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povesti

to tell (a story); to narrate /po.veˈsti/

verb#2181 most common

Also: to recount, to chat, to talk something over

Example sentences

Bunica îmi povestește o poveste seara.
Grandma tells me a story in the evening.
Îmi place să povestesc despre vacanța mea.
I like to tell people about my vacation.
Copiii au povestit profesoarei ce s-a întâmplat.
The children told the teacher what had happened.
A povesti amintiri din copilărie mă face fericit.
Telling stories about childhood memories makes me happy.
Dacă aș avea mai mult timp, ți-aș povesti toată întâmplarea.
If I had more time, I would tell you the whole story.
Bătrânii obișnuiau să povestească legende până târziu în noapte, țesând cuvintele cu o măiestrie aproape uitată.
The elders used to narrate legends until late at night, weaving their words with a nearly forgotten skill.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgpovestescpovestiivoi povesti
2sgpovesteștipovestișivei povesti
3sgpovesteștepovestiva povesti
1plpovestimpovestirămvom povesti
2plpovestițipovestirățiveți povesti
3plpovestescpovestirăvor povesti

Word family

povestestory, tale
povestireshort story, narrative account
povestitorstoryteller, narrator
repovestito retell
povestittold, recounted

Etymology

The verb "a povesti" was built from the noun "poveste" (story, tale) by adding the Romanian infinitive ending "-i". "Poveste" itself came into Romanian from Old Church Slavonic "povest'", meaning an account or narrative. That Slavic word is tied to "vest'" (news, tidings) and the verb "vedeti" (to know), which reach back to an ancient root meaning "to see" or "to know".

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