Verificăm nu numai frâna de serviciu, ci și frâna de mână.

Verificăm is the 1st person plural, present tense form of a verifica = to check / to inspect.

So it means we check, we are checking, or sometimes let’s check, depending on context.

The ending -ăm is a very common ending for we in many Romanian verbs:

• verific = I check
• verifici = you check
• verifică = he/she checks
• verificăm = we check

Romanian often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed, because the verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

So:

• Verificăm already means we check
• Noi verificăm is possible, but it adds emphasis, something like we are the ones checking

In this sentence, noi would usually be unnecessary.

This is a very common Romanian structure meaning not only ..., but also ...

In your sentence:

• nu numai frâna de serviciu
• ci și frâna de mână

Literally, the pattern is:

• nu numai = not only
• ci și = but also

It is used to connect two parallel parts of a sentence. English speakers should notice that Romanian keeps the same kind of balance here as English does.

You may also see close alternatives such as:

• nu doar ..., ci și ...
• nu numai ..., dar și ...

But nu numai ..., ci și ... is very standard and natural.

Because ci și introduces the second half of a contrastive/correlative structure: not only X, but also Y.

So the comma helps separate:

• the first element: nu numai frâna de serviciu
• the second element: ci și frâna de mână

This is normal Romanian punctuation for this kind of structure.

Frână means a brake or brake in an indefinite/general sense.

Frâna means the brake. Romanian puts the definite article at the end of the noun:

• frână = a brake
• frâna = the brake

So:

• frâna de serviciu = the service brake
• frâna de mână = the handbrake

This postposed definite article is one of the biggest differences from English.

After de, Romanian often uses a noun without an article when it functions like a classifier or fixed description.

So:

• frâna de serviciu = service brake
• frâna de mână = handbrake / brake of hand

Here, de serviciu and de mână act like descriptive complements, not like fully independent nouns with their own article.

This is very common in Romanian:

• sală de clasă = classroom
• perie de dinți = toothbrush
• mașină de spălat = washing machine

Yes, Romanian can leave it out in some contexts, but repeating it is perfectly natural and often clearer.

Your sentence says:

• frâna de serviciu
• frâna de mână

This full repetition is neat and balanced.

A shorter version is also possible:

• Verificăm nu numai frâna de serviciu, ci și pe cea de mână.

Here, cea means something like the one:

• cea de mână = the hand one / the handbrake one

But for learners, the fully repeated version is easier to understand and very normal.

It is basically a technical or semi-technical term. In driving/mechanical contexts:

• frâna de serviciu = the main brake used during normal driving, often called the service brake
• frâna de mână = the handbrake / parking brake

So even though the learner may already know the meaning, it helps to know that these are standard terms, especially in driving manuals, inspections, and vehicle regulations.

Yes. Romanian speakers often use doar in similar sentences.

For example:

• Verificăm nu doar frâna de serviciu, ci și frâna de mână.

This also means We check not only the service brake, but also the handbrake.

Both are natural.
Nu numai ... ci și ... may sound a little more formal or carefully structured, but both are common.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• Verificăm ≈ veh-ree-fee-KUHM
• nu numai ≈ noo noo-MAI
• frâna ≈ FRUH-nuh
• de serviciu ≈ deh ser-VEE-chyoo
• ci și ≈ chee shih
• de mână ≈ deh MUH-nuh

The vowel â is a specifically Romanian sound. It is a central vowel, somewhat like a muted uh, but produced deeper and more centrally in the mouth than English uh.

So:

• frâna
• mână

both contain that characteristic Romanian â sound.