Cererea este în dosar.

Because cererea is the definite form of cerere.

In Romanian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun, instead of being a separate word like the in English.

• cerere = request / application
• cererea = the request / the application

For feminine nouns ending in -e, the definite article is often -a, but the form may also involve a small spelling or sound change. Here:

• cerere → cererea

So Cererea este în dosar uses the request/application, not just a request/application.

Cerere is a feminine noun, and yes, that matters.

Its gender affects:

• the form of the definite article: cererea
• agreement in other contexts, such as adjectives

For example:

• o cerere = a request
• cererea = the request
• cererea este importantă = the request is important

You do not see much agreement in Cererea este în dosar, but knowing the noun is feminine helps you recognize and build correct forms.

Yes. Este is the full form of is, and e is a very common shorter form.

So both are possible:

• Cererea este în dosar.
• Cererea e în dosar.

In general:

• este sounds a bit more neutral, careful, or formal
• e is extremely common in everyday speech

Both are correct. A learner should recognize both immediately.

Because în dosar means in a file / in the file, depending on context, and Romanian often leaves this noun indefinite unless the speaker wants to specify it clearly.

• dosar = file / folder / case file
• dosarul = the file

So:

• în dosar = in a file / in the file, depending on context
• în dosarul ... = in the file ...
• în dosarul acesta = in this file

Romanian does not always match English article usage exactly. In many practical contexts, în dosar can sound natural even if English would prefer in the file.

Dosar usually means a file, folder, or case file, especially in administrative, legal, office, or bureaucratic contexts.

Depending on context, it could refer to:

• a physical folder containing documents
• an official case file
• a set of papers kept together

So in this sentence, dosar is probably not just any random folder, but some kind of document file or official paperwork folder.

În means in / inside.

Here it shows location:

• în dosar = in the file

It is the normal preposition to use when something is physically or conceptually inside something.

Compare:

• pe masă = on the table
• în cutie = in the box
• în dosar = in the file

So în is exactly what you would expect for something being contained within a folder or file.

The normal, neutral order is:

• Cererea este în dosar.

That is the most straightforward way to say it.

Romanian word order is somewhat flexible, so other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

• În dosar este cererea.
• În dosar e cererea.

These alternatives may sound more marked, often focusing attention on where the request is. But for a learner, the basic pattern subject + verb + location is the safest and most natural.

A practical approximation is:

• ce-RE-re-a

A few helpful points:

• ce sounds like che in check, but shorter
• the stress is on RE
• the ending -ea is pronounced as two vowels together, not as a silent ending

A rough English-friendly guide could be:

• che-REH-reh-ah

Not perfect, but close enough to help.

Not in a way you need to worry much about in this sentence.

Cererea is the subject of the sentence, so it is in the basic subject form. Romanian does have case distinctions, but for many nouns, especially in simple sentences like this, the nominative and accusative forms are the same.

So here:

• cererea is just the definite subject form

The phrase în dosar is a prepositional phrase, and after în, Romanian does not show a special visible case ending on dosar here.

Yes. Cererea se află în dosar is also correct.

se află means something like:

• is located
• is found
• is situated

So:

• Cererea este în dosar. = simpler, more direct
• Cererea se află în dosar. = slightly more explicit or formal

In everyday language, este / e is often the easiest and most common choice unless the speaker wants a more formal or descriptive tone.