Ana păstrează secretul.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

• secret = a secret / secret
• secretul = the secret

So the -ul attached to secret is the definite article.

Păstrează is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb a păstra, meaning to keep, to preserve, or sometimes to maintain.

So:

• eu păstrez = I keep
• tu păstrezi = you keep
• el/ea păstrează = he/she keeps

In this sentence, it matches Ana, which is a 3rd person singular subject.

Romanian often does not need subject pronouns like he or she, because the verb ending already gives information about the person and number.

Here, the subject is explicitly stated as Ana, so there is no need to add ea.

• Ana păstrează secretul. = Ana keeps the secret.
• Ea păstrează secretul. = She keeps the secret.

Both are possible, but using both Ana and ea together would usually add emphasis and is not the neutral default.

This is the most neutral and common Romanian word order:

Subject + Verb + Object

• Ana = subject
• păstrează = verb
• secretul = object

Romanian word order is somewhat flexible, but this version is the most straightforward. Other orders can be used for emphasis, for example in speech or literature.

A rough pronunciation is:

puh-STREH-uh-zuh

A few important points:

• ă is a special Romanian vowel, like a soft unstressed uh
• ea in -ează is pronounced like ea in yeah, but shorter and smoother
• the stress falls on stre: pă-STREA-ză

So the word is not pronounced like English pah-stree-azuh.

Ă is a very common Romanian vowel. It sounds like a short, neutral uh sound, similar to the a in English sofa.

Examples in this sentence:

• pă- in păstrează
• the final -ză also has ă

It is important not to pronounce ă like a full English a in cat or father.

Secret is a neuter noun.

In Romanian, neuter nouns behave:

• like masculine in the singular
• like feminine in the plural

So:

• singular indefinite: secret
• singular definite: secretul
• plural indefinite: secrete
• plural definite: secretele

That is why the definite singular form is secretul.

In Romanian, the preposition-like marker pe is often used before specific animate direct objects, especially people.

Examples:

• Văd pe Ana. = I see Ana.
• Îl cunosc pe profesor. = I know the teacher.

But secretul is an inanimate noun, so pe is not used here.

That is why we say:

• Ana păstrează secretul.

not

• Ana păstrează pe secretul.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Romanian present tense often covers both:

• she keeps the secret
• she is keeping the secret

If the sentence is presented by itself, English usually translates it as Ana keeps the secret. But in the right context, it could also mean Ana is keeping the secret.

Normally, no. Ana is a proper name, so it usually appears without an article in a basic sentence like this.

So:

• Ana păstrează secretul. = normal

Romanian can sometimes use articles with names in certain regional or conversational styles, but that is a different usage and not what is happening here.

Not always. A păstra often means:

• to keep
• to preserve
• to retain
• to maintain

In this sentence, it works well because keeping a secret is a natural meaning.

But English keep has many uses, and Romanian may use other verbs in other contexts. For example, to keep doing something or to keep someone somewhere may require a different verb.

So it is best to learn a păstra as one important Romanian equivalent of to keep, not the only one.