Spectacolul începe azi.

The show starts today.

Breakdown of Spectacolul începe azi.

• azi: today
• a începe: to start
• spectacolul: the show; performance

Questions & Answers about Spectacolul începe azi.

Why is it spectacolul and not just spectacol?

Because -ul is the definite article attached to the end of the noun in Romanian.

• spectacol = show, a show
• spectacolul = the show

Romanian usually puts the at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word the way English does.

Why isn’t there a separate word for the?

Romanian normally uses an enclitic definite article, which means the article is added to the end of the noun.

So instead of:

• English: the show

you get:

• Romanian: spectacolul

This is a very common feature of Romanian:

• băiat = boy

• băiatul = the boy

• carte = book
• cartea = the book

What is the base form of începe?

The dictionary form is a începe, meaning to begin / to start.

In the sentence, începe is the present-tense form used with a third-person singular subject:

• spectacolul începe = the show starts / is starting / begins

Why is începe used for the show starts?