Mr (as a title before a name)
Always in the definite form: domnul Ionescu. The title carries the article, not the name.
domnul Ionescu
Mr Ionescu
domnul director
the director (addressed formally)
#78 · Noun
domn
In Romanian, domn means “Mr (as a title before a name)”. It’s the #78 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Meaning & Use
Domn is "gentleman" and, as a title, "Mr". Rank 78 — and the measured data tells the story: the top form by a wide margin is domnule, the vocative you use when you address somebody. Romanian still has a live vocative case, and this noun is where a learner meets it first: domnul Popescu is "Mr Popescu", but you call him Domnule Popescu.
neutralsir (addressing someone)
The vocative domnule, on its own or before a name or a job title.
Domnule!
Sir!
Bună ziua, domnule doctor.
Good day, doctor.
gentleman / man (polite)
A plain noun for a man, more respectful than om or bărbat.
Un domn v-a căutat.
A gentleman was looking for you.
ladies and gentlemen (doamnelor și domnilor)
The fixed opening of any speech or announcement.
Doamnelor și domnilor!
Ladies and gentlemen!
Forms you’ll actually hear
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 3 forms cover about 85% of everyday use — learn these first.
domnule64%
domnul12%
dl10%
Show 6 more forms
domnului6%
domnilor5%
domn2%
domni<1%
d-l<1%
domnii<1%
Noun Forms
- Gender
- masculine
- Countability
- countable
| singular indefinite | domn | |
|---|---|---|
| singular definite | domnul | |
| plural indefinite | domni | |
| plural definite | domnii | |
| genitive dative singular | domnului | |
| genitive dative plural | domnilor |
A regular masculine noun (domn, domnul, domni, domnii), with one extra form the tables usually hide: the vocative domnule for the singular and domnilor for the plural. The written abbreviation dl (or d-l) stands for domnul and is very common in print, which is why it shows up in the measured data as a form of its own. The feminine counterpart is doamnă, doamna, with the vocative doamnă.
Examples
Domnule, ați uitat ceva.
Sir, you forgot something.
domnule - The vocative ending -ule. Romanian changes the noun itself to address someone, where English only changes the tone.
Domnul Popescu nu e aici.
Mr Popescu is not here.
domnul - Speaking about him, so the definite domnul. The name stays bare — never *domnul Popescul.
Am vorbit cu domnul de la bancă.
I spoke with the gentleman from the bank.
domnul - The noun alone, meaning a specific man already known from the context.
Este mașina domnului Ionescu.
It's Mr Ionescu's car.
domnului - The genitive domnului carries the possession, so no separate word for "of" is needed.
Doamnelor și domnilor, bun venit!
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!
domnilor - The plural vocative is identical to the genitive-dative plural: domnilor.
Address and reference use different forms. To speak to him: Domnule Ionescu. To speak about him: domnul Ionescu. Using domnul to his face is not wrong enough to confuse anybody, but domnule is what a Romanian actually says, and it is one of the few living vocatives left in the language.