# Ghem vs. Joc



## JunjouLover

How would you say like "football game??" I want to say, "Are you going to the football game?"

Ai sa mergi la ghem de fotbal? 

or

Ai sa mergi la joc de fotbal?

Multimiri anticipate!


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## farscape

In this context, the proper word is "meci' as in football match, "meci de fotbal". The complete translation would be: "Mergi la meciul de fotbal?"

Let us know if you need further details on the usage of "joc" and Romanian translations for game/match in different contexts.

Best,


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## JunjouLover

Thanks for your help!!

But it would be cool if you could explain why you would use different words for different sports.

Also, I always thought that you didn't have to use the "-ul" if you're using "la"?? But then again I always do get confused... I think I might be thinking about "pe."


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## LucianU

Hello JunjouLover!
Romanians mostly use "meci" when referring to matches. You use "joc" for a type of sport in general or simply use the name of the sport. "Ghem" is never used with this meaning; it means "a ball of thread".
For example:
1. Mă uit la un meci de fotbal.
2. Îmi place jocul de fotbal. 
3. Îmi place fotbalul. (more used than the second example)

Regarding your second question, there is no direct connection between "-ul" on one side and "la", "pe" or any other preposition on the other. 
The rule is that you do not use "-ul" if you use "un" in front of the word. 
You say, for example, "un meci" or "meciul". Subsequently, you can say "la un meci" or "la meciul", "pe un meci" or "pe meciul".


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## farscape

JunjouLover said:


> Thanks for your help!!
> 
> But it would be cool if you could explain why you would use different words for different sports.



It's actually about different words, different meanings and different actions or context.

I play football (OK, soccer in NA) - that is "Eu joc fotbal" - here "to play" = "a juca" literally. Although one could say "I'm going to watch a football  game " (Mă duc sa vad un joc de fotbal) it doesn't sound right and it's not used.

One would say "Mă duc sa vad un meci de fotbal" (I'm going to watch a football match). We do use the expression "joc de fotbal" when we refer to playing the game - in Romanian the words "game" and "play" are derived from the same root "joc" which can be a verb (1st person singular, eu joc) or a noun as in game.

In Romanian, any sports activity that involves sportsmen competing directly against each other and keeping a score, it's a match (boxing match, tennis match, basketball match, football match) - meci de box, meci de tenis, etc.

As a side note, in Romanian the word "athlete" is reserved for people training for and competing in field and track events.

One more case to confuse you further: the games of bridge, chess, poker: here we have "partidă de bridge, şah, poker" and even "partidă de tenis" - this last case used seldom to describe an official match/competition.




> Also, I always thought that you didn't have to use the "-ul" if you're using "la"?? But then again I always do get confused... I think I might be thinking about "pe."


Yes and no. Here is an example:

I'm going to the restaurant --> Eu ma duc la restaurant
I'm going to the restaurant  on 42nd Street --> Eu ma duc la restaurant*ul* de pe strada 42.

And another one:

Put the book on the chair --> Pune (you) cartea pe scaun
Put the book on the yellow chair --> Pune cartea pe scaun*ul* galben

Hope this helps a bit


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## JunjouLover

Ah Okay! I think I got it. Thanks for your help, guys! 

"Partida" makes sense because of Spanish "partido." But I'll have to learn to use "meci." 

As for the "pe" and "la," what I'm guessing is that if it's a specific thing that needs clarification or description then you use the "-ul." Like the *yellow* chair and that *specific* restaurant on 42nd street, right?


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## farscape

You're welcome and you got it right!

Best,


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