How to prepare for your trip to Romania
The language you will hear, the phrases to learn first, money, plugs, emergency numbers and a few local habits, and a way to plan the trip and keep your phrases offline.
Try it free for 14 days.
Photo credit
Photo of bran castle, transylvania, with autumn trees and a bust in the foreground by Pure Brasov (opens in a new tab) on Unsplash, used under the Unsplash License (opens in a new tab).
What you will hear in Romania.
Romanian is spoken across Romania, and it is a Romance language, so people who know Italian, Spanish or French will recognise some words. In Bucharest and tourist places many people speak some English. In villages and small towns Romanian is what you will use.
In Transylvania you will also hear Hungarian and German, which have a long history there. Moldavia, in the north-east, is a historic region of Romania and is not the Republic of Moldova.
Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Sibiu, Sighișoara, Maramureș, the Danube Delta and the Black Sea coast are all in Romania.
Phrases for your first day.
They come from the first lessons. In the app each has audio and a note on when to use it, and you can save it to your phrasebook.
Bună dimineața, doamnă!
Good morning, madam!
Mulțumesc mult!
Thank you very much!
Scuzați-mă, vă rog.
Excuse me, please.
Cât costă asta?
How much is this?
Unde este gara?
Where is the station?
Vorbiți engleză?
Do you speak English?
Puteți repeta, vă rog?
Can you repeat that, please?
Nota de plată, vă rog.
The bill, please.
Romania at a glance.
These are usually right but not always. For anything that matters, check the official advice before you go.
- Romanian leu (RON)
- +40
- On the right
- Type C, F · 230 V
- 112
Entry rules, health advice and safety change, so they are not on this page. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office keeps them up to date for UK travellers: UK government travel advice for Romania (opens in a new tab).
Habits worth knowing before you arrive.
Habits, not rules: places and people vary, so each note says where it applies.
Summer is hot in Bucharest and the lowlands, while the Carpathian mountains are cooler and busy with hikers. Take a light layer for the evenings in the mountains.
Tipping in restaurants is common, often around ten per cent when no service charge has been added. Check the bill first.
Romanian is the official language everywhere, but in some parts of Transylvania Hungarian is widely spoken, and signs may appear in both languages.
Orthodox Easter can fall on a different date from Easter in the UK. It is a major holiday, when many people travel to family and some places close for several days.
Plan the trip to Romania in one place.
Put it on days
Add Romania to a trip, then put places on days with a time and a note. Directions open in your maps app.
Save the videos
Paste the TikTok, Instagram or YouTube link that gave you the idea and attach it to the stop it belongs to.
Take your phrases offline
Download the travel guide on Wi-Fi. The phrasebook, packs, notes and audio work with no signal.
Share the plan
Send a link to the people you are going with. They can read it without an account, and you can invite them to edit.
About a trip to Romania.
Do I need Romanian in Romania?
In Bucharest and tourist places, often not. In villages and small towns Romanian helps a lot.
When do I say dumneavoastră?
It is the polite "you" for strangers and older people. The guide shows when it fits.
Does it cover the Black Sea coast?
Yes, including Constanța and Mamaia.
Other trip guides
Be ready to speak when you land in Romania.
Create a free account, add the trip, and start with the phrases for your first hour.
Try it free for 14 days.