Romania possesses a distinct linguistic identity shaped by its history and geography. While the country is home to a mosaic of languages reflecting its diverse ethnic makeup, the vast majority of the population speaks one dominant language. Understanding Romania’s linguistic landscape involves recognizing this primary language, its historical roots, regional variations, and the role of other languages.
The Official Language: Romanian
The official language of Romania is Romanian, a status enshrined in the country’s constitution. It is the primary mode of communication across all sectors of society, including government, the judicial system, public education, and media. Over 90% of the population speaks Romanian as their first language, making it the unifying linguistic force for the nation.
Romanian is written using the Latin alphabet, supplemented by five special letters: ă, â, î, ș, and ț. Although the language used the Cyrillic script until the mid-19th century, the shift to the Latin alphabet aligns it graphically with other Western European languages.
Latin Roots and Regional Variations
Romanian is classified as an Eastern Romance language, having evolved directly from the Vulgar Latin spoken in the Roman provinces of Dacia and Moesia. This Latin heritage sets it apart from the predominantly Slavic languages of its neighboring countries. The language spoken in Romania is often referred to as Daco-Romanian to distinguish it from its closest linguistic relatives.
These related languages, which descend from the same Common Romanian proto-language, include Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian, and Istro-Romanian. They are spoken in small, isolated communities primarily south of the Danube and are not mutually intelligible with Daco-Romanian. Within Romania, there are several regional variations, often called sub-dialects, that are mutually intelligible with the standard language. The Wallachian dialect, spoken around the capital Bucharest, forms the basis for Standard Romanian. Other notable varieties include the Moldavian dialect in the northeast and the Transylvanian dialect, which exhibits minor influences from German and Hungarian.
Minority Languages and Traveler Communication
Romania’s population includes several significant linguistic minorities, often concentrated geographically. Hungarian is the largest minority language, spoken by approximately 6.5% of the population, primarily in the Transylvania region. The Romani language, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch, is the second most common minority language. Other languages, such as German, Ukrainian, and Russian, are spoken by smaller communities in border or historical regions.
For international travelers, communication is facilitated by the local population’s proficiency in secondary languages. English is the most widely spoken foreign language, particularly among younger generations and those in major urban centers. French is the second most common foreign language, due to its historical importance and inclusion in the school curriculum. While most tourist interactions can be managed in English, learning a few basic Romanian phrases is helpful when traveling outside of metropolitan areas.