întâi

Etymology
From archaic and dialectal, from , metathesis of (cf. French 🇨🇬), from , or alternatively from a root , from. Compare 🇨🇬.

.

Adjective

 * 1) first

Usage notes
In articulated constructions, întâi is (as is the case for any Romanian adjective) found either postposited and unarticulated, or preposited and articulated.

The first construction signifies that the item is the first in a numbered, defined series, just like an English postposited : clasa întâi “first grade/first class”; partea întâi “part one”; batalionul întâi “the first battalion”; ziua întâi “day one”. This construction does not allow feminine nouns to take the indefinite feminine, though exceptions are found in dated usage.

The second does not have these connotations: întâia dată “the first time”; întâiul motiv “the first reason”; întâii locuitori “the first inhabitants”.

The less common unarticulated usage does require that feminine nouns take the regular form : un întâi pas “a first step”; o întâie apariție “a first appearance”.

Adverb

 * 1) at first
 * 2) firstly, first of all, first

Usage notes
very often precedes the adverb, especially in informal usage.

Noun

 * 1) leader
 * 2)  people of old
 * 3)  beginning