Copilul vede calul.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it.

• copil = child
• copilul = the child
• cal = horse
• calul = the horse

So -ul here works like English the.

This is one of the first big differences English speakers notice in Romanian:

• English: the child, the horse
• Romanian: copilul, calul

The basic order is:

• Copilul = subject
• vede = verb
• calul = object

So it follows the common Subject–Verb–Object pattern, just like English.

Romanian often uses this order in neutral statements:

• Copilul vede calul. = The child sees the horse.

However, Romanian word order can be more flexible than English, especially for emphasis. But this sentence is the normal, straightforward version.

Vede is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb a vedea = to see.

So:

• eu văd = I see
• tu vezi = you see
• el/ea vede = he/she sees

In this sentence, copilul is singular, so the verb is singular too:

• Copilul vede = The child sees

Mainly because of the normal sentence order and context.

In this simple sentence:

• the first noun is understood as the subject
• the second noun is understood as the direct object

So:

• Copilul = the one who sees
• calul = the one seen

A useful thing to know is that, in Romanian, the nominative and accusative forms of many nouns are often identical. That means word order is especially helpful in simple sentences like this one.

Good question. Romanian often uses pe before a direct object when that object is a person or a strongly individualized animate being.

For example:

• Văd pe Maria. = I see Maria.

But with animals or things, pe is often not used, especially in neutral sentences:

• Copilul vede calul.

So this sentence sounds normal without pe.

You may sometimes hear pe with animals if the speaker treats them more like specific beings or pets, but in a simple example like this, calul without pe is standard.

Yes, both are masculine singular nouns here.

• un copil = a child
• copilul = the child
• un cal = a horse
• calul = the horse

The ending -ul is a common masculine/neuter singular definite article ending.

You would use the indefinite article un:

• Un copil vede un cal.

Compare:

• Copilul vede calul. = The child sees the horse.
• Un copil vede un cal. = A child sees a horse.

So Romanian distinguishes definite and indefinite nouns clearly, just like English, but the definite article is attached to the noun.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Copilul ≈ ko-PEE-lul
• vede ≈ VEH-deh
• calul ≈ KAH-lul

Stress falls roughly like this:

• copilul
• vede
• calul

A more approximate full pronunciation:

• ko-PEE-lul VEH-deh KAH-lul

Yes, but that changes the meaning.

• Copilul vede calul. = The child sees the horse.
• Calul vede copilul. = The horse sees the child.

Because the word order changes, the roles change too in a simple sentence like this.

Yes—three especially important things:

1. The definite article is attached to the noun

   • copilul, not the copil

2. The verb form changes with the subject

   • vede matches he/she/it or a singular noun like copilul

3. Romanian often looks similar to English in basic sentence order

   • Subject + Verb + Object

So although the article system looks different, the overall sentence pattern is quite friendly for an English speaker.