apuca

Romanian

Etymology

Possibly from metathesis of a Vulgar Latin aucupāre, from Latin aucupārī, present active infinitive of aucupor. Other theories suggest Latin occupāre, present active infinitive of occupō, with meaning influenced by or confused with the former. Compare Aromanian apuc.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /a.puˈka/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: a‧pu‧ca
  • Rhymes: -a

Verb

a apuca (third-person singular present apucă, past participle apucat) 1st conj.

  1. (transitive) to grab, grip, grasp, seize
  2. (reflexive, somewhat informal) to start, endeavour, begin to do something [+ de (object)]
    a se apuca de treabă ― to get to work
  3. (catenative, rather informal) to get to do something
  4. (transitive) to live to see something, either by living long enough or by being born early enough
    Copilul nu l-a apucat pe străbunicul său.
    The child didn’t get to meet his great-grandfather.
  5. (transitive, now uncommon) to have a tradition be passed down
  6. (transitive, of a point in time, informal) to catch someone unready
    a îl apuca seara ― to not be done by nightfall
    Pe constructori o să îi apuce iarna și tot nu o să fie gata.
    Winter will come and the builders still will not be ready.
  7. (intransitive or transitive with placeholder o, now informal, less common) to head
  8. (transitive, of a mental state or physical manifestation, informal) to come upon somebody
    a îl apuca plânsul ― to start crying
  9. (transitive, of an out of line behaviour, informal) to come upon somebody
    a îl apuca pandaliile ― to throw a fit
    Te-a apucat să fluieri? Fă liniște!
    Did you suddenly think to whistle? Shut up!
    • 2003, Constantin Popescu, transl., Punct contrapunct‎, Polirom, translation of Point Counter Point by Aldous Huxley, published 2014, →ISBN, chapter 8:
      Ce l-a apucat să devină sentimental din pricina unui cuplu fericit?
      What’s come to him, for him to get sentimental because of a happy couple?
  10. (reflexive, obsolete) to take it upon oneself
  11. (transitive, obsolete) to usurp, take for oneself

Conjugation
    conjugation of apuca (first conjugation, no infix)
infinitive a apuca
gerund apucând
past participle apucat
number singular plural
person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
indicative eu tu el/ea noi voi ei/ele
present apuc apuci apucă apucăm apucați apucă
imperfect apucam apucai apuca apucam apucați apucau
simple perfect apucai apucași apucă apucarăm apucarăți apucară
pluperfect apucasem apucaseși apucase apucaserăm apucaserăți apucaseră
subjunctive eu tu el/ea noi voi ei/ele
present să apuc să apuci să apuce să apucăm să apucați să apuce
imperative — tu — — voi —
affirmative apucă apucați
negative nu apuca nu apucați

Synonyms

Derived terms

See also

References
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