Breakdown of Ștampila este pe certificatul fiscal.
a fi
to be
pe
on
certificatul fiscal
the tax certificate
ștampila
the official stamp
Questions & Answers about Ștampila este pe certificatul fiscal.
What does ștampila mean grammatically, and why does it end in -a?
Ștampila is a feminine singular noun in the definite form, meaning the stamp.
In Romanian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like the in English.
- ștampilă = a stamp
- ștampila = the stamp
So the ending -a here is not just part of the noun stem in this sentence; it marks the noun as definite.
Why is este used here? Can it be left out?
Este means is and is the 3rd person singular form of a fi = to be.
So:
- Ștampila este pe certificatul fiscal. = The stamp is on the tax certificate.
In everyday Romanian, especially in speech, este is often shortened to e:
- Ștampila e pe certificatul fiscal.
You usually cannot leave it out completely in a normal sentence like this. Romanian normally needs the verb to be in this kind of structure.
What does pe mean here?