lua Verb, lua ▼ ▶

1. (transitive) to take
   Aș dori să iau prânzul cu tine.

   I would like to have lunch with you.

   Ia-mă cu tine.

   Take me with you.
2. (transitive, informal) synonym of cumpăra (to buy)
   Ce vrei să-ți iau de la magazin?

   What do you want me to buy you from the store?
3. (intransitive) to take (to use up time)
   Cât îți ia să ajungi?

   How long does it take you to arrive?
4. (transitive) to pass an examination
5. (transitive, of mental or physical states, informal) to come upon somebody
   Mă ia tristețea când mă gândesc la asta.

   I get sad (literally, “sadness comes upon me”) when I think about it.

   Pe mulți îi ia strănutul când intră în atelierul de vopseluri.

   Many start sneezing (literally, “sneeze comes upon many”) when they enter the paint workshop.
6. (transitive) to approach or act towards a person or a situation in a certain way
   a (o) lua încet/ușor (pe cineva): to go easy/slowly (on someone)

   a lua la bătaie: to give a beating

   a lua în serios: to take seriously

   De ce mă iei așa acuzator?

   Why are you acting so accusatory towards me?
7. (with placeholder o) to go, head, take to, move
   a o lua la vale: to (inertly) go downhill

   o lua înainte: to go ahead, in advance

   După ce-ajungi în intersecție, trebuie s-o iei la stânga.

   After reaching the intersection, you must head left.
8. (reflexive) to follow someone, often covertly [+ după (object)]
9. (reflexive) to take after someone (follow someone’s example) [+ după (object)]
10. (reflexive) to be caught up, occupied [+ cu (object)]
    Mă luasem cu altele și am uitat.

    I’d got caught up in other things and forgot.
11. (reflexive, colloquial) to mess with someone (act aggressively) [+ de (object)]

Appox. usage (any sense): 2240 per million words

apuca Verb, apuca ▼ ▶

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) 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!
10. (reflexive, obsolete) to take it upon oneself
11. (transitive, obsolete) to usurp, take for oneself

Appox. usage (any sense): 74.6 per million words