Pronumele

Pronumele, in Romanian grammar, are a closed class of words that substitute for nouns or noun phrases, helping to avoid repetition and to link clauses coherently. The term comes from Latin pronomen, meaning “before the noun.” In Romanian, pronumele carry information about person, number, gender, and, in some cases, case or definiteness, and they can function as subjects, objects, or modifiers.

The main categories of pronumele include personal, reflexive, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, relative, and indefinite pronouns. Personal pronouns denote people or entities: eu, tu, el/ea, noi, voi, ei/ele, with corresponding object forms. Reflexive pronouns (mă, te, se, ne, vă) refer back to the subject. Possessive pronouns indicate ownership and may appear as independent pronouns (al meu, a mea) or as possessive adjectives preceding a noun (cartea mea). Demonstrative pronouns specify or point to nouns (acesta/aceasta, acești/aceteste, acela/aceea, aceia/acele). Interrogative pronouns (cine, ce, care) introduce questions. Relative pronouns (care, a cărui/a cărei) link clauses and refer to antecedents. Indefinite pronouns (cineva, nimeni, oricare, fiecare) express non-specific references. Numeral pronouns (unu, doi, mai multe) can function as pronouns when they replace a noun phrase.

Romanian pronouns interact with syntax through clitic forms for object positions (mă, te, îl, o, ne, vă) and through agreement in gender and number with antecedents where applicable. Subject pronouns are often omitted in ordinary speech because verb forms signal the person, but they can be used for emphasis. Pronumele thus play a central role in cohesion, reference, and information structure within Romanian sentences.