A Romance language with its own history
Romanian is related to Italian and French but has its own grammar and many influences arising from regional language contact.
Romance language
Have Romanian translated
română
Romanian and Moldovan documents may use similar language but follow different administrative and documentary traditions. Their origin and date of issue are therefore also checked.
Romanian is spoken as a first language by approximately 24 million people.
Geographical distribution of Romanian
- Main areas of use
- Other regional use
- Selected diaspora communities
Romania
Republic of Moldova
Ukraine
Serbia
Hungary
Germany
Italy
A schematic selection of the main areas where the language is used. Language use does not always follow national borders, and the map does not show complete population statistics.
Language profile
Romanian at a glance
- Native name
- română
- Language family
- Romance language
- Script
- Latin alphabet
- Language code
- ro
Documents and areas of use
Common uses for this language combination
It is not just about the language. ABBA-Sprachendienste also takes into account the document type, recipient, subject area, certification requirements and the language combination you need.
Have your document checked- Birth and marriage certificates
- School and university certificates
- Employment and social-security records
- Court and official documents
- Contracts and powers of attorney
Origin and development
How the language developed
Romanian is an Eastern Romance language that developed from spoken Latin in south-eastern Europe. Its vocabulary also shows Slavic, Greek, Turkish and Hungarian influences.
Romanian was written partly in Cyrillic until the 19th century, after which the Latin alphabet became established. In the Republic of Moldova, older Soviet documents may contain Cyrillic forms.
Good to know
What makes this language distinctive
Diacritical marks
Ă, â, î, ș and ț must be reproduced correctly; older technical texts sometimes use substitute characters.
Moldovan context
The language designation, script and administrative structure may vary according to the period and the document's origin.
A glimpse of the language
Three phrases to start with
The transliteration is only a rough guide. Pronunciation and regional forms may differ.
| Original | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bună ziua | — | Good day |
| Mulțumesc | — | Thank you |
| Vă rog | — | Please |
Sources and classification
Further information
Speaker numbers are rounded guide figures and may vary depending on the definition, the year of the survey and whether second-language speakers are included.
- Romanian language
Wikipedia · language-specific overview
- Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages
Library of Congress / ISO 639-2 Registration Authority · Language codes and standardised language names
- Language and Locale Names
Unicode Common Locale Data Repository · Language, script and territory names and variants
- Glottolog 5.3
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology · Language families, classification and linguistic literature
Editorial sources as of 14 July 2026. The information will be cross-checked by subject experts before the website goes live.
Other related service languages
Romanian FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Romanian
Can I have Romanian translated into German and German into Romanian?
You can request either direction. We give a binding commitment once we have checked the document type, subject area, certification, appointment and intended use.
Which documents are commonly relevant for Romanian?
Birth and marriage certificates, school and university certificates, employment and social-security records, and court and public-authority documents are typical examples. Other types of document can also be assessed using a clear photograph or PDF.
What does ABBA-Sprachendienste check for Romanian?
We check the language combination, document type, script (Latin alphabet), names, stamps, subject area, intended use and whether certification may be needed.
Do I need a certified translation of my Romanian document?
That is decided by the authority, court or notary receiving the document, or by whichever other office has requested it. Tell ABBA-Sprachendienste where the document will be submitted, so that your requirements can be assessed properly.
Is a photo enough for the initial check?
Yes. A complete, sharp and clearly legible photo or PDF is usually enough for us to check your request and prepare a quote. Depending on the job, the original may also be needed later, when the work is carried out.
Ask us to review your Romanian ↔ German requirements
Send a clear photo or PDF. ABBA-Sprachendienste will personally check the language combination, document, intended use and whether certification is needed.
