again
Before the verb. Usually carries mild exasperation, which din nou does not.
Iar ai întârziat.
You're late again.
Iar începe.
Here we go again.
#117 · Adverb
iar
In Romanian, iar means “again”. It’s the #117 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Meaning & Use
Iar is two words wearing one spelling. In front of a verb it means "again" — Iar plouă, "It is raining again", usually with a sigh. Between two clauses it is a quiet connector, "and" with a hint of contrast, closer to "while" or "whereas". Rank 117, invariable, and the position tells you which one you have.
neutraland / while (joining two clauses)
A soft contrast between two parallel statements. Neither fully "and" nor fully "but".
Eu citesc, iar el doarme.
I read, while he sleeps.
and then / and as for
In a list or a narrative it moves to the next item or the next person.
Iar acum, la treabă.
And now, to work.
once more (iar și iar)
Doubled for insistence — "over and over".
A încercat iar și iar.
He tried over and over.
Forms you’ll actually hear
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top form cover about 100% of everyday use — learn these first.
iar100%
Patterns
Invariable. In front of the verb it reads as "again"; at the head of a clause, after a comma, it reads as the connector. It never agrees, and it never takes a preposition. Note that iarăși is a longer, more emphatic form of the "again" sense only.
iar + verb
Again, usually with a note of exasperation.
Iar plouă.
It's raining again.
clause, iar clause
A soft contrast between two parallel statements.
Ea cântă, iar el ascultă.
She sings, and he listens.
Nu iar!
A complete reaction with no verb.
— A sunat. — Nu iar!
— He called. — Not again!
iar și iar
Doubled for "over and over".
Repetă iar și iar.
He repeats it over and over.
Examples
Iar ai uitat!
You forgot again!
iar - Placed in front of the verb, it means "again" and adds the reproach. din nou would state the same fact without the tone.
Eu lucrez, iar tu te odihnești.
I work, while you rest.
iar - The connector between two parallel clauses, with a comma before it. The contrast is mild, not adversarial.
Nu iar!
Not again!
iar - A complete reaction with no verb. It is one of the most common one-word complaints in the language.
A sunat iar telefonul.
The phone rang again.
iar - After the verb the "again" sense is neutral rather than exasperated. The subject follows, as usual when it is the news.
Iar dacă nu vine, plecăm.
And if he doesn't come, we leave.
iar - The connector opening a sentence, moving the narrative on to the next case.
Iar is not the same as dar. dar is a real "but", setting one thing against another; iar simply runs two things side by side with a slight tilt. Eu citesc, dar el doarme sounds like a complaint, while Eu citesc, iar el doarme is a neutral description.