Bicicleta mea este în parcare, dar frâna ei nu merge bine.

Because they are definite: the bicycle, the brake.

In Romanian, the definite article is usually attached to the end of the noun:

• bicicletă = a bicycle
• bicicleta = the bicycle
• frână = a brake
• frâna = the brake

So in this sentence, we are talking about a specific bicycle and its specific brake.

In Romanian, possessives often come after the noun:

• bicicleta mea = my bicycle
• casa mea = my house

This is the normal order in Romanian.

Also, mea agrees with the noun being possessed:

• meu = masculine singular
• mea = feminine singular
• mei = masculine plural
• mele = feminine plural

Since bicicletă is feminine singular, the sentence uses mea.

Ei means her or its, depending on context.

In this sentence, it refers back to bicicleta, which is a feminine noun in Romanian, so:

• frâna ei = its brake

Romanian does not have a separate everyday possessive word exactly like English its. Very often, ei can cover both her and its when the possessor is feminine singular.

Yes, frâna sa is possible.

Both can mean its brake / her brake:

• frâna ei
• frâna sa

But frâna ei is often clearer and very common in everyday Romanian.

A helpful difference for learners:

• ei points more directly to a feminine possessor
• sa is also correct, but can sometimes feel more formal or more ambiguous depending on the sentence

So frâna ei is a very natural choice here.

That’s a very common Romanian usage.

A merge literally often means to go, but it is also used for things that work / function:

• Mașina merge. = The car works / runs.
• Telefonul nu merge. = The phone doesn’t work.
• Frâna nu merge bine. = The brake doesn’t work well.

So here merge means functions properly.

In Romanian, nu normally goes before the verb:

• merge = works
• nu merge = doesn’t work

So:

• frâna ei nu merge bine = its brake doesn’t work well

This is the standard placement for simple negation.

Yes.

• este = full form
• e = shorter form

Both mean is:

• Bicicleta mea este în parcare
• Bicicleta mea e în parcare

Both are correct.
E is extremely common in everyday speech, while este can sound a little fuller or slightly more formal.

În parcare means in the parking lot / in the parking area.

Romanian often uses a noun without the definite article after a preposition when the place is understood from context or mentioned in a general way.

So:

• în parcare = in the parking lot / in a parking area

If you want to make it more specifically identified, Romanian often adds something else:

• în parcarea blocului = in the building’s parking lot
• în parcarea aceea = in that parking lot

So în parcare is perfectly natural here.

A simple approximation:

• bicicleta ≈ bee-chee-KLE-ta
• frâna ≈ FRUH-na, but with a Romanian â sound that English doesn’t really have
• ei ≈ ay (like in day, but shorter)

A bit more detail:

• In bicicleta, ci sounds like ch
• Stress is on kle: biciKLEta
• â in frâna is a central vowel unique to Romanian; English speakers often approximate it with a neutral uh, though that’s not exact
• ei is usually pronounced like /ej/

So the whole sentence sounds roughly like:

bee-chee-KLE-ta mea ES-te in par-KA-re, dar FRUH-na ey noo MER-je bee-ne

That approximation is not perfect, but it’s a useful start.