Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

She explains the problem and repeats the answer.

Breakdown of Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

• ea: she
• și: and
• răspunsul: the answer
• problema: the problem
• a explica: to explain
• a repeta: to repeat

Questions & Answers about Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

Why do we have the pronoun Ea here? Can it be left out in Romanian?

Romanian is a pro-drop language, so subject pronouns are often omitted when the verb ending already shows the person.

• Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul. – She explains the problem and repeats the answer.
• Explică problema și repetă răspunsul. – Explains the problem and repeats the answer. (Still understood as she from context.)

Ea is used:

• to emphasize she (as opposed to someone else), or
• when the subject isn’t clear from context.

In neutral, context‑clear situations, most native speakers would simply say:
Explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

What tense and person are the verbs explică and repetă, and what are their infinitives?

Both verbs are in the present indicative, 3rd person singular:

• explică – from the infinitive a explica (to explain)
• repetă – from the infinitive a repeta (to repeat)

They both mean:

• (she) explains / (she) is explaining
• (she) repeats / (she) is repeating

Romanian doesn’t have a separate continuous form like English (is explaining), so the same present form covers both simple present and present continuous, depending on context.

Why does problema end in -a, while răspunsul ends in -ul? Aren’t they both “the”?

Romanian uses a definite article stuck to the end of the noun (a “postposed” article). The form depends on gender and number:

• problema = problem + the

  • base noun: problemă (feminine singular)
  • definite: problema = the problem

• răspunsul = answer + the

  • base noun: răspuns (masculine singular)
  • definite: răspunsul = the answer

So:

• Feminine singular often takes -a (e.g. fata – the girl, cartea – the book, problema – the problem)
• Masculine singular often takes -ul (e.g. băiatul – the boy, caietul – the notebook, răspunsul – the answer)

Could I say Ea explică o problemă și repetă un răspuns instead? What changes in meaning?

Yes, but the meaning changes.

• Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

  • the problem and the answer (specific, known to speaker and listener)

• Ea explică o problemă și repetă un răspuns.

  • a problem and an answer (non‑specific, not clearly identified)

So:

• problema / răspunsul = that specific problem/answer you both have in mind.
• o problemă / un răspuns = some problem/answer, not clearly specified.

Why is there no preposition before problema and răspunsul? How do direct objects work here?

In this sentence, both problema and răspunsul are direct objects of explică and repetă, so Romanian uses no preposition:

• explică problema – explains the problem
• repetă răspunsul – repeats the answer

Romanian only marks some direct objects with pe, generally when they are:

• specific people (or personified beings), and
• definite

For example:

• Ea vede pe Maria. – She sees Maria.

But for things (like problema, răspunsul), no preposition is used:

• Ea explică problema.
• Ea repetă răspunsul.

Does și here work just like English “and”? Why is it placed between the verbs?

Yes, și is the normal word for and.

In this sentence, și is joining two verbs that share the same subject (Ea):

• Ea explică problema
• (Ea) repetă răspunsul

→ Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

You don’t repeat the subject before the second verb unless you want extra emphasis or contrast.
You also don’t use a comma before și in a simple sentence like this.

Can I repeat the subject and say Ea explică problema și ea repetă răspunsul?

You can, but it sounds unusual in a neutral context.

• Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul. – Natural, default way.
• Ea explică problema și ea repetă răspunsul. – Adds emphasis on she also being the one who repeats; it can sound a bit heavy or contrastive, like:
  
  • She explains the problem and she repeats the answer (not someone else).

So this repeated ea is reserved for emphasis or contrast, not for ordinary narration.

Is the word order fixed, or can I move things around, like in other Romance languages?

Basic, neutral word order is Subject – Verb – Object:

• Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul.

Common variations:

• Explică problema și repetă răspunsul. – Subject dropped; still normal.

You generally don’t move the objects in front for a neutral statement:

• ✗ Problema explică ea și răspunsul repetă. – sounds wrong/very unnatural here.

Romanian allows word order changes for emphasis or style, but for a learner, sticking to S–V–O is best in sentences like this.

How do you pronounce ea, explică, problemă/problema, repetă, and răspunsul, especially the letter ă?

Approximate guide (stressed syllables in capitals):

• ea – like English ya (as in yard), but a bit clearer: ya
• explică – eks-PLI-că
  
  • ă is like the vowel in English sofa or a in about (a short, neutral sound).
• problemă – pro-BLE-mă
• problema – pro-BLE-ma (stress stays on -ble-)
• repetă – re-PE-tă
• răspunsul – rə-SPUN-sul
  
  • ră-: the ă again is that short, neutral vowel.

The letter ă always has this “uh” / schwa-like sound, never like English a in cat.

Are a explica and a repeta regular verbs? How would I conjugate them for other persons in the present?

Yes, both are regular in the present tense.

a explica (to explain) – present indicative:

• eu explic – I explain
• tu explici – you explain (singular)
• el / ea explică – he / she explains
• noi explicăm – we explain
• voi explicați – you explain (plural)
• ei / ele explică – they explain

a repeta (to repeat) – present indicative:

• eu repet – I repeat
• tu repeți – you repeat (singular)
• el / ea repetă – he / she repeats
• noi repetăm – we repeat
• voi repetați – you repeat (plural)
• ei / ele repetă – they repeat

In your sentence you see the 3rd person singular forms: explică, repetă.

Can Ea explică problema și repetă răspunsul mean both “She explains…” and “She is explaining…”?

Yes. Romanian present tense covers both:

• She explains the problem and repeats the answer (general, habitual).
• She is explaining the problem and is repeating the answer (right now).

Context tells you which reading is correct. Romanian usually doesn’t need an extra form like is explaining, though in speech you can add adverbs (e.g. acum – now) to make it clearer:

• Ea explică acum problema și repetă răspunsul.
  – She is explaining the problem now and is repeating the answer.

How would I say the same sentence in the past or future?

Using common, conversational forms:

Past (perfect compus – “she explained and repeated”)

• Ea a explicat problema și a repetat răspunsul.

Future (simple future with o să)

• Ea o să explice problema și o să repete răspunsul.
  – She will explain the problem and will repeat the answer.

The structure stays similar; you just change the verb forms.