Breakdown of Filmul apare la televizor diseară.
la
on
televizorul
the television
filmul
the movie
diseară
tonight
a apărea
to appear
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Questions & Answers about Filmul apare la televizor diseară.
What is the role of apare in this sentence? Why not use este?
apare is the 3rd person singular present of a apărea (“to appear”). In this context it means “comes on” or “is airing.” Romanians often say Filmul apare la televizor for “The movie is coming on TV.” If you used este (from a fi, “to be”), e.g. Film este difuzat la televizor, it would sound more formal and focus on the fact that it’s being broadcast rather than that it’s coming up in the schedule.
Could we say Se difuzează instead of apare?
Yes. Se difuzează is an impersonal passive (“it is broadcast”) and is perfectly correct: Se difuzează un film diseară la televizor (“A movie is being broadcast tonight on TV”). However, apare is more colloquial when you want simply to announce what’s going to be on.
Why is the definite article attached to film as filmul?
In Romanian the definite article is a suffix. Film is “movie” in the indefinite sense; filmul means “the movie.” That’s why you see the article at the end of the noun, rather than as a separate word.
What is the difference between diseară and astă seară?
Both mean “this evening.” Diseară is a single word adverb used in everyday speech. Astă seară (sometimes written astă-seară) is slightly more formal or emphatic and literally “this evening.” You can use them interchangeably: Filmul apare diseară or Filmul apare astă seară.
Why do we use la televizor and not pe televizor?
La + medium (like la televizor, la radio, la cinema) expresses “on” or “over” that medium. Pe would imply “on top of” something physical. So you say la televizor for “on TV.”
Can we change the word order, for example put diseară at the beginning?
Yes. Romanian has relatively flexible word order. You can emphasize diseară by saying:
Diseară apare filmul la televizor.
Or keep it closer to the original:
Diseară filmul apare la televizor.
All versions are correct; the difference is only one of emphasis.
Is apare a transitive or intransitive verb here?
Here a apărea is used intransitively, meaning there is no direct object. The subject is filmul (the film appears/comes on). Transitive uses of a apărea are rare; most of the time Romanians will say apare in contexts like announcements—apare la televizor, apare în ziar, etc.