Se măsoară noxele.

Here se is not the ordinary reflexive self idea. It is being used to make the sentence impersonal or passive-like.

So Se măsoară noxele means something like:

• The emissions/pollutants are measured
• They measure the emissions
• Emissions are being measured

It lets Romanian avoid naming the person or institution doing the action.

It is often best understood that way, yes. In learner-friendly terms, se + verb often works like an English passive.

So:

• Se măsoară noxele ≈ The pollutants are measured
• Noxele se măsoară ≈ The pollutants are measured

Romanian often prefers this se-construction where English might use to be + past participle.

With a măsura in the present tense, the 3rd person singular and 3rd person plural have the same form:

• el/ea măsoară = he/she/it measures
• ei/ele măsoară = they measure

So măsoară does not tell you by itself whether the understood subject is singular or plural. In this sentence, the plural idea comes from noxele.

That is why Se măsoară noxele looks the same whether you think of it as:

• an impersonal they measure the pollutants
• or a passive-like the pollutants are measured

Because noxele is the definite plural form.

• noxe = pollutants / noxious emissions in a general sense
• noxele = the pollutants / the emissions

Romanian usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun:

• singular: noxa = the pollutant
• plural: noxele = the pollutants

So the ending -le here is the plural definite article.

Noxe is a somewhat technical or formal word. It refers to harmful substances, especially polluting emissions or noxious substances.

Depending on context, English translations might include:

• pollutants
• emissions
• harmful substances
• toxic emissions

In environmental or industrial contexts, noxe often refers to gases or emissions that are measured for safety or legal compliance.

Yes. That is completely natural.

Both are possible:

• Se măsoară noxele
• Noxele se măsoară

The difference is mostly one of word order and focus.

• Se măsoară noxele can sound a bit more like reporting an action or process: The emissions are being measured
• Noxele se măsoară puts more focus on noxele: The emissions can be measured / are measured

Romanian word order is more flexible than English, especially with this kind of structure.

Because Romanian often leaves the agent unspecified when it is unknown, unimportant, obvious, or deliberately general.

English can do this in a few ways:

• They measure the emissions
• Someone is measuring the emissions
• The emissions are measured

Romanian very often uses se + verb instead of adding a vague subject like they.

It can mean either, depending on context.

The Romanian present tense is broad, and this se-construction can be interpreted as:

• a general truth / habitual action: The emissions are measured
• an action happening now: The emissions are being measured

Context tells you which is intended.

For example:

• in a laboratory procedure: Noxele se măsoară periodic = The emissions are measured periodically
• during an inspection right now: Se măsoară noxele = The emissions are being measured

A helpful approximation is:

muh-SWAH-ruh

A few details:

• ă is the Romanian schwa sound, like the a in about
• soa here forms a kind of glide: swa
• the stress is on soa: mă-SOA-ră

So the whole sentence is roughly:

Se măsoară noxele
seh muh-SWAH-ruh NOCK-seh-leh

That is only an approximation, but it is a useful starting point.

No. Se is very common in Romanian and can do several jobs, including:

• true reflexive: Se spală = He/She washes himself/herself
• impersonal/passive-like: Se măsoară noxele = The emissions are measured
• general statements: Aici se vorbește românește = Romanian is spoken here

So you should not try to give se one fixed English equivalent. Its function depends on the sentence. Here, its job is to make the action sound agentless or passive-like.