Learn Hardcore Romanian: Întrebarea este aici.

Întrebarea is the definite form of the feminine noun întrebare, meaning the question. In Romanian, the definite article isn’t a separate word but a suffix attached to the noun. For feminine singular nouns ending in -e, you add -a to form the definite.

Why is there no separate word for “the” before întrebarea?

Romanian expresses definiteness by adding an ending to the noun itself. Instead of saying the întrebare, you say întrebarea. Masculine nouns typically take -ul (e.g. băiat → băiatul), while feminine nouns use -a or -ea depending on the ending.

What does este mean here, and why is it used?

Este is the third-person singular present tense of the verb a fi (“to be”), equivalent to “is” in English. It serves as the copula linking the subject (întrebarea) with the location adverb (aici).

Can I replace este with e?

Yes. E is the colloquial contraction of este. In everyday speech you’d hear Întrebarea e aici, but in more formal or written Romanian, este is preferred.

What part of speech is aici?

Aici is an adverb of place, meaning “here.” It tells us where the question is located.

Is the word order fixed, or can I say it differently?

Romanian word order is relatively flexible. You could say Aici este întrebarea to emphasize location first, or Întrebarea aici este in poetic or very marked contexts. The most neutral structure is Întrebarea este aici (Subject-Verb-Adverb).

Why is the first letter Î capitalized, and what’s the deal with that diacritic?

Like in English, the first word of a sentence is capitalized. Romanian uses two different letters with similar sounds: Â/â and Î/î. They both represent the same sound /ɨ/, but Î appears at the beginning and end of words or in the middle only in compounds.

Why doesn’t the final -e of întrebare disappear when adding the suffix -a?

For feminine nouns ending in -e, you simply append -a to form the definite without dropping the vowel. Thus întrebare + -a = întrebarea.

Could this ever be a question rather than a statement?

Yes, if you change the intonation or use a question word. As written with a period, Întrebarea este aici. is a statement. To ask “Is the question here?” you’d say Întrebarea este aici? or more naturally Întrebarea e aici?