Shopping in Romania can be a delightful experience, especially if you know some basic Romanian phrases to help you navigate through stores and marketplaces. Whether you’re buying souvenirs, clothes, or groceries, being able to communicate in the local language will not only enhance your shopping experience but also help you connect with the locals. In this article, we’ll go through several useful Romanian phrases for shopping, along with their pronunciations and contexts in which you can use them.
### Greeting and Politeness
Before jumping into the shopping specific phrases, it’s important to know basic greetings and expressions of politeness. Romanians value courtesy, so these phrases will set a positive tone for your interactions.
When you enter a shop, it’s polite to greet the shopkeeper or staff. You can say “Bună ziua” (BOO-nuh ZEE-wah) during the day or “Bună seara” (BOO-nuh SEH-rah) in the evening, both meaning “Good day” or “Good evening.”
If you want to thank the seller, you can say “Mulțumesc” (mool-tzoo-MESK), which means “Thank you.” In response to your thanks, you might hear “Cu plăcere” (koo PLUH-chereh), which means “You’re welcome.”
### Asking for Prices
One of the most essential things in shopping is to know how to ask for the price of an item. Here’s how you can inquire about prices in Romanian:
To ask “How much does this cost?” say “Cât costă acesta?” (kaht KO-stuh AH-ches-tah). If you’re looking at multiple items, you might want to ask, “Cât costă acestea?” (kaht KO-stuh AH-che-steh-ah) meaning “How much do these cost?”
If you find something particularly appealing and would like to know its price, you can point to the item and ask, “Cât este acesta?” (kaht YES-teh AH-ches-tah), which also means “How much is this?”
### Bargaining
Bargaining is not common in all shopping contexts in Romania, especially in supermarkets and malls. However, in open markets and sometimes in smaller shops, it’s acceptable to negotiate the price. Use these phrases if you feel the situation is appropriate for bargaining:
If you want to ask for a lower price, you could say, “Puteți să faceți un preț mai mic?” (poo-TETS sah FA-chets oon prets my mick) which means “Can you make a lower price?”
In response, the seller might propose a new price, stating something like, “Pot să ofer doar X lei” (pot sah oh-FER do-are X ley), meaning “I can only offer X lei (Romanian currency).”
### Describing What You Want
Sometimes you might not find what you’re looking for right away, or you might need something specific. Here are some phrases that can help you describe what you want:
If you’re looking for a certain item, you can say, “Caut ceva specific.” (kowt CHEH-vah speh-SEE-feek), which means “I am looking for something specific.”
To specify further, you might say, “Aș vrea o rochie albastră.” (AHSH vreh-ah oh ROH-chee-eh ahl-BAHS-truh), which means “I would like a blue dress.”
### Completing the Purchase
Once you’ve found what you want and are ready to buy, use these phrases:
To say “I’ll take this,” you can simply say, “O iau pe aceasta.” (oh YOW peh ah-CHES-tah).
When heading to the checkout, you might say, “Unde este casa de marcat?” (OON-deh YES-teh KAH-sah deh MAR-cat), asking “Where is the checkout?”
### Dealing with Money
Dealing with money transactions is crucial. Here are phrases to help you when you’re ready to pay:
If you prefer paying by card, you can ask, “Pot să plătesc cu cardul?” (pot sah plah-TESK koo KAR-dool), which means “Can I pay with a card?”
Sometimes, you might need to clarify the type of payment accepted, so you could ask, “Acceptați numerar sau card?” (ah-chehp-TATS noo-MEH-rar sow kard), which means “Do you accept cash or card?”
### Conclusion
By using these simple Romanian phrases during your shopping expeditions, you’ll not only make your experiences smoother but also show respect towards the local culture. Remember, a smile and a polite greeting can go a long way, and trying to speak Romanian will certainly earn you goodwill among locals. Happy shopping and enjoy exploring Romania’s many shopping venues!
