Which one should you use?
To say 'the money' (specific money), you add the definite article suffix to the plural form, resulting in banii. The word verzi is a slang term for money, originating from the color of banknotes.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Moldova, the term Bănuți is commonly used to refer to small amounts of money or change.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Romanian, the plural bani is the standard way to refer to money as an uncountable concept. The singular form ban refers to a single unit of currency, similar to a cent or a penny. To specify 'the money', use the form banii. If you need to express 'of the money' or 'to the money', use the genitive/dative form banilor.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular ban to mean 'money' in a general sense, but in Romanian, the plural bani is the standard way to refer to money as an uncountable concept.
Did you know?
- While bani means 'money' today, it was once the official name of a currency used in the medieval Principality of Wallachia.
- Romanian has a specific word for 'money' in the sense of 'wealth' or 'fortune' called averi, which differs from the daily currency bani.
- In Moldova, you might hear the diminutive form Bănuți used to describe small change, which sounds much more affectionate or casual than the standard bani.
Examples in context
- Ai ceva bani, nu?You have some money, don't you?This sentence is useful for practicing the use of bani in a question.Tatoeba #12298494 by CataG, translation #739543 by CK
- Cine a luat banii?Who took the money?This sentence shows how to use banii to refer to specific money.Tatoeba #13616862 by Ioana_Dobre, translation #1886566 by CK
- Tom are mulți bani.Tom has a lot of money.This sentence demonstrates using bani to describe a large amount of money.Tatoeba #5220220 by fathe, translation #1025477 by CK
- Îmi place să economisesc bani pentru viitoarele călătorii.I like to save money for future trips.
- Mi-a dat banii necesari pentru a cumpăra un cadou.He/she gave me the money needed to buy a gift.
- Ia-ți bănuții și cumpără-ți ceva dulce!Take the small change and buy yourself something sweet!
- 191 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alexandru and Ioana are discussing a trip to the market.
- AlexandruAi toți banii pentru cumpărături?Do you have all the money for the shopping?
- IoanaNu, am nevoie de mai mulți bani.No, I need more money.
- AlexandruVrei să îți dau eu niște bani?Do you want me to give you some money?
- IoanaNu e nevoie, mulțumesc mult!It is not necessary, thank you very much!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
