Learn Hardcore Romanian: Tartrul apare pe măsea. - The tartar appears on the molar.

mă: the ă is a <a class="border-b border-dotted border-blue-400 dark:border-blue-500 cursor-pointer text-inherit no-underline" href="/grammar/romanian/pronunciation/a-circumflex-sound">central vowel , something like a very reduced uh
sea: sounds roughly like seh-a , with the <a class="border-b border-dotted border-blue-400 dark:border-blue-500 cursor-pointer text-inherit no-underline" href="/grammar/romanian/pronunciation/vowels">vowels flowing together

Breakdown of Tartrul apare pe măsea.

Why does tartrul end in -ul?

Because -ul is the Romanian definite article attached to the end of a masculine/neuter singular noun. So:

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

What verb is apare, and what form is it?

Apare comes from the verb a apărea, meaning to appear, to show up, or to form/become visible depending on context.

Here, apare is:

So Tartrul apare literally means The tartar appears.

Why is it apare and not apăr or apar?