#67 · Determiner / article · DET
In Romanian, cel means “the; the one; used in definite reference”. It’s the #67 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Short-form Romanian determiner/article used to mark the definite, comparative, or superlative idea in phrases like cel mai bun, and also in pronominal forms such as cel care. It often corresponds to English "the", "the one", or is part of comparative/superlative structures.
neutralOften appears before adjectives, relative clauses, or nouns to form a more specific reference.
the big one / the big one (male or masculine noun implied)
the one who is coming
the one on the left
Very common with adjectives: cel mai + adjective = "the most ..." or "the ...-est".
the best
the most important thing
the least likely
Can refer back to a previously mentioned noun or person, especially in careful or formal phrasing.
I want the red one.
Of the two, I choose the other one.
The little one also came.
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 3 forms cover about 86% of everyday use — learn these first.
| masculine singular | cel | basic form |
|---|---|---|
| feminine singular | cea | used before feminine singular adjectives/nouns in these patterns |
| masculine plural | cei | plural masculine |
| feminine plural | cele | plural feminine |
| comparative/superlative pattern | cel mai + adjective | the most / -est |
| relative pattern | cel care / cea care / cei care / cele care | the one who / that which |
vs. al / a / ai / ale
al/a/ai/ale show possession or agreement in genitive-style structures; cel/cea/cei/cele are used for definiteness, emphasis, or comparative/superlative phrases.
cartea cea nouă
the new book
vs. un / o / niște
un/o are indefinite meaning; cel/cea/cei/cele usually points to a known or specific item, or forms the comparative/superlative.
un băiat vs. băiatul cel bun
a boy vs. the good boy
vs. mai + adjective
mai alone means "more"; cel mai makes the whole phrase definite/superlative: "the most" or "the ...-est".
mai bun vs. cel mai bun
better vs. the best
Alege-l pe cel bun.
Choose the good one.
cel bun - Refers to a specific item/person.
Ea este cea mai bună din clasă.
She is the best in the class.
cea mai bună - Feminine form in the superlative pattern.
Cel care ajunge primul primește premiul.
Whoever arrives first gets the prize.
cel care - Used in a relative-clause pattern.
Am cumpărat cel mai ieftin bilet.
I bought the cheapest ticket.
cel mai ieftin - Superlative with an adjective.