# dragă... [...] Cu respect (correspondence)



## sarashy

Here a card for a Romanian guy, he's my friend.
If you are a native Romanian can you tell me any something wrong with this sentences, hope you can give other translation or better ones.

Dear Andrei.

Happy Birthday..
Hope your birthday is great, and filled with loved ones and much  happiness. Wishing you all the best in year to come. I love you.

Dragă Andrei,

La mulţi ani..
Sper că ziua ta de naştere e măreaţă, plină de cei dragi, şi multă  fericire. Îţi urez toate cele bune în anul ce vine. Te iubesc.


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## aky

Hello, sarashy!

If you're looking for a better translation (in Romanian) you may try this:



Dragă Andrei,

Iţi urez multă fericire, sănătate, o aniversare frumoasă alături de cei dragi şi numai împliniri în următorul an!

La mulţi ani!

Cu respect/Cu dragoste ,
<insert your name here>



I took the liberty to adapt some of the words and even made some additions here and there; I'm sure you'll understand some things can't be literally translated and keep their meanings at the same time (there are some grammar differences, language construction differences even cultural ones).
I'm not sure about your relation with the recipient of this card so there you have two alternatives for the closing sentence - you know Andrei or you're a friend of Andrei/the two of you are lovers or you're relatives (which, i suppose, is not the case) --> Cu respect/Cu dragoste

I hope it helps.
Cya around!


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## sarashy

Hi aky!

it very helps 
I'm not sure about the closing sentence, he's my friend but I think I love him *LOL*
but maybe I'll just use that "Cu respect"

Multumesc foarte mult!


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## tamoka

Hey,

I would definitely not use "Cu respect" if he`s a friend. That means "Respectfully" and is formal. I`d go with "Cu dragoste" or "Cu drag" (probably the latter).


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## farscape

Hmm... "Cu respect"? You definitely don't want to use this, unless the letter is addressed to your boss or to someone to whom you have to show a lot of respect, in a formal context, like writing to the Court, filing a complaint, etc.

Here are a few endings you can use:
Toate cele bune (All the best)
Cu prietenie/simpatie
Cu drag (used with family members or close friends)

Later,


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## aky

It's quite hard to give it the right meaning ("right" as in the way you see it) not 

knowing exactly how close the two of you are. I tried to keep it as neutral as I could 

and at the same time not to be cold or distant (but friendly - like a friend would say 

it) so I came up with that version.
I'm glad it helped.

Cu multa placere!


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## farscape

Not to be very picky but if you start a message with "Dragă Andrei" which implies a certain degree of familiarity, you can't end with "Cu respect"...

With utmost respect, 
f.


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## sarashy

tamoka said:


> Hey,
> 
> I would definitely not use "Cu respect" if he`s a friend. That means  "Respectfully" and is formal. I`d go with "Cu dragoste" or "Cu drag"  (probably the latter).


 
*"Cu dragoste"* or *"Cu drag"*, which better to use?




farscape said:


> Not to be very picky but if you start a message with "Dragă Andrei" which implies a certain degree of familiarity, you can't end with "Cu respect"...
> 
> With utmost respect,
> f.



I don't mean to be very picky but now I'm a bit confused


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## aky

Well.. actually friends should respect each other; most of the "friendship thing" is based on respect

Respect, man!


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## sarashy

aky said:


> Well.. actually friends should respect each other; most of the "friendship thing" is based on respect
> 
> Respect, man!



cool thought!

and you guys really help me 
thank you so much


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## aky

sarashy said:


> *"Cu dragoste"* or *"Cu drag"*, which better to use?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't mean to be very picky but now I'm a bit confused



Just to avoid the endless arguments here - you could go with "Cu prietenie" (like someone said before)

But then again, neither the others here, nor me know the exact nature of your relationship with Andrei.

"Cu respect" is the *failsafe* I would use in most situations


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## sarashy

aky said:


> Just to avoid the endless arguments here - you could go with "Cu prietenie" (like someone said before)
> 
> But then again, neither the others here, nor me know the exact nature of your relationship with Andrei.
> 
> "Cu respect" is the *failsafe* I would use in most situations



I still don't really get it, I mean that love in friendship (in my place)
I haven't know till you told me that (in romanian or maybe other regions) you must be at least couple to say love?
but he said he loves me. often. but I don't know what that means  sigh..
LOL, why I went to discuss about other topic? 

okay, go on, please tell me something I need to know


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## aky

sarashy said:


> I still don't really get it, I mean that love in friendship (in my place)
> I haven't know till you told me that (in romanian or maybe other regions) you must be at least couple to say love?
> but he said he loves me. often. but I don't know what that means  sigh..
> LOL, why I went to discuss about other topic?
> 
> okay, go on, please tell me something I need to know


short answer: "love" doesn't always translate with "dragoste" (in Romanian)
We do have a different perception/meaning of/for this word (dragoste) and it's usual use case is (like you already said) you're a couple or you're relatives; that's why I brought in the cultural differences..
and also that's why he might use the word "love" when he writes you letters in english.
Different meaning and/or perception + don't do literal translations

Just use "Cu prietenie" or "Cu respect" and it'll be ok

Regards


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## sarashy

aky said:


> short answer: "love" doesn't always translate with "dragoste" (in Romanian)
> We do have a different perception/meaning of/for this word (dragoste) and it's usual use case is (like you already said) you're a couple or you're relatives; that's why I brought in the cultural differences..
> and also that's why he might use the word "love" when he writes you letters in english.
> Different meaning and/or perception + don't do literal translations
> 
> Just use "Cu prietenie" or "Cu respect" and it'll be ok
> 
> Regards



aww it's a very helpful answer, now I really got it 
once again, thank you so much for the help


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## farscape

aky said:


> Just to avoid the endless arguments here - you could go with "Cu prietenie" (like someone said before)
> 
> But then again, neither the others here, nor me know the exact nature of your relationship with Andrei.
> 
> "Cu respect" is the *failsafe* I would use in most situations



I respectfully disagree  As a native speaker I can't even conceive to use the formula: start with _Dear John_ and end with _Respectfully_... fail-safe or not. It may make sense in English but it doesn't make sense in Romanian.

Later,


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## sarashy

farscape said:


> I respectfully disagree  As a native speaker I can't even conceive to use the formula: start with _Dear John_ and end with _Respectfully_... fail-safe or not. It may make sense in English but it doesn't make sense in Romanian.
> 
> Later,



so you both are native romanian speakers, got me confused (again)


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## aky

farscape said:


> I respectfully disagree  As a native speaker I can't even conceive to use the formula: start with _Dear John_ and end with _Respectfully_... fail-safe or not. It may make sense in English but it doesn't make sense in Romanian.
> 
> Later,



Feel free to disagree

*Respectele* mele!


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## aky

sarashy said:


> so you both are native romanian speakers, got me confused


Language is not like math, mate; it's not an exact science and there are more ways to express the same thing. We wouldn't have literature if it were like that!
Also the perception is different from individual to individual

You can't go wrong with any off the two ("Cu prietenie" or "Cu respect") IMO

edit:
I think "Cu prietenie" got old already (like, for eq. "Cu stima"); it sounds more like "clichee" (and a little bit too impersonal, at least for my taste)
But like i said: it's a matter of perspective
As for "Draga Andrei".. it's not uncommon at all to start a letter like that (unless you adress your boss or you wanna be more formal) 
I stand my case: use "Cu respect" (or "Cu prietenie")

Regards


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## farscape

aky said:


> ...
> As for "Draga Andrei".. it's not uncommon at all to start a letter like that (unless you adress your boss or you wanna be more formal)
> I stand my case: use "Cu respect" (or "Cu prietenie")



For the sake of Sarashy, I'd like to clear up the confusion here: my beef is not with using the "Dragă X (Andrei) formula rather with combination of  Dragă X (which is normal/natural for this context) and the ending "Cu respect/stimă". The excessively formal character of these endings does not match the intimate, familiar tone set by the opening, no matter what.

Having said that, "I *rest* my case" 
f.


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## aky

farscape said:


> ending "Cu respect/stimă"


Where exactly did I advice him to use "Cu stimă"?
I wouldn't put an equal sign between "Cu respect" and "Cu stimă"
"Cu stimă" is more an equivalent to "Cu prietenie"


aky said:


> I think "Cu prietenie" got old already (like, for eq. "Cu stima"); it sounds more like "clichee" (and a little bit too impersonal, at least for my taste)





farscape said:


> The excessively formal character of these endings


Says who?
"Cu respect" is not at all "excessively formal"; on the contrary, in the nowadays spoken Romanian it got a meaning similar to its american equivalent (borrowed its meaning from american english). I actually use the Romanian language spoken here and now so I speak knowingly about this



farscape said:


> the intimate, familiar tone set by the opening


"Dragă" doesn't have that "tone" (you meant connotation I suppose) for a long time now; at least not in this case


farscape said:


> Having said that, "I *rest* my case"
> f.


You've yet to prove anything, but that's gonna be hard as long as


aky said:


> Language is not like math, mate; it's not an exact science and there are more ways to express the same thing. We wouldn't have literature if it were like that!
> Also the perception is different from individual to individual



<<<.... moderator edit....>>>

*"Cu respect"*, *dragi* forumisti!

edit: small corrections


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## Trisia

If it's down to "usage", then here's my perspective (mid-twenties Romanian living in Romania, medium-sized city close to the capital):

Dragă... plus "cu respect" doesn't work. "Dragă" as the first line may not imply intimacy or love, and yes it's so used it doesn't really mean much, but it does imply familiarity. I would never start a letter with "dragă" only to finish it with "cu respect". To me, "cu respect" is much closer to "cu stimă" than anything else.

If it's a friend, then I'll end with "Cu prietenie". If it's a close friend, then "cu drag".


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## sarashy

Trisia said:


> If it's down to "usage", then here's my perspective (mid-twenties Romanian living in Romania, medium-sized city close to the capital):
> 
> Dragă... plus "cu respect" doesn't work. "Dragă" as the first line may not imply intimacy or love, and yes it's so used it doesn't really mean much, but it does imply familiarity. I would never start a letter with "dragă" only to finish it with "cu respect". To me, "cu respect" is much closer to "cu stimă" than anything else.
> 
> If it's a friend, then I'll end with "Cu prietenie". If it's a close friend, then "cu drag".



ohh I see then.
yeah, we're close friends. so, can I arrange the sentences to be like this?

Dragă Andrei

La mulţi ani..
Sper că ziua ta de naştere să fie reuşită, plină de cei dragi, sănătate, şi multă fericire. Îţi urez toate cele bune în anul ce vine. Te iubesc.

Cu drag


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## farscape

sarashy said:


> Dragă Andrei
> 
> La mulţi ani..
> Sper că ziua ta de naştere să fie reuşită, plină *alături* de cei dragi, *cu* sănătate, şi multă fericire. Îţi urez toate cele bune în anul ce vine. Te iubesc.
> 
> Cu drag



You have two choices: either end with "Te iubesc" - deeper meaning and assumes you're in a committed relationship, or use "Cu drag" which works for both friends and those who are more than friends. I made a few changes in the text - not perfect but it should work

Later,


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## sarashy

farscape said:


> You have two choices: either end with "Te iubesc" - deeper meaning and assumes you're in a committed relationship, or use "Cu drag" which works for both friends and those who are more than friends. I made a few changes in the text - not perfect but it should work
> 
> Later,



great, thanks for your help


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