Avocatul explică situația.

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

• avocat = lawyer / a lawyer
• avocatul = the lawyer

Here, -ul is the masculine singular definite article.

In Romanian, the definite article is normally attached to the noun.

So:

• avocatul = the lawyer
• situația = the situation

This is one of the big differences from English. English says the lawyer, but Romanian says something more like lawyer-the.

Explică is the 3rd person singular present form of the verb a explica = to explain.

So it matches subjects like:

• el explică = he explains
• ea explică = she explains
• avocatul explică = the lawyer explains

The subject here is singular, so the verb is singular too.

It can mean either, depending on context.

Romanian present tense often covers both:

• The lawyer explains the situation
• The lawyer is explaining the situation

If you need to make the ongoing idea clearer, context usually does that.

For the same basic reason as avocat → avocatul: the noun becomes definite.

• situație = situation / a situation
• situația = the situation

Because situație is a feminine noun, its singular definite form is situația.

So the final -a here is the feminine singular definite article.

Because pe is usually used with a direct object that is a specific person or sometimes another animate being.

Examples:

• Văd avocatul. = I see the lawyer.
• Îl văd pe avocat. = I see the lawyer.
  Here pe is used because the direct object is a person.

But situația is a thing, not a person, so pe is not used:

• Avocatul explică situația.

The normal, neutral order here is:

Avocatul + explică + situația
subject + verb + object

So this is the most natural way to say it in a basic statement.

Romanian word order is fairly flexible, though, and other orders can be used for emphasis. For example, Situația o explică avocatul could emphasize the lawyer as the one doing the explaining. But for a learner, the given order is the safest default.

Romanian often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed, because the verb form already gives useful information.

So instead of saying:

• El explică situația

Romanian very often just says:

• Explică situația

In your sentence, the subject is already stated as avocatul, so adding el would usually be unnecessary.

The letter ă is a special Romanian vowel. It sounds like a short, neutral vowel, somewhat like the a in English about for many speakers.

So explică is pronounced roughly like:

eks-PLEE-kuh

That last vowel is not a strong a like in father.

The letter ț is pronounced like ts in English cats.

So in situația, that part sounds like tsi.

A rough pronunciation of the whole word is:

see-too-A-tsya

That is only approximate, but it helps show that ț is ts, not z or sh.

Yes, avocat is the masculine form.

• avocat = male lawyer / lawyer
• avocată = female lawyer

So:

• Avocatul explică situația. = The male lawyer / the lawyer explains the situation.
• Avocata explică situația. = The female lawyer explains the situation.

Notice that the definite feminine form here is avocata.

They are in the nominative/accusative forms.

• avocatul is the subject, so it is nominative.
• situația is the direct object, so it is accusative.

In this sentence, those forms look just like the normal definite forms of the nouns. Romanian case changes are often more visible in other contexts, but here nothing unusual happens on the surface.

Yes. A explica normally takes a direct object directly.

So:

• explică situația = explains the situation
• explică problema = explains the problem
• explică regulile = explains the rules

You do not need a preposition before the thing being explained.