da și nu
/ˈda ʃi nu/word by word
The Romanian phrase for "yes and no" is da și nu.
This phrase is used to indicate that a situation or question does not have a simple "yes" or "no" answer.
Meaning: indicating there is no simple "yes" or "no" answer (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of da (yes), și (and) and nu (no).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈda ʃi nu/
When do people say it?
In Romania, nodding your head up and down is considered a 'yes' gesture, while shaking your head from side to side means 'no'.
Did you know?
- The word da is actually a loanword from Bulgarian, rather than being a direct descendant of a Latin affirmative word.
Examples in context
- La întrebarea ta, spun da și nu.To your question, I say yes and no.
Example conversation
Maria asks Alexandru if he likes his new job.
- MariaÎți place noul tău job, Alexandru?Do you like your new job, Alexandru?
- AlexandruDa și nu, este foarte stresant.Yes and no, it is very stressful.
- MariaCe anume nu îți place?What exactly don't you like?
- AlexandruDoar programul de lucru.Just the work schedule.
