into; in; toward
rare in modern standard Romanian; mainly literary or fixed phrases
întru aducere aminte
for remembrance
întru slava lui Dumnezeu
to the glory of God
#125 · Preposition · ADP
In Romanian, întru means “into; in; toward”. It’s the #125 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Old or literary Romanian preposition meaning roughly "into," "for," or "in the spirit of." It survives today mostly in fixed or elevated expressions.
archaicrare in modern standard Romanian; mainly literary or fixed phrases
for remembrance
to the glory of God
formal, ceremonial, or religious
in defense of the truth
for the good of everyone
often felt as bookish or archaic
they gathered in order to listen to him
he set out to fulfill his duty
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top form cover about 99% of everyday use — learn these first.
Takes a noun phrase and often appears in fixed, elevated expressions.
The preposition is mostly lexicalized today, not freely productive in everyday speech.
întru binele copiilor
for the children’s good
Can introduce purpose or motive in literary/religious style.
Used where modern Romanian would usually choose „pentru” or „ca să”.
a luptat întru dreptate
he fought for justice
May be followed by an infinitive-like or noun phrase in formal style.
The construction sounds bookish and old-fashioned to modern ears.
întru a evita confuzia
in order to avoid confusion
vs. pentru
„pentru” is the normal modern word for purpose, benefit, or cause; „întru” sounds archaic or ceremonial.
Am făcut asta pentru tine.
I did this for you.
vs. în
„în” is the ordinary preposition for location or movement into a place; „întru” is much rarer and more formal.
A intrat în casă.
He went into the house.
vs. spre
„spre” is the normal choice for direction; „întru” may appear in older or literary style.
A pornit spre oraș.
He headed toward the city.
Întru aducere aminte, au ridicat o placă pe zid.
As a memorial, they put up a plaque on the wall.
întru aducere aminte - fixed, elevated phrase
Au mers întru întâmpinarea oaspeților.
They went to meet the guests.
întru întâmpinarea - literary/archaic use of movement toward
Întru slava lui Dumnezeu, au început ceremonia.
For the glory of God, they began the ceremony.
întru slava lui Dumnezeu - religious/formal formula