big, large
The basic, most frequent meaning; used for physical size, quantity, or degree.
o casă mare
a big house
un oraș mare
a large city
o problemă mare
a big problem
#87 · Adjective · ADJ
In Romanian, mare means “big, large”. It’s the #87 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Common adjective meaning 'big' or 'large'; also used for 'great' in some set phrases and for size-based comparison.
neutralThe basic, most frequent meaning; used for physical size, quantity, or degree.
a big house
a large city
a big problem
Used in expressions where it means notable or significant rather than physically large.
a big surprise
a person of great worth
a great success
Appears in family titles and fixed references to distinguish the older person.
Ion the Elder
the older brother
the eldest son
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 2 forms cover about 93% of everyday use — learn these first.
| neuter plural | mari | |
|---|---|---|
| feminine plural | mari | |
| neuter singular | mare | |
| masculine plural | mari | |
| feminine singular | mare | |
| masculine singular | mare |
Locuiesc într-un apartament mare.
I live in a big apartment.
mare - size
A fost o surpriză mare pentru toți.
It was a big surprise for everyone.
mare - degree
Fratele meu cel mare vine diseară.
My older brother is coming tonight.
cel mare - age/order