# zambea (zâmbea)



## Jon in FL

What does _zambea_ mean in the sentence:

*Zambea* tot timpul si parea fericit.

My guess:  _______ all the time and he seemed happy??


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## Trisia

Hi,

It's _zâmbea_. 

He smiled all the time. 

You're right about the rest.


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## InnerDemon

As a matter of fact, I think it is " He _was smiling". 

_The Romanian _"imperfect" (zâmbea)  _is the correspondent of the English past continuous.

Had it been "_a zâmbit tot timpul_", it would have been translated as "_He smiled all the time_.".


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## JoAnne van Heff

InnerDemon said:


> As a matter of fact, I think it is " He _was smiling".
> 
> _The Romanian _"imperfect" (zâmbea)  _is the correspondent of the English past continuous.



Not only. It can be the correspondent of the English past simple, too. 
E.g. Zambea adesea cand era mic - He often smiled when he was a child.



InnerDemon said:


> Had it been "_a zâmbit tot timpul_", it would have been translated as "_He smiled all the time_.".



He smiled all the time can be translated as: A zambit tot timpul or Zambea tot timpul with a slight difference in meaning.


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