Cadourilor

Cadourilor is the genitive/dative plural form of the Romanian noun cadouri, which means gifts or presents. In everyday use, cadouri refers to gifts in general, while cadourilor appears in constructions that require the genitive or dative plural, often to express possession or a relationship to another noun.

Etymology and cognates: The Romanian word cadou, from which cadouri derives, is a loanword most commonly traced to French cadeau. The form cadouri (plural) and its inflected cadourilor (genitive/dative plural) are standard Romanian morphology, with cadourile being the definite plural form.

Usage and grammar: Cadourilor is used in phrases where the noun phrase is in genitive or dative plural, such as to indicate possession or association. Examples include valoarea cadourilor (the value of the gifts) and prețul cadourilor (the price of the gifts). It can also appear in sentences like partea din buget a fost destinată cadourilor (a portion of the budget was allocated to the gifts). The word pair cadouri/cadourilor is common in contexts talking about gifts in collective or unspecified quantity, whereas cadourile denotes specific gifts.

Cultural note: Gifts are a common social practice in Romania and Moldova, especially on birthdays, Christmas, name days, and other occasions. The market for cadouri includes a wide range of items, from personal and handmade to branded products, with a growing emphasis on personalized and experience-based gifts.

See also: cadou, dar, daruri, cadouri.