What are you looking for?

Romanian translation

Romanian to English & English to Romanian Translation

Get a quote
Home » Translation services » Languages » Romanian
Romanian Flag

The Romanian language

One of the official languages of the European Union, Romanian is the only member of the Romance language family now spoken in Eastern Europe.

Origins and Brief History:

  • The Romanian language, known in its native tongue as “Română”, belongs to the Romance family of languages. This group evolved from the Latin the Romans spoke, who conquered the Dacia region (modern-day Romania) in 106 AD.
  • Over centuries, the region’s isolation from other Latin-speaking populations and the influence of surrounding Slavic, Greek, Turkish, and Hungarian cultures gave birth to the distinct Romanian language.
  • Romanian has retained a significant Latin vocabulary and grammatical structure despite many influences.

Number of Speakers:

  • There are approximately 24 million native speakers of Romanian.
  • Additionally, there are millions of speakers in neighbouring countries, such as Hungary, Israel, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine.

Where It’s an Official Language:

  • Romania: The nation’s primary language and the medium of instruction in schools.
  • Moldova: Referred to as “Moldovan” in some official contexts, particularly within the separatist region of Transnistria. However, linguistically, Moldovan and Romanian are identical.
  • Within the European Union: Recognised as one of the official languages since Romania’s accession in 2007.

Example of Text:

English: “The book is on the table.”
Romanian: “Cartea este pe masă.”

Where and How It’s Used:

  • Daily Communication: Romanian is the everyday language spoken at home, schools, and workplaces throughout Romania and Moldova.
  • Media: Newspapers, television broadcasts, radio, and modern digital platforms primarily use Romanian.
  • Literature: Romanian has a rich literary tradition with figures like Mihai Eminescu, Mircea Eliade, and Herta Müller.
  • Religion: Religious texts and sermons are typically in Romanian, especially in predominantly Christian Orthodox churches.

English Words Used in Romanian:

Like many languages, Romanian has borrowed words from English, especially in the realms of technology and popular culture. Some examples include:

  • Computer – pronounced similarly with a Romanian accent.
  • Internet – again, a direct borrowing with slight pronunciation variations.
  • Weekend – used to denote the end of the week.

Romanian Words in English:

The English language has absorbed words from countless sources, Romanian being one of them. Admittedly, the direct influence is limited, but some examples are:
Pastrami: Originates from the Romanian “pastramă” a type of preserved meat.
Mămăligă: Known in some culinary contexts, this is a cornmeal dish similar to polenta.

In Conclusion:

The Romanian language is a testament to the enduring influence of Roman civilisation and the rich tapestry of interwoven cultures in the region. Its Latin roots, combined with Slavic, Greek, and other influences, make it a unique member of the Romance language family. Through literature, media, and daily communication, Romanian continues to thrive within and outside its native borders.

Romanian actually has four main dialects: Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian, Istro-Romanian and Daco-Romanian. As a Romance language, Romanian is similar to Spanish, French and Italian. 

Brightlines is a full-service translation agency offering copywriting, voiceovers and quality assurance services.

We only use Romanian translation specialists at Brightlines who have used Romanian since birth and have in-depth knowledge of the language, its dialects and the surrounding culture.

Get a quote

Our translation services - FAQ

Do you use native translators?

Yes, always. All our translators are native speakers and most are still resident in their native country. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all Brightlines’ translators are native. We do not accept applications from non-native candidates or allow them to register on our online recruitment database. All our translators are rigorously tested.

How long will the translations take?

The turnaround for the translation will depend on the word count. As a rough guide, assume that the translators can comfortably process about 2500 words of non-specialised text per day. Proofreading can effectively be completed on a basis of 4000-6000 words a day. Our minimum turnaround time is usually about three days, although it is possible to shorten this if you are in a rush for the final files and we will always be happy to discuss this with you.

What is the variation in your translators’ experience and qualifications? Are they native speakers? Will the cost increase if we use a more experienced translator?

All our translators have to go through a series of tests to make sure they are as good as they say they are, and only if they pass are they allowed to work for Brightlines. There is quite a range of experience and qualifications, but all translators have a minimum of five years’ experience. All translators translate into their mother-tongue without exception and are generally based in-country so they are up-to-date with the local language. We match translators with projects/clients depending on the subject matter, and most of our translators have industry experience in their speciality – there is no better experience than being immersed professionally in the industry they specialise in. Our costs are based on translator experience, speciality (i.e. medical, creative, scientific) and the language choice.

Which languages can you translate into?

We have an extensive database with hundreds of trusted and tested translators covering all commercial languages. If you cannot see the language or dialect you need please ask.

I don’t know the word count; can you base the quote on the number of pages?

Our pricing structure is based on a rate-per-word, but we can estimate from a page count. If we can’t see the source document then we would usually estimate between 300 – 500 words a page depending on the density of the text and the presence of photos and images.

Does the translation need to be proofread?

Brightlines is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. This means that quality is safeguarded. We adhere to the “four-eyes principle” and translations are always checked by a second professional proofreader (who is not the translator). If the translation is for internal use and reference purposes only (i.e. not to be published, distributed or used in a court of law), or you simply don’t wish to have proofreading, we can remove the proofreading stage.

Get in touch

If you need Romanian translations, get in touch with our team, or get a quick quote.