Looking for the best books to learn Romanian? As a native Romanian tutor who has helped over 240 students from 42 countries, I always recommend a mix of practical guides, authentic Romanian reading material, and solid grammar references. In this guide, I share my honest picks for every level, from complete beginner to advanced learner.
Why These Books to Learn Romanian Are Different
Most lists of Romanian language books recommend the same old English textbooks. But in my experience, the fastest way to progress is to start reading real Romanian content as early as possible. That is why my recommendations include authentic Romanian publications alongside practical learning tools.
Combining a structured grammar resource with real books written for native speakers builds your vocabulary, trains your reading comprehension, and exposes you to natural sentence structures that no textbook alone can teach.
Best Romanian Grammar Practice: The Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook
The Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook by Sefora Geantă
I created The Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook after six years of teaching Romanian to foreigners. I noticed a clear gap: students reaching A2 or B1 level had nowhere to practise grammar in a structured, engaging way.
The workbook contains 56 exercises covering A2, B1, and B2 levels. Each exercise targets a specific grammar point, from noun cases and verb conjugations to pronouns and prepositions. The exercises use real-life contexts, not abstract sentences. There is also an answer key available separately so you can check your work independently.
Pros: Designed specifically for English-speaking learners, real-life contexts, covers A2 to B2
Cons: Focused on grammar practice, not vocabulary or conversation
Best for: Intermediate learners who need structured grammar exercises to break through the plateau
Best Phrasebook for Beginners: Ghid de Conversație Englez-Român
Ghid de conversație englez-român by Alina-Antoanela Crăciun-Ștefăniu & Radu Lupuleasa
Published by Editura Polirom, this is one of the best books to learn Romanian for practical, everyday communication. Unlike most phrasebooks written for tourists, this 208-page guide is structured around real situations: common phrases, weather, shopping, dining, cultural events, and sports.
What makes it valuable for learners is that every phrase appears in both English and Romanian, so you can study in both directions. It is compact (pocket-sized), well-organised by topic, and gives you exactly the kind of vocabulary you need for your first conversations in Romanian.
Pros: Bilingual format, practical topics, compact and portable, affordable
Cons: No grammar explanations, limited to set phrases
Best for: Beginners who want to start speaking Romanian in real situations immediately
Best Romanian Language Books for Reading Practice: The “Cine a fost?” Series
Cine a fost Istoria lumii? by Paula K. Manzanero
This is my favourite recommendation for intermediate learners looking for the best books to learn Romanian through authentic reading. “Cine a fost Istoria lumii?” (Who Was the History of the World?) is a beautifully illustrated book that covers around 150 topics from prehistory to modern times, all written in clear, accessible Romanian.
Originally part of the popular “Cine a fost?” series published by Editura Trei, these books are written for young readers, which means the language is simple and the explanations are clear. For Romanian learners, this is perfect: you get real Romanian text without the complexity of adult literature.
The full series includes over 20 titles covering famous figures like Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Mozart, Napoleon, and many more. But “Cine a fost Istoria lumii?” is the best starting point. It compiles the highlights of the entire series into one volume, and it is very affordable.
Pros: Authentic Romanian text, simple language, illustrated, covers fascinating topics, affordable price
Cons: Originally aimed at children (ages 7-12), no grammar focus
Best for: Intermediate learners (A2-B1) who want to practise reading real Romanian while learning about history and culture
Best Book for Romanian Reading Comprehension: 25 Famous Fairytales (Coming Soon)
25 Famous Fairytales for Romanian Learners by Sefora Geantă
One of the biggest challenges my students face at the A2-B1 level is finding reading material that is engaging but not overwhelming. Most authentic Romanian texts are either too simple (children’s picture books) or too complex (novels, newspapers). That is exactly why I am writing a new book specifically designed to bridge this gap.
The book contains 25 famous fairytales rewritten in accessible Romanian for intermediate learners. It blends universal literature, stories you already know and love, with traditional Romanian fairytales that will introduce you to the rich storytelling culture of Romania. Each story comes with a glossary of key vocabulary and a quiz to test your comprehension.
Why fairytales? Because they use repetitive structures, vivid descriptions, and familiar narrative patterns. This makes them ideal for building reading confidence. You already know how “Cinderella” or “Hansel and Gretel” unfold, so you can focus on the Romanian language rather than trying to follow an unfamiliar plot. And the Romanian fairytales in the collection will give you cultural context that no textbook can provide.
This book will be available for sale later this year. If you want to be the first to know when it launches, get in touch or follow me on social media for updates.
Pros: Designed for A2-B1 learners, combines universal and Romanian literature, glossary and quiz per story
Cons: Not yet available
Best for: Intermediate learners who want to improve reading comprehension through engaging, familiar stories
Best Free Romanian Grammar Reference: SEELRC Romanian Grammar
Romanian Grammar by Dana Cojocaru (University of Bucharest)
If you want a comprehensive grammar reference without spending a cent, the SEELRC Romanian Grammar is the best free resource available. Written by Dana Cojocaru from the University of Bucharest, with a verb handbook by Ronald F. Feldstein from Indiana University, this is an academic-quality grammar guide funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
It covers every aspect of Romanian grammar in detail: nouns, verbs, cases, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and sentence structure. The PDF is organised by topic, making it easy to look up specific grammar points when you need them.
Many learners searching for the best books to learn Romanian overlook free resources like this one. But as a grammar reference, it rivals any paid textbook on the market.
Pros: Completely free, comprehensive, written by university academics, downloadable PDF
Cons: Dense and academic, no exercises, best used as a reference rather than a study guide
Best for: Learners at any level who want a thorough grammar reference to consult alongside their studies
How to Choose the Best Books to Learn Romanian for Your Level
Here is my simple framework for choosing:
- Complete beginner? Start with the Ghid de conversație englez-român for practical phrases
- Need grammar practice? Grab The Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook
- Ready to read in Romanian? Pick up “Cine a fost Istoria lumii?” and the full series
- Want guided reading practice? Keep an eye out for my upcoming 25 Famous Fairytales book (coming later this year)
- Want a free grammar reference? Download the SEELRC Romanian Grammar PDF
The best approach is to combine all four: use the phrasebook for speaking practice, the workbook for grammar drills, the “Cine a fost?” books for reading comprehension, and the SEELRC grammar as your reference guide.
Books Alone Are Not Enough to Learn Romanian
I will be honest: no book can replace real conversation practice. Even the best books to learn Romanian only build your knowledge. Speaking with a native tutor is what turns that knowledge into actual fluency. Many learners wonder is Romanian hard to learn before committing to a study plan. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Romanian is a Category I language requiring around 600 to 750 hours of study. The right combination of books, lessons, and practice can help you reach conversational fluency faster than you might expect.
If you are serious about learning Romanian, I offer a free 30-minute assessment where we evaluate your level and create a personalised study plan, including which books to use at your stage. Book your free session here and let us find the perfect learning path for you.
Already using one of these books? Explore my courses to see how private or group lessons can accelerate your progress. You can also check out my free Romanian learning resources and the best apps to learn Romanian for additional study tools.
