a / an; one
Used before a singular masculine noun; can also express the number one.
un băiat
a boy
un om bun
a good person
un singur lucru
one single thing
#17 · Determiner / article · DET
In Romanian, un means “a / an; one”. It’s the #17 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Romanian indefinite article/determiner meaning “a” or “an”, and also the numeral “one” in some contexts. It agrees with the noun in gender and number: un băiat, o fată, niște copii.
neutralUsed before a singular masculine noun; can also express the number one.
a boy
a good person
one single thing
Used as the feminine singular form in agreement with feminine nouns: o.
a house
a good idea
a friend (female)
In plural, the indefinite article idea is usually expressed with niște.
some children
some apples
some questions
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 2 forms cover about 96% of everyday use — learn these first.
| masculine singular | un | Before masculine singular nouns: un băiat, un om. |
|---|---|---|
| feminine singular | o | Feminine counterpart: o fată, o casă. |
| plural indefinite | niște | Used for both genders in plural: niște oameni, niște flori. |
vs. un / o
Use un with masculine singular nouns and o with feminine singular nouns.
un coleg / o colegă
a male colleague / a female colleague
vs. un / unu
Un is the indefinite article before a noun; unu is the numeral “one” used alone or for emphasis.
un băiat / unu singur
a boy / one alone
vs. un / niște
Un is singular; niște is the usual indefinite determiner for plurals.
un măr / niște mere
an apple / some apples
Am un frate.
I have a brother.
un - Indefinite article before a masculine singular noun.
Vreau o cafea.
I want a coffee.
o - Feminine counterpart of un.
Este un profesor bun.
He is a good teacher.
un - Also can mean “one” in contexts like counting or emphasis.