Alergia alimentară schimbă meniul.

Because Romanian often puts the definite article at the end of the noun.

• alergie = allergy
• alergia = the allergy

So alergia alimentară literally means the food allergy. In Romanian, the definite form is also often used for general statements, where English might just say food allergy.

Because adjectives in Romanian must agree with the noun they describe in gender and number.

Here, alergie is a feminine singular noun, so the adjective must also be feminine singular:

• masculine singular: alimentar
• feminine singular: alimentară
• masculine plural: alimentari
• feminine/neuter plural: alimentare

So:

• alergie alimentară = food allergy
• alergia alimentară = the food allergy

In Romanian, the usual order is:

• noun + adjective

So alergia alimentară is the normal word order.

English often does the opposite:

• food allergy

Romanian usually does not build this kind of phrase with two nouns next to each other. It prefers a noun plus an adjective, or sometimes a prepositional phrase.

For the same reason as alergia: Romanian attaches the definite article to the end of the noun.

• meniu = menu
• meniul = the menu

So schimbă meniul means changes the menu.

Schimbă is the 3rd person singular present tense of the verb a schimba = to change.

Here are the present forms:

• eu schimb = I change
• tu schimbi = you change
• el/ea schimbă = he/she/it changes
• noi schimbăm = we change
• voi schimbați = you all change
• ei/ele schimbă = they change

Since alergia alimentară is a singular subject, schimbă is the correct form.

Mostly from word order and meaning.

The sentence follows the common Romanian pattern:

• subject + verb + object

So:

• Alergia alimentară = subject
• schimbă = verb
• meniul = direct object

Romanian does not always mark the direct object with a special ending, so in simple sentences like this, word order helps a lot.

Yes. That would mean A food allergy changes the menu.

Compare:

• Alergia alimentară schimbă meniul = the food allergy / food allergy in general changes the menu
• O alergie alimentară schimbă meniul = a food allergy changes the menu

So the version with o is more clearly indefinite, while the version with -a on alergia is definite or more general.

Because Romanian usually avoids the English-style noun + noun structure in cases like this.

English:

• food allergy

Romanian usually prefers:

• noun + adjective → alergie alimentară

This is very common. English compound nouns often become a noun with an adjective in Romanian.

A useful approximation is SKEEM-buh, but with a short, neutral final vowel.

A few details:

• sch here sounds like sk, not like English sh
• i in schimb- sounds like the ee in see
• ă is a special Romanian vowel, similar to the a in about

So schimbă is roughly:

• SKIM-bə

The final ă is very important in Romanian spelling and pronunciation.

Meniu is a neuter noun.

Romanian neuter nouns act:

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

So you get:

• singular indefinite: un meniu
• singular definite: meniul
• plural indefinite: două meniuri
• plural definite: meniurile

In this sentence, the main thing to notice is the singular definite form meniul.

Yes. It is short, grammatical, and natural.

It sounds like a general statement such as:

• food allergy changes what is on the menu
• a food allergy affects the menu choices

Romanian often uses this kind of concise structure in everyday language and in informational or medical contexts.