#38 · Subordinating conjunction
In Romanian, dacă means “if (real condition)”. It’s the #38 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
dacă is "if" — and also "whether", which is why it lands at rank 38. It opens conditions (Dacă plouă, rămân acasă) and it introduces indirect yes/no questions (Nu știu dacă vine). The one thing that surprises English speakers: Romanian keeps the plain present in the if-clause where English also would, but for unreal conditions it moves to the conditional in both halves — Dacă aș avea timp, aș veni.
neutralSomething that may well happen. Present indicative in the if-clause, present or future in the main clause — no special tense gymnastics.
If you want, we'll go.
If it rains, I'll stay home.
For things that are not the case, Romanian uses the conditional in BOTH clauses — unlike English, which uses a past tense in the if-clause.
If I had money…
If he knew, he'd say so.
After verbs of knowing, asking, and wondering. This is where English switches to "whether" and Romanian keeps dacă.
I don't know whether he's coming.
Ask whether it's open.
In speech dacă can slide from condition into a mild reason — "well, if that's how it is".
Since you're here anyway, help me.
If you say so…
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top form cover about 100% of everyday use — learn these first.
Dacă + present, → present/future
The everyday real condition. Comma when dacă opens the sentence.
Dacă vii, îți arăt.
If you come, I'll show you.
Dacă + conditional, → conditional
Unreal or hypothetical. Both clauses take aș / ai / ar + infinitive.
Dacă aș putea, te-aș ajuta.
If I could, I'd help you.
verb of knowing/asking + dacă
Indirect yes/no question — "whether". Word order stays statement order.
Mă întreb dacă are dreptate.
I wonder whether he is right.
chiar dacă
Even if / even though — concession rather than condition.
Merg, chiar dacă plouă.
I'm going, even if it rains.
dacă nu
If not / unless, and on its own a way to offer an alternative.
Dacă nu poți azi, mergem mâine.
If you can't today, we'll go tomorrow.
vs. că
că introduces a statement ("that"); dacă introduces a yes/no question ("whether"). Choosing wrongly changes the meaning entirely.
Știu că vine. / Nu știu dacă vine.
I know that he's coming. / I don't know whether he's coming.
vs. când
când assumes the event will happen; dacă leaves it open.
Când vine, îi spun. / Dacă vine, îi spun.
When he comes, I'll tell him. / If he comes, I'll tell him.
vs. de (colloquial "if")
In folk and older speech de can replace dacă. It sounds rustic or literary today — stick to dacă.
De vrei, hai cu mine.
If you want, come with me.
vs. în caz că
"in case" — a precaution rather than a real condition. Heavier and more formal than dacă.
Ia umbrela, în caz că plouă.
Take the umbrella in case it rains.
Dacă ai timp, sună-mă.
If you have time, call me.
dacă - Real condition: present ai in the if-clause, imperative in the main clause. A comma separates the two when dacă comes first.
Dacă aș fi în locul tău, aș aștepta.
If I were you, I'd wait.
dacă aș fi - Unreal condition — conditional aș fi and aș aștepta on both sides. English uses "were" here; Romanian does not.
Nu știu dacă a înțeles.
I don't know whether he understood.
dacă - Indirect question. Note there is no inversion and no question mark — the sentence is a statement.
Vin doar dacă vii și tu.
I'll only come if you come too.
dacă - When dacă comes second there is no comma. The și here means "too", not "and".
Dacă aș fi știut, nu aș fi venit.
If I had known, I wouldn't have come.
dacă aș fi știut - Past unreal: the past conditional aș fi + participle, in both clauses.