frumos

Frumos is a Romanian adjective meaning “beautiful” or “handsome” and is used to describe people, places, objects, and even abstract qualities. It can also function as an adverb meaning “beautifully” or “well” in expressions such as vorbeste frumos or poartă-te frumos. The word agrees with the noun in gender and number: masculine singular frumos; feminine singular frumoasă; neuter singular frumos; masculine plural frumoși; feminine plural frumoase. Examples include un băiat frumos, o fată frumoasă, un peisaj frumos, melodia frumoasă, and verb phrases like vorbește frumos or se poartă frumos.

Frumos derives from Latin formosus, meaning “beautiful, shapely,” and entered Romanian through Latin and Vulgar Latin. The term has a long-standing presence in standard Romanian and remains common in everyday speech, literature, and media. Its usage covers both physical beauty and other pleasing qualities—sound, scenery, conduct, or style—reflecting a broad cultural emphasis on aesthetics.

Usage notes and related forms: the word is a positive descriptor applicable to people and non-human things. It forms comparatives and superlatives: mai frumos and cel mai frumos. Synonyms include plăcut, atrăgător, frumos; antonyms include urât or urâcios. With feminine nouns the adjective takes frumoasă (e.g., melodia frumoasă), and with masculine nouns frumos (e.g., băiat frumos). The adverbial use frumos is common in everyday speech, as in vorbește frumos, se poartă frumos, or compoziții literare that emphasize aesthetic praise.