Alegem topspinul, mai ales că mingea ricoșează repede.

Alegem is the 1st person plural present tense of a alege (to choose).

So:

• eu aleg = I choose
• tu alegi = you choose
• el/ea alege = he/she chooses
• noi alegem = we choose
• voi alegeți = you all choose
• ei/ele aleg = they choose

In this sentence, alegem means we choose.

Romanian often uses the present tense the same way English does, including for decisions, habits, or commentary in the moment.

The ending -ul is the definite article for a masculine/neuter singular noun in Romanian.

So:

• topspin = topspin
• topspinul = the topspin

Unlike English, Romanian usually puts the at the end of the noun instead of before it.

Examples:

• băiat = boy

• băiatul = the boy

• teren = court/field
• terenul = the court/field

So alegem topspinul literally means we choose the topspin.

It is a loanword, especially used in sports contexts like tennis or table tennis. Romanian often keeps international sports terms, sometimes with Romanian grammar added to them.

That is why you can have:

• topspin = the base form
• topspinul = the definite form

So the word itself is borrowed, but it behaves like a normal Romanian noun in the sentence.

Mai ales că means something like:

• especially since
• particularly because
• all the more so because

It introduces a reason that strengthens the previous statement.

So in this sentence:

• Alegem topspinul = We choose the topspin
• mai ales că mingea ricoșează repede = especially since the ball bounces quickly

A useful distinction:

• mai ales by itself often means especially or above all
• mai ales că adds the idea of because/since

Examples:

• Îmi place sportul, mai ales tenisul. = I like sports, especially tennis.
• Plecăm acum, mai ales că e târziu. = We’re leaving now, especially since it’s late.

Mingea is the definite form of minge (ball), so it means the ball.

• minge = ball
• mingea = the ball

This noun is feminine, and feminine nouns often form the singular definite article with -a. In this case, the form becomes mingea.

So:

• mingea ricoșează = the ball bounces/rebounds

This is very normal in Romanian, where nouns often appear with the definite article attached directly to the word.

Here că introduces a subordinate clause, similar to that/because/since depending on context.

In mai ales că, the whole expression works together as a connector meaning especially since or particularly because.

So you should learn mai ales că as a set phrase.

Compare:

• mai ales = especially
• mai ales că = especially since / particularly because

Without că, the sentence structure would be different.

Ricoșează is the 3rd person singular present tense of a ricoșa.

So:

• a ricoșa = to rebound / to ricochet / to bounce off
• mingea ricoșează = the ball rebounds / bounces / ricochets

It matches mingea, which is singular, so Romanian uses the singular verb form.

This -ează ending is common in many Romanian verbs:

• lucrează = he/she works
• formează = he/she forms
• ricoșează = it rebounds

Because repede is being used as an adverb, modifying the verb ricoșează.

It tells you how the ball bounces:

• ricoșează repede = bounces quickly / bounces fast

In Romanian, repede can function very naturally as an adverb, just like fast/quickly in English.

So this is not describing the ball itself; it is describing the action.

• mingea este rapidă = the ball is fast
• mingea ricoșează repede = the ball bounces quickly

Yes, the comma is natural here because mai ales că introduces an explanatory subordinate clause.

So the sentence is divided into:

• main clause: Alegem topspinul
• explanatory reason: mai ales că mingea ricoșează repede

The comma helps show that the second part adds justification or explanation.

In normal writing, this punctuation is standard and helpful.

Yes, Romanian word order is fairly flexible, but the version given is the most natural and straightforward.

Alegem topspinul, mai ales că mingea ricoșează repede. sounds like:

1. statement first
2. reason after it

That is a very common structure.

You might sometimes see reworded versions, but this original order is clear and idiomatic. Romanian often keeps the most important action first and then adds the explanation.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• că: the ă is a short central vowel, something like the unstressed vowel in sofa
• ș in ricoșează sounds like sh
• ea in mingea is pronounced together, roughly like ya/ea, depending on accent and flow

Very roughly:

• Alegem ≈ ah-LEH-jem
• topspinul ≈ TOP-spin-ool
• mai ales că ≈ my ah-LES kuh
• mingea ≈ MEEN-jah
• ricoșează ≈ ree-ko-SHEH-ah-zuh
• repede ≈ REH-peh-deh

This is only approximate, but the key thing is:

• ș = sh
• ă = a short neutral vowel, not a full a

Romanian often uses the definite article where English might or might not use the, especially when talking about a specific thing already understood from context.

Here both nouns are definite:

• topspinul = the topspin
• mingea = the ball

This makes the sentence sound specific and grounded in a real situation, such as discussing a particular shot and the actual ball in play.

For English speakers, one useful habit is to notice that Romanian frequently attaches definiteness directly to the noun instead of using a separate word.