grond
Big
Usage
The basic adjective for size. The feminine form is gronda
Grammar Note
Adjectives agree with the noun (grond / gronda / gronds / grondas). They usually follow the noun, but grond can also stand before it
pitschen
Small
Usage
The basic adjective for small size. The feminine form is pitschna
Grammar Note
The ending changes: feminine singular pitschna, plurals pitschens / pitschnas
grev
Heavy
Usage
Used for weight. It can also mean hard or burdensome. The feminine form is greva
Grammar Note
Agrees in gender and number: grev / greva / grevs / grevas
lev
Light (weight)
Usage
Describes low weight. It also means easy, so rely on context
Grammar Note
Agrees as lev / leva / levs / levas. It is the opposite of grev (heavy)
char
Expensive
Usage
Describes a high price. It also means dear, so in shops it appears in sentences like Quai è char (this is expensive)
Grammar Note
Agrees as char / chara / chars / charas. The opposite is bunmartgà
bunmartgà
Cheap
Usage
Describes a low price. It is built from bun (good) and martgà (market)
Grammar Note
The final à carries an accent. The feminine form is bunmartgada. The opposite is char
fraid
Cold
Usage
Describes low temperature. As a noun it also means cold or frost
Grammar Note
Agrees as fraid / fraida / fraids / fraidas
nov
New
Usage
Means new. Note that nov is also the number nine, so rely on context
Grammar Note
Agrees as nov / nova / novs / novas. The numeral nine does not change
vegl
Old (thing)
Usage
Describes old objects and buildings. For people use attempà, which is more polite
Grammar Note
Agrees as vegl / veglia / vegls / veglias. The opposite is nov
giuven
Young
Usage
Describes young age
Grammar Note
Feminine giuvna, plurals giuvens / giuvnas
attempà
Old (person)
Usage
A gentle word for elderly people, softer than using vegl for a person
Grammar Note
The final à carries an accent. The feminine form is attempada. It also works as a noun meaning an elderly person
net
Clean
Usage
Describes cleanliness. The feminine form is netta
Grammar Note
Agrees as net / netta / nets / nettas. The opposite is malnet
malnet
Dirty
Usage
Describes something dirty. It is built from mal (bad) and net (clean) and suits complaints about rooms or dishes
Grammar Note
The feminine form is malnetta. The word tschuf also exists but has coarse senses, so avoid it
bun
Good
Usage
The basic word for good. It also appears in the greeting Bun di
Grammar Note
The feminine is buna (as in Buna saira): bun / buna / buns / bunas
mal
Bad
Usage
Describes bad quality or condition. As a noun it also means evil or pain
Grammar Note
Agrees as mal / mala / mals / malas. The opposite is bun
damanaivel
Near
Usage
Means near or close by, as in Quai è damanaivel (it is close)
Grammar Note
The form stays the same and can be used like an adverb. The opposite is lunsch
lunsch
Far
Usage
Means far. "Far from here" is lunsch davent da qua
Grammar Note
It is an adverb, so the form does not change. The opposite is damanaivel
tempriv
Early
Usage
Means early in time, for example arriving early
Grammar Note
The opposite is tard (late)
tard
Late
Usage
Means late. Memia tard means too late
Grammar Note
As an adjective: tard / tarda / tards / tardas; the adverb has the same form
blers
Many
Usage
Means many. It goes before the noun, as in blers uras (many hours)
Grammar Note
Inflects as bler / blera / blers / bleras. Blers is masculine plural, bleras feminine plural
paucs
Few
Usage
Means few. It is used as in paucs dis (a few days)
Grammar Note
Inflects as pauc / pauca / paucs / paucas. Paucs is masculine plural
Igl è chaud.
It is hot (weather)
Usage
The basic sentence for hot weather. I fa chaud is another way to say it. Chaud can be taken in another sense when said of people, so use it for weather only
Grammar Note
Weather is expressed with igl è plus an adjective. Chaud stays unchanged here
Igl è fraid.
It is cold (weather)
Usage
The basic sentence for cold weather. I fa fraid is another way to say it
Grammar Note
Weather is expressed with igl è plus an adjective. Fraid stays unchanged here
charin
Cute
Usage
Used to praise small things, children or animals. The feminine form is charina
Grammar Note
Inflects as charin / charina / charins / charinas. Bel (beautiful) can also be used
cool
Cool
Usage
A loanword from English, spelled as in English. It is informal and used mostly by young people
Grammar Note
As a loanword it does not change its ending
squisit
Delicious
Usage
Used for very tasty food. The feminine form is squisita
Grammar Note
Inflects as squisit / squisita / squisits / squisitas. Exquisit has the same meaning
incredibel
Incredible
Usage
Expresses disbelief or wonder, for example about scenery or events
Grammar Note
The feminine form is incredibla: incredibel / incredibla / incredibels / incrediblas
divertent
Fun
Usage
Describes something fun or entertaining
Grammar Note
Inflects as divertent / divertenta / divertents / divertentas
dapli
More
Usage
An adverb for asking for more, as in giving me a bit more
Grammar Note
An adverb, so the form does not change. Pli is also used for "more" in comparisons
mo in zichel
Just a little
Usage
Used to ask for a small amount, for example when food or a drink is served
Grammar Note
Mo means only and in zichel means a little. In pau is another way to say it
mez
Half
Usage
Means half. The feminine form is mesa
Grammar Note
Changes as mez / mesa. As a noun it can also mean the middle
tut
All of it
Usage
Means all or everything and is used to indicate an amount
Grammar Note
Agrees as tut / tutta / tuts / tuttas
Quai basta.
That is enough
Usage
Used to say that is enough. The short Basta! also exists but sounds more forceful
Grammar Note
Basta is the third person singular of bastar (to suffice). Quai means this or that
More Romansh phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Massage & Spa
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Visa & Immigration
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Dating & Romance
- Volunteering
- Accessibility
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Wine & Spirits
- Car Rental & Driving
- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
- Skiing & Winter Sports
- Yoga & Wellness
- Casino & Gambling
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences