Article after prepositions: pe scaun vs pe scaunul din hol

After a preposition, Romanian normally uses the noun without the definite article, even where English says "the": pe scaun (on the chair), în dulap (in the wardrobe), la farmacie (at the pharmacy).

The article comes back as soon as something after the noun makes it specific:

• a phrase with din, de, de lângă: pe scaunul din hol (on the chair in the hall)
• an adjective: la spitalul județean (at the county hospital)
• a possessive or a genitive: sub patul meu, în curtea școlii

The preposition cu is the big exception: with a vehicle, a tool or a way of paying, its noun takes the article even on its own, as in cu trenul (by train), cu cheia (with the key) and plătesc cu cardul (I pay by card). Set phrases such as cu plăcere stay bare.