Părintele citește mesajul.

to read

Breakdown of Părintele citește mesajul.

• mesajul: the message
• părintele: the parent

Questions & Answers about Părintele citește mesajul.

Why is the attached to the end of the nouns in părintele and mesajul?

Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it as English does.

So:

părinte = parent / priest / father
părintele = the parent / the priest

mesaj = message
mesajul = the message

This is one of the most noticeable differences between English and Romanian. Instead of a separate word like the, Romanian often uses an ending attached to the noun.

Why is it părintele but mesajul? Why are the endings different?

The definite article changes depending on the noun’s form and gender.

In this sentence:

părinte ends in -e, so the definite form is părintele.
mesaj ends in a consonant, so the definite form is mesajul.

So the ending is not always the same. Romanian has several definite article forms, and learners gradually get used to which nouns take which ending.

What exactly does părintele mean here? Is it the parent or the priest/father?

It can mean either, depending on context.

The noun părinte can mean:

parent
or
father/priest in a religious sense

So părintele citește mesajul could mean the parent reads the message or the priest reads the message. On its own, the sentence is ambiguous. Usually the wider context makes the meaning clear.