Ștergătorul este pe parbriz.

The windshield wiper is on the windshield.

Breakdown of Ștergătorul este pe parbriz.

• a fi: to be
• pe: on
• parbrizul: the windshield
• ștergătorul: the windshield wiper

Questions & Answers about Ștergătorul este pe parbriz.

Why does ștergătorul end in -ul?

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

• ștergător = a wiper / wiper
• ștergătorul = the wiper

Here, -ul is the masculine/neuter singular definite article.

Why is there no separate word for the in this sentence?

Romanian normally does not use a separate word like English the. Instead, it attaches the definite article to the noun itself.

So:

• ștergătorul = the wiper
• not something like the ștergător

This is one of the first big differences English speakers notice in Romanian.

Why is it pe parbriz and not pe parbrizul?

In Romanian, after prepositions like pe (on), it is very common to use the noun without the definite article when talking about location in a general or natural way.

So pe parbriz is a normal way to say on the windshield.

English often requires the where Romanian does not. If you want to make it more specifically identified, Romanian can use a definite form, often with more detail, for example:

• pe parbrizul mașinii = on the car's windshield

What does pe mean here?