întâmpla

întâmpla is a Romanian verb meaning to happen or to occur. It is used to describe events or situations that take place, often unexpectedly. The most common form is the impersonal construction with se: se întâmplă, meaning it happens or one happens. For example, Se întâmplă des ca oamenii să întâlnească situații neprevăzute.

In the past tense, the verb can be used in passive-like constructions: Ce s-a întâmplat? What happened? Mi s-a întâmplat ceva ciudat zilele trecute. This usage highlights events that have occurred to a person or have occurred in a given context. The verb also appears in phrases such as “a avea loc” or “a se petrece,” which are often used interchangeably with se întâmplă, depending on formality and nuance.

The noun intâmplare, meaning an event, incident, or occurrence, is related to the verb. The adjective intâmplător means by chance or accidentally, reflecting a nearby semantic field centered on events and chance occurrences.

In terms of usage, întâmpla generally emphasizes events as they happen or come about, rather than planning or arranging them. The form with se is widespread in everyday Romanian, making it a common way to express that something occurs or has occurred. The verb is widely understood across dialects and registers, from spoken language to writing.

See also: întâmplare, întâmplător.