Ziarul de azi este pe masă.

Today's newspaper is on the table.

Breakdown of Ziarul de azi este pe masă.

• a fi: to be
• azi: today
• de: of
• masa: the table

Questions & Answers about Ziarul de azi este pe masă.

Why does ziarul have the ending -ul instead of a separate word for “the”?

Romanian uses enclitic definite articles, attaching them to the noun. For masculine singular nouns like ziar (“newspaper”), the definite article is -ul:
• ziar + ul → ziarul (“the newspaper”)
For feminine singular nouns you’d use -a (e.g. carte → cartea, “the book”).

What role does de play in ziarul de azi, and why can’t I just say ziarul azi?

de is a preposition meaning “of” (genitive) when showing possession or relation. ziarul de azi literally means “the newspaper of today,” i.e. today’s newspaper.
If you omit de, you end up with ziarul azi, which sounds like you’re trying to use azi as an adverb without linking it. Correct alternatives are:
• Azi ziarul este pe masă. (“Today the newspaper is on the table.”)
• Ziarul de azi (“the newspaper of today,” the edition that came out today).

What’s the difference between azi and astăzi?

Both mean “today.”
• azi is more colloquial and common in speech.
• astăzi is slightly more formal or emphatic and often used in writing.
Their meanings are interchangeable.

Which tense and person is este, and can I replace it with e?