Telefonul este personal.

to be

Breakdown of Telefonul este personal.

• telefonul: the phone
• personal: personal

Questions & Answers about Telefonul este personal.

Why is it telefonul and not just telefon?

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

• telefon = a phone / phone
• telefonul = the phone

Unlike English, Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of as a separate word before it.

What does este mean, and can it be left out?

Este is the 3rd person singular form of a fi = to be.

So:

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

In normal Romanian, este is often shortened to e in everyday speech:

• Telefonul este personal.
• Telefonul e personal.

Both are correct. Este sounds a bit more formal or careful.

Why is there no word for it in the sentence?