Customs and everyday life in Romania: what you need to know for day-to-day living
In Romania, people speak Romanian, a Latin language: a French speaker quickly recognises many words. The currency is the leu (plural lei, RON), not the euro. In an emergency, dial 112, free from a landline or a mobile, for an ambulance, the fire brigade or the police.
Daily life
- Language: Romanian is the official language; schooling can also be in the languages of national minorities or in international languages (Eurydice). In Bucharest, English often helps; elsewhere, a few words of Romanian make a difference: bună ziua (hello), mulțumesc (thank you).
- Politeness: Romanian distinguishes the informal "you" (tu) and a respectful formal "you" (dumneavoastră). With strangers, the administration and older people, start with the formal "you" and domnule / doamnă (sir / madam); you switch to the informal "you" when the other person suggests it (common practice, no official text).
- Name day (onomastica): people often celebrate the saint whose name they bear, in addition to their birthday (custom).
- Religion and calendar: the Orthodox majority follows the Orthodox calendar for Easter and Pentecost, which often fall on different dates than in Western Europe.
- Tips (bacșiș): no law obliges you to leave one; the amount is a matter of custom. For the person who receives it, it falls into the category of income from other sources in the Fiscal Code (rules of art. 114, point 34), "according to the legal provisions".
- Administration: many procedures are still done at the counter, by appointment or with a queue; bring originals and copies. Payments are increasingly made online (for example at the ONRC, where the counter no longer takes payments since 15/10/2026).
Public holidays
List in the Labour Code (art. 139, consolidated version published by the Labour Inspectorate, up to date as at 21/03/2023; 6 and 7 January were added by law 52/2023): 1 and 2 January, 6 and 7 January (Epiphany and Saint John the Baptist), 24 January (Union of the Principalities), Good Friday, Easter and Easter Monday (Orthodox dates), 1 May, 1 June (Children's Day), Pentecost and Pentecost Monday (Orthodox dates), 15 August (Assumption), 30 November (Saint Andrew), 1 December (National Day), 25 and 26 December. Employees of another recognised Christian denomination (Catholics, Protestants…) take Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost on the dates of their denomination; those of a recognised non-Christian denomination are entitled to two days for each of its three major annual holidays. It is the employer who grants these days.
In 2026, Orthodox Easter falls on 12 April (Good Friday on 10 April, Easter Monday on 13 April) and Orthodox Pentecost on 31 May (Monday 1 June); dates calculated according to the Orthodox computus, whereas Catholic Easter falls on 5 April. The consolidated text read dates from March 2023: check the list again every year.
Emergencies
- 112: European emergency number, free, from a landline or a mobile, for an ambulance, the fire brigade and the police. In Romania, it is the only national emergency number. Operators in many countries also answer in English or French (languages available in Romania: to be confirmed).
Common pitfalls
- Paying in euros. Prices and payment are in lei.
- Planning a procedure around Orthodox Easter. The dates often differ from those in your country, and the administrations close.
- Going to the counter without copies. Bring photocopies of all your documents.
What changes by country of origin
- For everyone: these customs apply whatever your nationality.
- French speakers: the closeness of Romanian to French makes learning easier; do not assume, however, that the person you are dealing with speaks French.
- British citizens (Scots included): no difference in daily life; for residence and health, see RO-SEJOUR-TOUS-001 and RO-SANTE-TOUS-001.
Official sources (6) ›
- Labour Inspectorate (Inspecția Muncii), "CODUL MUNCII din 24 ianuarie 2003 (republicat)", consolidated form as at 21/03/2023, art. 139 (public holidays, law 52/2023)
- ANAF, Fiscal Code (Law 227/2015) with implementing rules, up to date with Law 170/2026: rules of art. 114, point 34 (taxable tips)
- European Commission, "112 – the European emergency number" (updated 23/06/2026)
- Eurydice (European Commission), "Romania – Overview" (updated 24/09/2026)
- ONRC, home page (announcement of 09/10/2026: the cash desks of the ONRC offices cease operation on 15/10/2026)
- European Union, "Romania" (official language: Romanian; currency: the leu, Romania is not in the euro area; page updated 16/10/2026)