Candidatul este motivat.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it.

• candidat = candidate / a candidate
• candidatul = the candidate

The ending -ul is the masculine singular definite article here. This is one of the first big differences English speakers notice in Romanian.

Este is the 3rd person singular of the verb a fi (to be).

So:

• eu sunt = I am
• tu ești = you are
• el/ea este = he/she is

In Candidatul este motivat, este links the subject with the adjective, just like is in English.

In everyday Romanian, people may sometimes say e instead of este:

• Candidatul e motivat.

This is very common and natural in speech.

Because motivat has to agree with candidatul.

Here, candidatul is:

• masculine
• singular
• definite

So the adjective also appears in the masculine singular form:

• masculine singular: motivat
• feminine singular: motivată
• masculine plural: motivați
• feminine plural: motivate

That is why motivat is the correct form here.

It would become:

Candidata este motivată.

Changes:

• candidatul → candidata / candidata with feminine noun form
• motivat → motivată to match the feminine singular noun

Romanian adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.

In this sentence, motivat is a predicate adjective, so it naturally comes after este:

• Candidatul este motivat.

That structure is very normal in Romanian, just as in English.

If the adjective is used directly with the noun, it often comes after the noun:

• un candidat motivat = a motivated candidate

Romanian adjectives often follow the noun, though not always. But in this specific sentence, after este is exactly where you would expect it.

Normally, no. In a standard full sentence like this, Romanian uses the verb:

• Candidatul este motivat.

Leaving it out would usually sound incomplete or non-standard in ordinary speech.

You may occasionally see omissions in headlines, notes, or very compressed styles, but for normal sentences, keep este (or the shorter spoken form e).

The neutral word order is:

Subject + Verb + Adjective

So here:

• Candidatul = subject
• este = verb
• motivat = predicate adjective

This is the most straightforward, neutral way to say it. Romanian word order can sometimes change for emphasis, but this version is the standard one a learner should use first.

A helpful rough pronunciation is:

can-dee-DA-tul

A few notes:

• the stress falls on da: can-di-DA-tul
• c before a sounds like k
• the final -ul is the attached definite article

A rough English-style approximation is kahn-dee-DAH-tool, though Romanian vowels are usually cleaner and shorter than in English.

In careful or formal speech, este is pronounced roughly YES-te.

But in everyday speech, Romanians very often use the shorter form:

• e

So you will often hear:

• Candidatul e motivat.

Both are correct. Este is a bit fuller and more formal; e is extremely common in normal conversation.

Not always. In many contexts, motivat does mean motivated, especially for a person.

But depending on context, forms of motivat can also relate to the idea of something being justified or supported by reasons. For example, in more formal or legal language, it can carry that sense.

In Candidatul este motivat, though, the natural interpretation is that the candidate is motivated.

Because Romanian usually expresses the by attaching it to the noun itself.

Compare:

• English: the candidate
• Romanian: candidatul

So instead of a separate article like the, Romanian often uses an ending such as -ul, -a, -le, or -lor, depending on the noun.

That is one of the most characteristic features of Romanian grammar.

That would mean something different.

• Candidatul este motivat. = the candidate is motivated
• Un candidat este motivat. = a candidate is motivated

So the difference is definiteness:

• candidatul = a specific candidate already known in the context
• un candidat = any one candidate, not specifically identified

Romanian makes this distinction clearly, just as English does, but it expresses the definite form by changing the noun itself.