Cursa caritabilă începe duminică.

Cursa means the race, while cursă means a race or just race in a dictionary form.

Romanian usually attaches the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word like the before it.

• cursă = race
• o cursă = a race
• cursa = the race

So Cursa caritabilă means The charity race.

In Romanian, adjectives often come after the noun.

So:

• cursa caritabilă = the charity race

This is the normal Romanian word order. English often puts adjectives before the noun, but Romanian frequently puts them after it.

Because the adjective has to agree with the noun in gender and number.

Cursă is a feminine singular noun, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• masculine singular: caritabil
• feminine singular: caritabilă

That is why you get cursa caritabilă.

The basic dictionary form is a începe, which means to begin / to start.

Începe is the 3rd person singular present tense form, so it can mean:

• he starts
• she starts
• it starts

In this sentence, the subject is cursa caritabilă, so începe means starts.

Romanian, like English, often uses the present tense for scheduled future events.

So Cursa caritabilă începe duminică is like English:

• The charity race starts Sunday

This is very natural when talking about timetables, programs, and planned events.

Romanian often does not use a preposition for days of the week in this kind of time expression.

So:

• duminică = on Sunday / Sunday

This is normal Romanian usage. English often needs on, but Romanian usually does not here.

It can mean Sunday as a day name, but in this sentence it functions as a time expression meaning on Sunday.

So:

• Cursa caritabilă începe duminică = The charity race starts on Sunday

Romanian often leaves that on idea unspoken.

This is a very important distinction.

• duminică = Sunday / on Sunday
• duminica can often mean on Sundays / every Sunday, or sometimes the Sunday, depending on context

Examples:

• Cursa începe duminică. = The race starts on Sunday.
• Alerg duminica. = I run on Sundays.

So in your sentence, duminică points to a specific Sunday.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• începe ≈ in-CHE-pe
• caritabilă ≈ ka-ri-ta-BI-luh
• cursa ≈ KOOR-sa
• duminică ≈ doo-mi-NEE-kuh

A few useful notes:

• î is a special Romanian vowel, somewhat like a close central sound; English does not have an exact equivalent.
• ce in începe is pronounced like che in check.
• final ă is a short neutral vowel, like a relaxed uh.

Yes, but Cursa caritabilă începe duminică is the most neutral and natural order.

You might also see:

• Duminică începe cursa caritabilă.

This puts more focus on Sunday.

Romanian word order is fairly flexible, but changing it usually changes emphasis, not the basic meaning.

Not always. Cursă can mean several things depending on context, including:

• race
• trip/run of a vehicle
• route/service
• sometimes contest or run

But in cursa caritabilă, the meaning race is the natural one.

Yes. That is also possible.

There are two common ways to express this idea:

• cursa caritabilă = the charitable/charity race
• cursa de caritate = the race for charity / charity race

Both are understandable and natural, though they may sound slightly different in style. Cursa caritabilă is a straightforward adjective + noun structure.

No. Romanian usually does not need subject pronouns unless you want emphasis or contrast.

So:

• Cursa caritabilă începe duminică.

is completely normal.

Adding ea would usually sound unnecessary here. Romanian verb forms already give enough information, and the noun cursa caritabilă is the subject anyway.