Secretul este ascuns.

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

• secret = a secret
• secretul = the secret

Romanian usually puts the at the end of the noun, unlike English, where it comes before the noun.

Este means is. It is the 3rd person singular form of the verb a fi (to be).

So:

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

In this sentence, este links the subject secretul with ascuns.

Usually, in standard Romanian, no. In a full sentence like this, este is normally expressed:

• Secretul este ascuns. = correct

In casual speech, people may sometimes shorten or simplify things in certain contexts, but learners should keep este.

It can be understood as an adjective meaning hidden, but historically it is also the past participle of a ascunde (to hide).

In this sentence, it works like an adjective describing secretul:

• secretul = the secret
• ascuns = hidden

So the whole sentence means The secret is hidden.

Because secretul is a masculine singular noun, and the adjective must agree with it in gender and number.

Agreement patterns here:

• masculine singular: ascuns
• feminine singular: ascunsă
• masculine plural: ascunși
• feminine plural: ascunse

Since secretul is masculine singular, ascuns is the correct form.

You usually learn the gender of Romanian nouns together with the noun itself. In this case:

• un secret = a secret
• două secrete would not work, which tells you it is not feminine
• the plural is secrete, and in the singular it behaves as masculine

Romanian has three gender categories in practice:

• masculine
• feminine
• neuter

Secret is often classified as neuter, which means it behaves like masculine in the singular and feminine in the plural. That is why in this sentence, in the singular, it takes ascuns.

In form, it looks like to be + past participle, which can resemble a passive. But in this sentence, the most natural way to understand ascuns is simply as an adjective: hidden.

So for a learner, the easiest interpretation is:

• Secretul este ascuns. = The secret is hidden.

If you wanted a clearer passive idea such as The secret is being hidden or has been hidden by someone, Romanian would usually express that differently depending on the context.

Yes. E is a very common short form of este in everyday Romanian.

• Secretul este ascuns. = more formal / fully written out
• Secretul e ascuns. = very common in normal speech and writing

Both are correct.

The normal order is:

Subject + verb + adjective/complement

So:

• Secretul = subject
• este = verb
• ascuns = complement

This is the most neutral word order. Romanian can sometimes change word order for emphasis, but Secretul este ascuns is the standard version.

A rough pronunciation guide for an English speaker is:

seh-KREH-tool ES-teh ahs-KOONS

A few notes:

• se in secretul sounds like seh
• cr is rolled or tapped more than in English
• -ul in secretul is pronounced, not silent
• u in ascuns is like oo in boot, but shorter
• s is always a clear s, never a z sound here

A more IPA-like version is approximately:

/seˈkretul ˈeste asˈkuns/

That is just one of the core features of Romanian grammar. Unlike English, Romanian usually uses an enclitic definite article, meaning the article is added to the end of the noun.

For example:

• băiat = boy

• băiatul = the boy

• secret = secret
• secretul = the secret

This is completely normal in Romanian and is something learners need to get used to early on.

Not usually as the most natural reading. Este ascuns normally means is hidden—a present state.

If you specifically want has been hidden, Romanian would normally use a different construction, depending on context, such as forms involving a fost or another clearer tense/aspect choice.

So the safest reading here is:

• Secretul este ascuns. = The secret is hidden.

You put nu before the verb:

• Secretul nu este ascuns. = The secret is not hidden.

In everyday speech, you could also say:

• Secretul nu e ascuns.

The simplest way is with intonation:

• Secretul este ascuns? = Is the secret hidden?

In everyday Romanian, you might also hear:

• Secretul e ascuns?

Romanian often forms yes/no questions just by using the same word order and changing the intonation.

The plural would be:

• Secretele sunt ascunse. = The secrets are hidden.

Here several things change:

• secretul → secretele (the secrets)
• este → sunt (are)
• ascuns → ascunse to agree with the plural noun

This is a good example of how Romanian adjectives agree in number and gender.

Not in this sentence structure. Here ascuns comes after este, because it is part of the predicate:

• Secretul este ascuns.

If you want to put the adjective directly next to the noun, Romanian usually places many adjectives after the noun:

• secretul ascuns = the hidden secret

That said, adjective placement in Romanian can vary depending on style and meaning, but for this sentence, Secretul este ascuns is the correct structure.