prietenii

Prietenii is the definite plural form of the Romanian noun prieten, meaning “the friends.” The corresponding indefinite plural is prieteni, used for referring to friends in general. The feminine forms are prietena (the female friend) and prietene (the female friends); the definite feminine plural is prietenele. The abstract concept “friendship” is expressed by the noun prietenie.

Etymology: prieten derives from Old Church Slavic prijatelь, with the Romanian form evolving in the medieval period. The word has cognates in several Slavic languages and reflects a common Indo-European heritage for kinship and social bonds.

Usage and meaning: prietenii denotes a group of friends, typically including both genders. It is used in everyday speech as well as in literature and journalism to refer to a specific, known group of friends, as opposed to prieteni, which generalizes to any or all friends.

Grammatical notes: Romanian nouns change form to reflect number and definiteness. Prietenii carries the definite plural marker, indicating a particular group of friends known to the speaker and listener. Related terms include prieten (friend), prietena (female friend), and prietenie (friendship).

Cultural context: friendships are commonly celebrated in Romanian culture as bonds of loyalty and mutual support, with language reflecting the distinction between general and specific references to friends.

See also: prietenie; prieten; prietena; prietene.