Markets & Souvenirs

1. Cât costă asta?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   The most common way to ask the price

   Grammar Note

   "Cât costă" literally "how much does it cost". "Asta" is a demonstrative pronoun meaning "this"

2. Se poate negocia prețul?

   Can I negotiate the price?

   Usage

   Asking if price negotiation is possible

   Grammar Note

   "Se poate" is a passive possibility construction. "Prețul" = "preț" (price) + definite article "-ul"

3. Ofer mai puțin.

   I'll offer a lower price

   Usage

   When offering a lower amount during bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "Mai puțin" means "less/fewer". You can add a specific amount after it

4. Puteți face o reducere?

   Can you give me a discount?

   Usage

   Politely asking for a discount

   Grammar Note

   "Puteți" is the formal/plural "you can". "Reducere" shares roots with the English "reduction"

5. Este lucrat manual / produs local?

   Is this handmade / locally made?

   Usage

   Checking if the product is handmade or locally produced

   Grammar Note

   "Lucrat manual" means "worked by hand". "Produs" shares roots with "produce/product"

6. Din ce material este făcut?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about the material of a product

   Grammar Note

   "Din" is the preposition "from/of". "Făcut" is the past participle of "face" (to make/do)

7. Puteți împacheta ca cadou?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Asking for gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   "Ca cadou" means "as a gift". "Cadou" is borrowed from French "cadeau" (gift)

8. Unde este piața de noapte?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of the night market

   Grammar Note

   "Piața" has the definite article attached. The indefinite form is "piață". Romanian attaches the definite article to the end of words

9. Pot primi o chitanță?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Asking for a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "Pot" is 1st person singular "can/may". "Chitanță" is the Romanian word for receipt

10. Care sunt orele de funcționare ale pieței?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Checking the operating hours of the market

    Grammar Note

    "Pieței" is the genitive form of "piață". Romanian expresses the genitive through word endings

11. Mă uit doar, mulțumesc.

    I'm just looking, thank you

    Usage

    Letting the seller know you're just browsing

    Grammar Note

    "Mă uit" is the 1st person form of the reflexive verb "a se uita" (to look). "Mulțumesc" is the standard "thank you"

12. Acceptați plata cu cardul?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Asking if card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    "Acceptați" is the formal/plural form. "Cardul" = "card" + definite article "-ul"

13. Cumpăr asta ca suvenir pentru cineva.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir for someone

    Usage

    Explaining you're buying something as a souvenir for someone

    Grammar Note

    "Suvenir" is a French loanword. "Pentru" is the preposition meaning "for"

14. Se poate trimite în străinătate?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Asking if the item can be shipped abroad

    Grammar Note

    "Se poate trimite" is a passive possibility construction. "În străinătate" is the idiomatic phrase for "abroad"

15. Care este cel mai bun produs al vostru?

    What's your best item?

    Usage

    Asking for the seller's best or recommended product

    Grammar Note

    "Cel mai bun" is the superlative structure (cel/cea + mai + adjective). "Al vostru" is a possessive form

16. Este negociabil prețul?

    Is this price negotiable?

    Usage

    Directly asking if the price is open to negotiation

    Grammar Note

    "Negociabil" shares roots with English "negotiable". The word order is inverted (adjective + subject) for emphasis

17. Aveți și în altă mărime?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Asking for a different size

    Grammar Note

    "Altă" is the feminine form of the adjective "alt" (other/another). "Mărime" means size

18. Este prea scump.

    This is too expensive

    Usage

    Expressing that the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    "Prea" is an adverb meaning "too/overly". "Prea scump" (too expensive) is a natural opener for price negotiation

19. Usturoi

    Garlic

    Usage

    Point at it at a market stall to buy it, or to ask whether a dish contains it

20. Ceapă

    Onion

    Usage

    For buying onions, or for asking that a dish be made without them

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; plural "cepe"

21. Ardei iute

    Chilli pepper

    Usage

    The hot kind — plain "ardei" also covers sweet bell peppers, so always add "iute"

22. Ghimbir

    Ginger

    Usage

    Point at it to buy ginger; found in larger markets and supermarkets

23. Coriandru verde

    Fresh coriander / cilantro

    Usage

    The fresh leaf — plain "coriandru" means the seed spice, so "verde" pins it to the herb; it is easily confused with the look-alike "pătrunjel" (parsley)

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