Word Of The Day: Belea

Since Monday can be a depressing day, it’s a good time to cover a common Romanian noun known as belea (beh-leh-AH). It’s another one of those nouns that has a number of similar meanings, all adding up to add a layered nuance to the word. Def. 1: “An unforeseen incident that brings trouble, suffering or disharmony.” Def. 2: “A complicated and unpleasant situation.” In my … Continue reading Word Of The Day: Belea

The Cartier

As you remember from previous posts of mine, in Romania all inhabited places are divided into cities (orase), towns (comune) and villages (sate). Although most Romanian “cities” are extremely small, they all usually have a significant geographic feature, a series of internal divisions, each one called a cartier (car-tea-AIR) or a “neighborhood”. All Romanians who live in a city will know exactly where these neighborhoods … Continue reading The Cartier