Bărbatul este tânăr.

to be

Breakdown of Bărbatul este tânăr.

• bărbatul: the man
• tânăr: young

Questions & Answers about Bărbatul este tânăr.

Why is bărbatul one word? Where is the separate word for the?

In Romanian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun, not written as a separate word before it.

So:

• bărbat = man
• bărbatul = the man

The ending -ul is the masculine singular definite article here.

What exactly does the ending -ul mean?

-ul marks the noun as definite, meaning the rather than a.

So:

• un bărbat = a man
• bărbatul = the man

In this sentence, bărbatul is masculine singular and is the subject of the sentence.

Why is the sentence Bărbatul este tânăr instead of Bărbatul tânăr este or some other order?

The normal word order here is:

subject + verb + adjective

So:

• Bărbatul = subject
• este = verb (is)
• tânăr = adjective (young)

This is the most natural neutral order in Romanian, just like The man is young in English.

Other word orders are possible in special contexts for emphasis, but this version is the standard one to learn first.

What does este mean, and is it the same as e?