child
A young person, of either sex. Masculine by default.
un copil mic
a small child
Am doi copii.
I have two children.
#113 · Noun
copil
In Romanian, copil means “child”. It’s the #113 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Meaning & Use
Copil is "child", masculine, rank 113. Its plural is where learners stumble, because Romanian writes three i in a row: copii is "children" and copiii is "the children". The extra i is the definite article, and it is pronounced, not decorative.
neutralson or daughter
Also the kinship sense — your child, whatever their age.
copiii mei
my children
as a child (de copil / când eram copil)
The fixed way to speak about your own childhood.
Când eram copil…
When I was a child…
childish (of behaviour)
Calling an adult copil is a mild reproach, exactly as in English.
Nu fi copil!
Don't be childish!
Forms you’ll actually hear
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 3 forms cover about 81% of everyday use — learn these first.
copii31%
copil27%
copiii22%
Show 2 more forms
copilul17%
copilului3%
Noun Forms
- Gender
- masculine
- Countability
- countable
| singular indefinite | copil | |
|---|---|---|
| singular definite | copilul | |
| plural indefinite | copii | |
| plural definite | copiii | |
| genitive dative singular | copilului | |
| genitive dative plural | copiilor |
A regular masculine noun, but the spelling is the memorable part. The stem ends in -i, the plural adds -i, and the definite article adds another -i: copil → copii → copiii. The genitive plural copiilor keeps two of them.
Examples
Am doi copii.
I have two children.
copii - The indefinite plural with two i. After a number the noun stays bare.
Copiii sunt la școală.
The children are at school.
copiii - Three i: the plural -i of copii plus the definite article -i. All three are written, and the ending is pronounced long.
Copilul doarme.
The child is sleeping.
copilul - The definite singular, with the article attached to the end as always in Romanian.
Când eram copil, stăteam la bunici.
When I was a child, I stayed at my grandparents.
copil - The imperfect eram and stăteam, the tense for how things used to be. The noun is bare after a fi.
Jucăriile copilului sunt aici.
The child's toys are here.
copilului - The genitive copilului carries the possession, so no separate word for "of" appears.
Copii has two meanings and one spelling. From copil it is "children"; from copie it is "copies". Am făcut copii can mean either "I had children" or "I made copies" — context is the only guide, and Romanians enjoy the joke.