unchi
/ˈuŋkʲ/masculine
The Romanian word for uncle is unchi.
unchi is a masculine noun used to refer to the brother or brother-in-law of someone's parent.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of unchi is unchii. For the singular dative and genitive forms, use unchiului to mean "to the uncle". The plural dative and genitive form is unchilor, which translates to "to the uncles".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈuŋkʲ/
Did you know?
- The word unchi traces its lineage back to the Latin avunculus, which specifically referred to a maternal uncle.
- In certain historical contexts, calling someone 'uncle' in a metaphorical sense was a way to show respect to an older man in the community, even without a family tie.
- The word unchi shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'uncle', as both trace back to the Latin system of kinship terms.
Examples in context
- El e unchiul meu.He is my uncle.This sentence shows how to use unchi to state a relationship.Tatoeba #5138093 by fathe, translation #297898 by CK
- El seamănă cu unchiul său, Youba.He resembles his uncle Youba.This sentence shows how to use unchi when describing a resemblance.Tatoeba #13598733 by Ioana_Dobre, translation #12677128 by anzart
- Unchiul meu a fost un poet celebru.My uncle was a famous poet.This sentence shows how to use unchi when discussing a person's past profession.Tatoeba #13780677 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13780676 by Ioan_Cristian
- Bună ziua, unchiule!Good day, uncle!
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Stefan are looking at a family photo album.
- ElenaCine este acest bărbat din poză?Who is this man in the photo?
- StefanAcesta este unchiul meu din partea tatălui.This is my uncle on my father's side.
- ElenaEl locuiește tot aici în oraș?Does he live here in the city too?
- StefanNu, unchiul meu locuiește în alt oraș.No, my uncle lives in another city.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries unchi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries unchi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
