Reflectorul este pe actor.

Reflectorul means the spotlight, the floodlight, or sometimes the reflector/light depending on context.

In this sentence, the most natural English meaning is usually the spotlight or the light.

It is made of:

• reflector = reflector / spotlight / lamp
• -ul = the

So reflectorul = the reflector / the spotlight.

Romanian usually adds the definite article to the end of the noun instead of putting a separate word like the in front.

So:

• reflector = a reflector / reflector
• reflectorul = the reflector

This is very common in Romanian:

• băiat = boy
• băiatul = the boy

So -ul here is the masculine/neuter singular definite article.

Este is the 3rd person singular form of a fi, which means to be.

So:

• eu sunt = I am
• tu ești = you are
• el/ea este = he/she is

Since reflectorul is singular, Romanian uses este:

• Reflectorul este... = The spotlight is...

In everyday Romanian, people sometimes say e instead of este:

• Reflectorul e pe actor.

That is more conversational, but este is perfectly correct and a bit more formal or careful.

Here, pe means on.

So:

• pe actor = on the actor

In this sentence, pe is a normal preposition of location.

That is important because learners often see pe used in another way too: it can mark a direct object, especially with people. But here that is not what is happening. Here it simply means on.

Because actor here is indefinite, meaning an actor or simply the actor only if the broader translation/context already makes that clear in English.

Strictly speaking:

• pe actor = on an actor / on actor
• pe actorul = on the actor

If Romanian wants to say specifically the actor, it normally uses the definite form:

• Reflectorul este pe actorul principal. = The spotlight is on the main actor.

In your sentence, actor is left indefinite in form. Romanian sometimes does this in short simple example sentences.

It can mean either, depending on context, but with reflectorul the natural interpretation is usually shining on the actor.

So in normal usage:

• Reflectorul este pe actor. most likely means The spotlight is on the actor.

If you imagined it literally, it could mean the light fixture is somehow on top of the actor, but that is much less likely.

Context usually makes the intended meaning obvious.

It is usually treated as a neuter noun in Romanian.

That means:

• singular: it behaves like a masculine noun
• plural: it behaves like a feminine noun

So in the singular you get:

• un reflector
• reflectorul

And in the plural:

• două reflectoare
• reflectoarele

This masculine-looking singular ending is why it may seem masculine at first.

Yes, Romanian word order is fairly flexible, although the basic neutral order here is:

• Reflectorul este pe actor.

You may also hear variations for emphasis, such as:

• Pe actor este reflectorul.

But that sounds marked or emphatic, not the most neutral version.

For a learner, the standard order subject + verb + prepositional phrase is the safest choice.

A rough English-style guide would be:

reh-flek-TOR-ul ES-te pe ak-TOR

A few notes:

• r is usually rolled or tapped
• e is a clear eh sound
• stress in reflectorul falls on tor
• stress in actor falls on the second syllable: ac-TOR

A more Romanian-like breakdown:

• re-flec-to-rul
• es-te
• pe
• ac-tor

Yes, it is grammatical and understandable.

However, in real-life Romanian, people might more often say:

• Reflectorul bate pe actor. in some contexts, meaning the light falls on the actor
• or simply Lumina este pe actor. depending on what exactly they mean

Still, Reflectorul este pe actor is a valid simple sentence for learning:

• reflectorul = subject
• este = verb
• pe actor = prepositional phrase

So it works well as a beginner example.

Yes, and that is a very good question.

Romanian uses pe in at least two important ways:

1. As a preposition, meaning things like on

   • Cartea este pe masă. = The book is on the table.

2. As a marker of a direct object, especially with people

   • Văd pe actor. = I see the actor.

In your sentence:

• Reflectorul este pe actor.

the word pe is the first type: a normal preposition meaning on.

You can tell because it follows este and describes location, not a direct object of an action verb like see, know, or call.