Romanian phrases that actually work in Moldova

Moldova's official language is Romanian, and a handful of phrases will take you far — especially outside Chisinau, where English thins out fast. You don't need fluency; a few greetings, numbers, and "where is" questions cover most situations.

How far does English get you?

Not very far once you leave Chisinau or major tourist areas — English proficiency among the general population is limited there. In small cities and villages, this extends even to medical staff, who may speak little or no English. That makes a basic phrase list genuinely useful rather than just polite, particularly if you need help, directions, or medical care outside the capital.

What greetings and manners should I know?

Start with "Salut" (hello) and "Bună dimineața" (good morning). For leaving, use "La revedere" (goodbye) or the more casual "Pe curând" (see you). If someone welcomes you, they may say "Bun venit" (welcome).

For manners, "Te rog" means please, "Mulțumesc" is thank you, and "Îmi cer scuze" is I'm sorry. If you don't understand something, "Nu știu" (I don't know) is honest and simple. To agree, say "Sunt de acord." And the basics: "Da" is yes, "Nu" is no.

How do I ask for directions or help?

These five "where is" questions cover the essentials:

• "Unde este stația de autobuz?" — Where is the bus station?
• "Unde este gara?" — Where is the train station?
• "Unde este aeroportul?" — Where is the airport?
• "Unde este spitalul?" — Where is the hospital?
• "Unde este poliția?" — Where is the police?

For everyday logistics, "Doresc un taxi" gets you a taxi, "Cât costă?" asks how much something costs, and "Cât este ceasul?" asks the time. If things go wrong, "Am nevoie de ajutor" means I need help.

What if I'm stopped by police?

If a police officer stops you, ask to see their identity card — "legitimație" (pronounced roughly "leh-jee-tee-MAT-see-ya"). Genuine Moldovan police have "POLITIA" printed on the back of their uniforms, and traffic police additionally wear a metal badge on the outside of their uniform. Checking for these is a reasonable way to confirm you're dealing with an actual officer.

Since mobile data makes it easy to pull up translation apps or offline phrase lists on the go, having reliable connectivity is a practical backup to memorized phrases — worth sorting out before you arrive. See /destinations/moldova for more on getting set up.

FAQ

Is Romanian the only language I need to know? It's the official language of Moldova, and the phrases above cover greetings, manners, directions, and emergencies — a solid practical base.

Will people understand me in rural areas? English proficiency is limited outside Chisinau and tourist areas, and even medical staff in small cities and villages may speak little or no English, so these Romanian phrases are especially useful there.

What's the single most useful phrase to memorize? "Am nevoie de ajutor" (I need help) and "Unde este..." (Where is...) combined with a destination word cover most practical needs.

Sources

• Moldova International Travel Information
• Chisinau Travel Guide- Moldova Travel
• Travel Vocabulary – Chisinau
• BBC - Languages Quick Fix - Moldovan
• Dicționar turistic – Chisinau