Ana este cunoscută în oraș.

Because Ana is feminine singular, and cunoscută has to agree with it.

In Romanian, this word changes form:

• masculine singular: cunoscut
• feminine singular: cunoscută
• masculine plural: cunoscuți
• feminine plural: cunoscute

So with Ana, the correct form is cunoscută.

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

Yes, you can very often say e instead of este, especially in speech and informal writing:

Ana e cunoscută în oraș.

Both are correct. Este sounds a bit more full or formal; e sounds more natural in everyday conversation.

It is originally the past participle of the verb a cunoaște (to know), but in this sentence it functions like an adjective after este.

So Ana este cunoscută is best understood as Ana is known / well-known.

For a learner, the most useful way to think about it is:

• a cunoaște = to know
• cunoscut / cunoscută = known

În oraș is very natural Romanian and often means something like in town or in the city/town in a general, understood sense.

Romanian often uses the noun without the definite article after a preposition in expressions like this. It does not always map directly onto English article usage.

You can use a definite form when the noun is made more specific, for example:

• în orașul meu = in my town/city
• în orașul acesta = in this town/city

But by itself, în oraș is completely normal.

It can mean either town or city, depending on context.

Romanian oraș does not always make the same sharp distinction that English sometimes does. So in translation, you choose town or city based on the situation.

Usually it means known or well-known, not necessarily famous.

So Ana este cunoscută în oraș suggests that people in the town/city know who Ana is. It does not automatically mean she is famous on a larger scale.

If you wanted a stronger idea like famous, Romanian might use words such as faimoasă or celebră, depending on context.

These are important Romanian sounds:

• în: the vowel î has no exact English equivalent. It is a close central sound. Many learners approximate it at first with a short uh, but it is actually more central and tighter than that.
• ă in cunoscută: this is like the weak vowel in the second syllable of English sofa.
• ș in oraș: this is pronounced sh, like in ship.

A rough pronunciation guide for the whole sentence is:

Ana este cunoscută în oraș
AH-na YES-te koo-nos-KOO-tuh în o-RASH

The rough guide is only approximate, but it helps you get started.

Yes, Romanian word order is somewhat flexible.

The neutral order is: Ana este cunoscută în oraș.

But you can move parts around for emphasis, for example:

• În oraș, Ana este cunoscută.
• Cunoscută în oraș este Ana. — much more marked or literary

For normal everyday use, the original order is the safest and most natural.

Normally, no. In standard Romanian, you usually keep the verb a fi in sentences like this.

So:

• Ana este cunoscută în oraș. = correct
• Ana e cunoscută în oraș. = also correct
• Ana cunoscută în oraș. = not normal as a complete sentence

You might see the verb omitted in headlines, notes, or very stylized language, but not in ordinary standard speech.

The main change would be the form of cunoscut so that it agrees with the subject.

Examples:

• Ion este cunoscut în oraș. = masculine singular
• Ana și Maria sunt cunoscute în oraș. = feminine plural
• Ion și Mihai sunt cunoscuți în oraș. = masculine plural or mixed plural

Also notice that este changes to sunt in the plural.