something, anything
The default meaning; often refers to an unspecified thing or amount.
Vreau ceva de băut.
I want something to drink.
Ai ceva de spus?
Do you have something to say?
A rămas ceva în frigider.
There is something left in the fridge.
#48 · Pronoun · PRON
In Romanian, ceva means “something, anything”. It’s the #48 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Indefinite pronoun/determiner meaning "something, anything, some". Very common in everyday Romanian; it can stand alone or modify a noun.
neutralThe default meaning; often refers to an unspecified thing or amount.
I want something to drink.
Do you have something to say?
There is something left in the fridge.
Used before nouns to express an unspecified quantity.
I need some time.
Do you want some more coffee?
He/She bought some fruit.
Can strengthen an adjective or adverb; often colloquial and context-dependent.
It’s somewhat harder than I thought.
It’s quite nice outside.
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top form cover about 100% of everyday use — learn these first.
| invariable form | ceva | Does not inflect. |
|---|
vs. ce
ceva means an unspecified thing; ce is a question word meaning "what".
Am văzut ceva. / Ce ai văzut?
I saw something. / What did you see?
vs. nimic
ceva is affirmative/indefinite; nimic means "nothing" and is negative.
Am ceva de făcut. / N-am nimic de făcut.
I have something to do. / I have nothing to do.
vs. vreun / vreo
vreun/vreo usually means "any / some" before a noun, while ceva can stand alone or modify a noun.
Ai ceva timp? / Ai vreun timp liber?
Do you have some time? / Do you have any free time?
Trebuie să-ți spun ceva.
I need to tell you something.
ceva - Standalone indefinite pronoun.
Am văzut ceva lumină în geam.
I saw some light in the window.
ceva - Determiner before a noun.
Mai vrei ceva?
Do you want anything else?
ceva - Common offer/question with indefinite meaning.