Înainte de a aproba cererea, funcționarul verifică dosarul.

Înainte de a means before doing something.

It is a very common Romanian pattern:

• înainte = before
• de a = a structure used before an infinitive verb
• aproba = to approve

So:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea = Before approving the application / Before he approves the application

A useful pattern to remember is:

• înainte de a + infinitive

Examples:

• Înainte de a pleca = before leaving
• Înainte de a semna = before signing
• Înainte de a decide = before deciding

Because Romanian normally uses de a + infinitive after înainte when the meaning is before doing.

So Romanian does not usually say:

• înainte aproba ❌

Instead, it says:

• înainte de a aproba ✅

This is just the standard grammar pattern. English learners often want to translate word-for-word from before approving, but Romanian needs that extra structure.

Think of it as:

• înainte de a + verb

They are two different verb forms of the same verb, a aproba = to approve.

• aproba = infinitive, to approve
• aprobă = present tense, he/she approves

In your sentence:

• de a aproba uses the infinitive after de a
• funcționarul verifică uses a conjugated present-tense verb: the clerk checks

Compare:

• a aproba = to approve
• el aprobă = he approves

The accent mark matters:

• aproba = infinitive
• aprobă = present tense

Because -ul is the Romanian definite article attached to the end of the noun.

So:

• funcționar = a clerk / an official
• funcționarul = the clerk / the official

Unlike English, Romanian usually puts the at the end of the noun instead of before it.

More examples:

• dosar = a file

• dosarul = the file

• funcționar = a clerk
• funcționarul = the clerk

They are definite because the sentence is talking about specific things:

• cererea = the application/request
• dosarul = the file/case file
• funcționarul = the clerk/official

So the whole sentence refers to specific, identifiable items in a bureaucratic context:

• the clerk
• the application
• the file

Forms:

• cerere = an application / a request

• cererea = the application / the request

• dosar = a file / dossier
• dosarul = the file / dossier

English speakers sometimes expect only the subject to be definite, but Romanian can very naturally use definite direct objects too if they are specific.

Because funcționarul is the subject, and verifică agrees with a third-person singular subject.

Structure:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea = subordinate time phrase
• funcționarul = subject
• verifică = verb
• dosarul = direct object

So the main clause is:

• funcționarul verifică dosarul
  = the clerk checks the file

Romanian word order is fairly flexible, but this is a very standard subject-verb-object pattern.

Mainly from structure and meaning.

In the sentence:

• de a aproba cererea = to approve the application

  • here cererea is the object of aproba

• funcționarul verifică dosarul = the clerk checks the file

  • here dosarul is the object of verifică

Romanian does not mark direct objects with a special ending in sentences like this, so you often identify them by:

1. the verb,
2. normal sentence order,
3. meaning.

Here it would not make sense for dosarul to be the one checking the clerk.

Because Înainte de a aproba cererea is an introductory subordinate clause/time phrase, and Romanian normally separates it with a comma from the main clause.

So:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea, funcționarul verifică dosarul.

This is similar to English punctuation in:

• Before approving the application, the clerk checks the file.

If the order is reversed, the comma is often not needed:

• Funcționarul verifică dosarul înainte de a aproba cererea.

Yes, that is possible in many contexts.

You may hear both:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea...
• Înainte să aprobe cererea...

Very roughly:

• înainte de a + infinitive is a very standard, neat, often slightly more formal structure
• înainte să + subjunctive is also common and natural

So these are both possible:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea, funcționarul verifică dosarul.
• Înainte să aprobe cererea, funcționarul verifică dosarul.

The first one is especially common in formal or written language.

Verifică is present tense, third person singular, from a verifica = to check / to verify.

So:

• eu verific = I check
• tu verifici = you check
• el/ea verifică = he/she checks

In your sentence:

• funcționarul verifică dosarul = the clerk checks the file

Romanian often uses the present tense in general statements, procedures, instructions, and descriptions of routine actions, just like English.

In Romanian, subjects are often omitted because the verb ending already tells you the person and number.

So in some contexts, you could say:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea, verifică dosarul.

But this would usually mean:

• he/she checks the file before approving the application,
  and the subject would have to be understood from context.

Including funcționarul makes the sentence clearer and more explicit:

• Înainte de a aproba cererea, funcționarul verifică dosarul.

That is especially natural in formal or explanatory writing.

Because cererea is the singular definite form of cerere.

Breakdown:

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

Romanian feminine nouns often form the singular definite article with -a attached, though the exact form can involve small spelling changes.

For this noun:

• cerere → cererea

By contrast, the plural definite would be different:

• cereri = requests/applications
• cererile = the requests/applications

So cererea is singular: the application.

A few useful points:

• Înainte: î is a close central vowel, something English does not really have. Do not pronounce it like a full English ee or uh.
• funcționarul: ț sounds like ts in cats
• verifică: final ă is a short uh/schwa-like sound
• cererea: the e sounds are clear, and the word has four syllables
• dosarul: final -ul is the attached definite article

Very approximate English-style guides:

• Înainte ≈ uhn-AH-een-te
• funcționarul ≈ funk-tsyo-NA-rul
• verifică ≈ veh-ree-FEE-kuh
• cererea ≈ che-RE-re-a
• dosarul ≈ do-SA-rul

These are only approximations, but the most important things are:

• ț = ts
• ă = short schwa-like sound
• the Romanian r is usually tapped/trilled more than in English

They are related, and in many contexts dosar can be translated as file, case file, or sometimes dossier.

In administrative or legal contexts, dosar often means:

• a file containing documents
• a case file
• a paperwork folder

So here dosarul is very naturally:

• the file
• possibly the case file, depending on context

For a learner, file is usually the safest everyday translation.

Yes, it sounds fairly formal or administrative, mainly because of the vocabulary and context:

• a aproba cererea = to approve the application/request
• funcționarul = the clerk/official
• verifică dosarul = checks the file

This sounds like bureaucracy, office procedure, or official instructions.

It is completely natural Romanian, but it belongs more to formal/institutional language than casual everyday conversation.