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Questions & Answers about Totul pare simplu acum.
What part of speech is totul?
totul is a neuter singular pronoun meaning “everything.” It serves as the subject of the sentence. In Romanian, neuter words behave like masculine in the singular and feminine in the plural.
Why is the adjective simplu not simplă?
Because totul is neuter singular, and neuter subjects take the masculine form of adjectives when used predicatively. Thus you use simplu (masculine singular), not simplă.
What is the role of pare here?
pare is the third‐person singular present indicative of a părea (“to seem”). It links the subject totul with the adjective simplu, expressing “everything seems simple.”
Why isn’t there an “it” or reflexive se before pare?
Romanian does not use a dummy “it” as English does. The subject pronoun is implicit in the verb or replaced by totul here. And a părea does not require the reflexive particle se in this construction—you only use se pare că when introducing a subordinate clause (e.g. Se pare că totul este simplu).
What function does acum serve, and can its position change?
acum is an adverb of time meaning “now.” You can place it at the beginning (Acum totul pare simplu) or at the end (Totul pare simplu acum) without changing the core meaning.
How does pare simplu differ from este simplu?
pare simplu means “it seems simple” (a perception), while este simplu means “it is simple” (a factual statement).
Can I use se pare instead of pare in this sentence?
Not directly. You could rephrase as Se pare că totul este simplu acum (“It appears that everything is simple now”), but Totul se pare simplu is ungrammatical.
Is it possible to intensify the adjective?
Yes. You can insert an adverb like foarte: Totul pare foarte simplu acum (“Everything seems very simple now”).
Why is there no definite article before simplu?
Predicative adjectives in Romanian never take a definite article. The article attaches only to nouns, and here simplu is linked via a copular verb, not directly modifying a noun with an article.
Could I use another word instead of acum, for example deocamdată?
Yes, deocamdată means “for the moment” or “for now,” adding a nuance of temporary state: Totul pare simplu deocamdată (“Everything seems simple for the time being”).
Why not use toate instead of totul?
Toate is a plural form (“all of them”) used with specific nouns (toate fetele, “all the girls”). Totul is a neuter pronoun meaning “everything” in a general sense.