datele

Datele is the definite plural form of the Romanian noun date. It is used to refer to two related concepts: data (information) and calendar dates. In Romanian, the base plural form is date; when the definite article is added, the form becomes datele, meaning either “the data” or “the dates,” depending on context. Both senses share a common linguistic origin and are widely used in official, technical, and everyday language.

Etymology and sense development: The word date is tied to the Latin root datum, through Romanian forms such as dată. Over time, Romanian established two parallel uses: data as information stored or analyzed, and dates as calendar points in time. The same plural form date can function with or without the definite article, and the intended meaning is clarified by context.

Usage and examples: In technical and administrative contexts, datele appear frequently. For example, Am analizat datele din baza de date (I analyzed the data from the database). Datele indică o creștere a veniturilor (The data indicate a rise in revenues). Datele calendaristice ale evenimentului au fost stabilite pentru 12 iulie și 19 iulie (The calendar dates of the event were set for July 12 and July 19). The phrase datele personale refers to personal data.

See also: baza de date, data, datum.