Latin’s veni, vidi, vici in Transylvania roughly translates to “no’păi, am vint, am văst ș-am înfrânt”. If you think 3 words becoming 8 is a paradox, don’t worry, that’s just one out of many you’ll find here. Yet none of it should give you the wrong impression: we are men of few words, we don’t excel at chit-chat and mostly express ourselves using interjections, the common one by far being “no”.

Few e.g. of “no” usage in Transylvania, good for everybody:

When in a blue Monday, at the office you google visit Transylvania and decide on the spot: “no”

You come home late from work, dinner is served, kids are fed, cleaning done, you remark: “no”

Your boss just skipped you for another promotion; say it to his face: “no”

The neighbor dog just pooped on your doorstep and you stepped right into it: “no”

Found your spouse secret messages: “no”

Found you inherited your grandma’s house: “no”

The one thing Transylvania “no” does not mean is English “no (nəʊ)” as in NOT, adverb, negative answer. For that we use “ba”. Sounds similar to “da” which is “yes”, but is not.

There’s literally no situation where we don’t use “no”. It may be followed by other words of a choice or more articulate, but it holds a unique, strange power when said by itself or followed by a long pause. Its full meanings and symbols no one knows, but in Transylvania this is the word to use and know.

“No”, what are you waiting for?