șef
masculine
The English phrase 'boss' is translated into Romanian as șef.
șef is a versatile term used to describe a boss in a professional setting, a chief of a department or a leader of a group.
Meaning: person in charge (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In a somewhat respectful but still somewhat informal way, you can address a boss directly as domnule șef (literally 'Mr. Boss').
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the noun is șefă to denote a female boss. In casual spoken Romanian, the final 'ul' of the definite masculine form șeful is often dropped and replaced with an apostrophe, resulting in șefu'. The plural genitive/dative form is șefilor, meaning 'of the bosses'.
Did you know?
- The word șef is a loanword from French, which explains why it is used so broadly in Romanian compared to more traditional Latin-based terms for leadership.
- If you use the term șef in a very informal setting, such as with a taxi driver or a street vendor, it functions as a slangy, friendly way to say 'boss' or 'buddy'.
- The word șef shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'cap', as both stem from the Latin 'caput', meaning 'head'.
Examples in context
- El este șeful meu.He is my boss.This sentence is useful for identifying one's boss using șef.Tatoeba #5138087 by fathe, translation #297905 by CK
- Tom nu este șeful.Tom isn't the boss.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not the boss using șef.Tatoeba #8962272 by elenacristina260, translation #8961321 by CK
- Ce i-ai spus șefului tău?What did you tell your boss?This sentence is useful for asking about what was said to a boss using șef.Tatoeba #8920999 by CataG, translation #3200511 by CK
- Am o întâlnire importantă cu șeful meu azi.I have an important meeting with my boss today.
- Șeful nostru este un lider inspirațional.Our boss is an inspirational leader.
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Elena are talking at the office.
- GabrielA venit șef?Did the boss come?
- ElenaDa, este în biroul lui.Yes, he is in his office.
- GabrielTrebuie să vorbesc cu șef.I need to talk to the boss.
- ElenaMergi acum, are timp.Go now, he has time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boss” translations and entries șef, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries șef, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
