Contorul arată zero.

Contorul usually means the meter or the counter, depending on context.

In this sentence, it most naturally refers to something that displays a measured value, such as:

• an electricity meter
• a gas meter
• a water meter
• a device counter
• any instrument that registers an amount

So the exact English word depends on the situation, but the Romanian word is a general one for a device that counts or measures.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun.

• contor = a meter / a counter
• contorul = the meter / the counter

So -ul is the attached definite article, equivalent to English the.

This is one of the first big differences English speakers notice in Romanian:

• English: the meter
• Romanian: contorul

Arată is the 3rd person singular present tense form of the verb a arăta.

Here it agrees with contorul, which is singular:

• contorul = singular subject
• arată = shows / indicates

So literally, the structure is:

• Contorul = the meter
• arată = shows
• zero = zero

No. A arăta can have more than one meaning.

Common meanings include:

• to show
• to indicate
• to look / appear

In Contorul arată zero, it means shows / indicates / reads.

But in another sentence, it can mean looks:

• El arată bine. = He looks good.

A useful shortcut:

• if it has a direct object like zero, it often means shows / indicates
• if it describes a person or thing’s appearance, it can mean looks

Because the sentence is about what the meter displays.

• Contorul arată zero. = The meter shows zero.
• Contorul este zero. would sound like the meter itself is zero, which does not make much sense in normal usage.

So arată is the natural verb because the device is indicating a reading.

Here, zero is simply the value being shown, and it stays unchanged.

Romanian numerals often do not change form in this kind of sentence:

• arată zero
• arată unu
• arată zece

So zero works as the thing being indicated by the meter.

Because zero does not need the Romanian direct-object marker pe here.

In Romanian, pe is often used with:

• people
• specific animate direct objects
• certain pronouns

But not with something like zero in this sentence.

So:

• Contorul arată zero. = correct
• Contorul arată pe zero. = not correct for this meaning

A rough English-friendly pronunciation is:

kon-TOR-ul uh-RA-tuh ZE-ro

A few notes:

• ă is a reduced vowel, somewhat like the a in sofa
• r is trilled or tapped
• zero is pronounced roughly ZE-ro

You do not need to pronounce it exactly like English spelling would suggest. The most important things are:

• clear vowels
• a light Romanian r
• the sound ă in arată

The normal, neutral word order is:

Contorul arată zero.

That is the most natural way to say it.

Romanian does allow some flexibility in word order, but here this standard order is what you would normally use. A different order would usually sound marked, poetic, or unnatural in everyday speech.

So for a learner, the safe version is simply:

• Contorul arată zero.

Not if you mean the meter in a normal full sentence.

Compare:

• contor = a meter / meter
• contorul = the meter
• un contor = a meter

So:

• Contorul arată zero. = The meter shows zero.
• Un contor arată zero. = A meter shows zero.

Using just contor by itself in this sentence would usually sound incomplete in standard Romanian.

Yes. Contorul arată zero. is a completely natural, neutral sentence.

It sounds like normal everyday Romanian and could be used in many practical situations, especially when talking about a reading or displayed value. It is not especially formal, informal, literary, or slangy. It is just standard Romanian.