one (of a group)
Replaces a noun already known, usually with dintre for the group.
unul dintre ei
one of them
Vreau una.
I want one.
#93 · Pronoun
unul
In Romanian, unul means “one (of a group)”. It’s the #93 most frequently used Romanian word. Below you’ll find how to use it, its forms, real example sentences, and common word pairings.
Meaning & Use
Unul is "one" used on its own, standing in for a noun: Unul dintre ei, "one of them". Rank 93. It is the pronoun twin of the article un — un om is "a man", but unul is "one" with the noun left out. Its plural unii means "some (people)", and the pair unul … altul gives "one … the other".
neutralsome / some people (unii, unele)
The plural, referring to an unspecified part of a group.
Unii spun că da.
Some say yes.
unele dintre ele
some of them
one … the other (unul … altul)
The fixed pair for contrasting two members of a set.
Unul vine, altul pleacă.
One comes, the other leaves.
each other (unul pe altul)
Reciprocity — the closest Romanian gets to English "one another".
Se ajută unul pe altul.
They help each other.
Forms you’ll actually hear
Ranked by how often each form shows up in spoken Romanian. The top 2 forms cover about 89% of everyday use — learn these first.
unul54%
una35%
Show 5 more forms
unii6%
unele2%
unuia1%
unora<1%
uneia<1%
Forms & Contrasts
- Subtype
- indefinite
| Masculine sg. | unul | unul dintre ei. |
|---|---|---|
| Feminine sg. | una | Vreau una. |
| Masculine pl. | unii | Unii spun că… — "some people". |
| Feminine / neuter pl. | unele | unele dintre ele. |
| Genitive-dative masc. sg. | unuia | I-am spus unuia. |
| Genitive-dative fem. sg. | uneia | I-am spus uneia. |
| Genitive-dative pl. | unora | părerea unora. |
vs. un / o
un and o are articles and need a noun after them; unul and una replace the noun entirely.
un om / unul dintre ei
a man / one of them
vs. cineva
cineva is "somebody" out of nowhere; unul is one out of a group you have already named.
A sunat cineva. / A sunat unul dintre ei.
Somebody called. / One of them called.
vs. altul
altul is "another / the other" and is the natural partner of unul in a contrast.
Unul da, altul nu.
One yes, the other no.
Examples
Unul dintre ei a plecat.
One of them left.
unul - dintre, not din, is used for "of" before a group of people or things you can count.
Vreau una, te rog.
I want one, please.
una - The feminine una, chosen by whatever noun is understood — o cafea, o bere. The gender survives even when the noun disappears.
Unii oameni nu ascultă.
Some people don't listen.
unii - Here it stands in front of a noun and works as a determiner, agreeing with it in the masculine plural.
Unul vorbește, altul tace.
One speaks, the other stays quiet.
unul - The unul … altul pair. Both change gender together: una … alta for feminine.
I-am spus unuia dintre ei.
I told one of them.
unuia - The dative unuia, doubled by the clitic i-. Romanian normally repeats the dative with a clitic.
Un and unul are not interchangeable. un goes in front of a noun (un om, "a man"); unul stands alone in place of it (unul dintre ei, "one of them"). Saying *un dintre ei or *unul om are the two errors this pair produces.
In expressions
Common phrases built around unul — worth learning as whole units.
unul dintre— one of
lit. “one of” · agrees: una dintre (feminine)