Learn Hardcore Romanian: Apa este bună.

Apa is the word for “water.” In Romanian, definite articles are attached to the end of the noun. The root apă means “water” (indefinite), and the suffix -a makes it “the water.” So apa = “the water.”

Why do we say este instead of just e?

Este is the full form of the verb “to be” in the present tense (third person singular). Colloquially, Romanians often shorten it to e (e.g., Apa e bună), but este is the more formal or standard written form.

Why does bună end with -ă instead of -ă? I thought adjectives end in -ă for feminine—so why is it the same letter?

It may look identical, but there are two different letters:

ă (the vowel pronounced like the ‘a’ in “about”)
a (the standard “a” sound)
In bună, the ending is the vowel ă, marking the feminine singular form of the adjective bun (“good”).

Why is the adjective bună placed after the noun, instead of before, like in English?