hotels, restaurants and shops, Romanian is used every day with colleagues and customers. Even when it is not required, basic Romanian helps with safety, teamwork and daily life outside work.
How many phrases do I need for my first week?
A short, well-chosen list is enough: greetings, your introduction, "I don't understand", "please repeat", "thank you" and the main instructions of your job. You do not need hundreds of words. It is better to use a small set every day than to learn a long list you never say aloud.
Can I learn Romanian online while working full time?
Yes, if the lessons are short and regular. NovaSkill modules have 50-minute lessons with a teacher, twice a week, online, and you can review the materials between lessons on your computer or phone. Choose time slots that fit your shifts and keep a few minutes of practice every day.
