Întâmpl

Întâmpl is a Romanian lexical stem that underlies several related words connected with events or occurrences. The most common form built on this root is the verb a întâmpla, meaning to happen or to occur. The root also appears in the noun întâmplare and in the adverb întâmplător, among other derivatives. Because Romanian verbs are conjugated with reflexive or non-reflexive patterns, the stem adapts to tense, mood, and voice through standard inflection.

The verb a întâmpla is used to denote that an event or incident takes place, often without directing responsibility to a subject. It is commonly employed in impersonal or semi-impersonal constructions, such as s-a întâmplat sau nu, meaning “it happened” or “it turned out.” In sentences like Mi-a Întâmplat să te întâlnesc, the event is presented as something that occurred to the speaker, with the reflexive form s-a often used in perfect tenses.

Întâmplare is the feminine noun derived from the same root and denotes a specific event, incident, or occurrence. It is used in reporting or narration to refer to an episode, especially when the details are unexpected or noteworthy. The plural is întâmplări. Întâmplător is an adverb meaning by chance or accidentally, as in a întâmplat să fie, or din întâmplare, meaning “by coincidence” or “by accident.”

Etymologically, the Romanian forms derive from Latin and share cognates with other Romance languages that express similar notions of happening or occurring. In Romanian, the root întâmpl functions as a productive basis for vocabulary related to events, coincidence, and incidental circumstances, with stable usage across formal and casual registers.