dumneavoastr

Dumneavoastră is the formal second-person pronoun in Romanian, used to address one person or several people with respect. It functions as the polite "you" in formal contexts, such as business, education, official correspondence, or when speaking to strangers or elders. The form is used regardless of the number of people being addressed; verbs are conjugated in the second-person plural form when paired with dumneavoastră.

Grammatical use follows two main patterns. As a standalone pronoun, it can appear in subject position: "Dumneavoastră sunteți gata" (You are ready / formal). It can also function as a possessive determiner after a noun: "mașina dumneavoastră" (your car), "casa dumneavoastră" (your house). In this possessive use, the word is invariable and does not change for gender or number of the noun it accompanies.

Etymology and register: the form originates from honorific or formal address practices in Romanian, with its precise historical development debated among linguists. Today it remains the standard means of formal address and signals politeness and social distance. Capitalization in formal writing is sometimes used as a sign of respect, though capitalization rules vary by style guide and context.

Usage notes: dumneavoastră contrasts with informal tu in singular or plural settings. When addressing an individual formally, speakers will typically avoid informal verbs and adopt polite expressions. While widely understood, dumneavoastră marks a social relationship and should be chosen according to context and the relationship between speakers.