Mâncarea este bună.

to be

Breakdown of Mâncarea este bună.

• bun: good
• mâncarea: the food

Questions & Answers about Mâncarea este bună.

What part of speech is este and what does it do in this sentence?

Este is the third-person singular present form of the verb a fi (to be). In this sentence it acts as a linking verb (copula), connecting the subject mâncarea (the food) to the adjective bună (good).

Why is the adjective bună and not bun?

In Romanian, adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Mâncarea is feminine singular, so the adjective must also be feminine singular. The masculine form is bun, the feminine adds -ă to become bună.

What is the structure of mâncarea and why is it not just mâncare?

Mâncarea = mâncare (food) + the enclitic definite article -a, because in Romanian definite articles attach to the end of the noun.

• mâncare = food (indefinite)
• mâncarea = the food (definite)

How would you say “food is good” without the definite article?