Pionul este pe tabla de joc.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

• pion = pawn / a pawn
• pionul = the pawn

For many masculine singular nouns, the definite article is -ul.

The dictionary form is tablă. When it becomes definite, Romanian adds the article to the noun, and the ending changes:

• tablă = board
• tabla = the board

This is normal for many feminine nouns ending in -ă.

Romanian normally uses a postposed definite article: the article is attached to the noun.

So instead of:

• English: the pawn, the board

Romanian uses:

• pionul
• tabla

This is one of the big differences English speakers notice early on.

Este means is. It is the 3rd person singular form of a fi = to be.

So:

• Pionul este... = The pawn is...

In standard Romanian, this verb is normally kept in sentences like this.

Yes. E is a very common short form of este.

So these both work:

• Pionul este pe tabla de joc.
• Pionul e pe tabla de joc.

The version with este sounds a little fuller or more formal; e is very common in everyday speech.

Pe means on when something is on a surface.

So:

• pe tabla de joc = on the game board

Compare:

• pe = on
• în = in / inside

Because a board is treated as a surface, pe is the natural preposition.

Literally, de joc means something like of play or for playing, but in natural English it corresponds to game in game board.

Romanian often uses de + noun where English uses a noun as a modifier or an adjective.

So:

• tabla de joc = game board

This structure is very common in Romanian.

Not necessarily. Tabla de joc is a more general phrase meaning game board.

If you want to be specifically clear that it is a chessboard, Romanian often says:

• tabla de șah = the chessboard

Since pion is a chess piece, many learners may expect tabla de șah, which is indeed more specific.

Because Romanian marks definiteness directly on the noun, and here tabla means the board, not just a board.

So the sentence is structurally:

• Pionul = the pawn
• este = is
• pe tabla de joc = on the game board

Both nouns can be definite, just as in English: The pawn is on the board.

The base forms are:

• pion = pawn
• tablă = board

The sentence shows them in their definite singular forms:

• pionul
• tabla

This is a good habit in Romanian: try to recognize both the dictionary form and the form with the attached article.

Yes, Romanian word order is somewhat flexible, but the normal neutral order here is:

• Subject + verb + place
• Pionul este pe tabla de joc.

You may also see other orders for emphasis, but they are less neutral. For example:

• Pe tabla de joc este pionul.

That sounds more marked, as if emphasizing where the pawn is.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

pee-OH-nul ES-te pe TA-bla de jok

A few useful points:

• io in pionul is pronounced as two vowels together
• e in este is like e in met
• pe is like peh, not English pee
• j in joc is like the j in job

Romanian spelling is fairly consistent, so pronunciation gets easier once you learn the sound system.