hamster
/ˈham.ster/
The Romanian word for hamster is hamster. Wiktionary also lists hârciog.
Meaning: rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA |
|---|---|
| hamster | /ˈham.ster/ |
| hârciog | /hɨrˈt͡ʃʲoɡ/ |
The word refers to the rodent species belonging to the Cricetinae family.
Which one should you use?
While hamster is the common word used in everyday speech, hârciog is the more formal or scientific term for the rodent.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'the hamster', add the definite article suffix -ul to the end of the word to get hamsterul. The genitive form to say 'of the hamster' is hamsterului. To say 'the hamsters', use the plural definite form hamsterii.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈham.ster/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While hamster describes the pet, the word hârciog is often used in Romania to describe the European hamster, which is a wild species found in the Danubian plains.
- The common term hamster entered the Romanian language via German rather than English.
- The word hamster is an example of a 'doublet' in Romanian, where two words from different languages, German and Hungarian, describe the same animal.
Examples in context
- Tom a eliberat hamsterul din cușcă.Tom let the hamster out of its cage.This sentence shows how to use hamster when referring to an animal in a cage.Tatoeba #12782363 by ridisegnandone, translation #2641454 by CK
- Alerg precum un hamster într-o roată.I'm running around like a hamster in a wheel.This sentence illustrates the use of hamster in a common simile.Tatoeba #2752470 by elenacristina260, translation #2752331 by dipdowel
- Am cumpărat un hamster alb ieri.I bought a white hamster yesterday.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrei and Andreea are visiting a pet store.
- AndreiUite, Andreea, ce drăguț este acest hamster!Look, Andreea, how cute this hamster is!
- AndreeaÎntr-adevăr, este foarte mic și pufos.Indeed, it is very small and fluffy.
- AndreiCrezi că un hamster are nevoie de mult spațiu?Do you think a hamster needs a lot of space?
- AndreeaCred că o cușcă mare este suficientă.I think a large cage is enough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hamster” translations and entries hamster, hârciog, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hamster, hârciog, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
