Localul este aproape de parc.

Localul comes from local, and in everyday Romanian it usually means a venue / establishment / place, often something like a bar, café, restaurant, or club, depending on context.

So this is not usually just a vague place in the abstract. It often refers to a specific business or public establishment.

Because Romanian often puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like English the.

• local = a venue / a place
• localul = the venue / the place

This is one of the most important differences from English:

• English: the venue
• Romanian: localul

The ending -ul is the masculine/neuter singular definite article here.

Local is a neuter noun in Romanian.

Neuter nouns in Romanian behave:

• like masculine in the singular
• like feminine in the plural

So in the singular you get:

• un local = a venue
• localul = the venue

And in the plural:

• două localuri = two venues
• localurile = the venues

Este means is.

Romanian usually does not need a subject pronoun when the verb already makes the meaning clear. So instead of saying something like It is near the park, Romanian simply says:

• Localul este aproape de parc.

The noun localul is the subject, so there is no need for an extra word like it.

Also, Romanian often drops subject pronouns in general:

• Sunt obosit. = I am tired.
• Este târziu. = It is late.

Yes. E is the short, very common form of este.

So both are correct:

• Localul este aproape de parc.
• Localul e aproape de parc.

The version with este can sound a little more neutral or careful, while e is extremely common in everyday speech.

Aproape de means near / close to.

It works as a fixed expression:

• aproape = near / close
• de = of / from, but here it is just part of the expression

So you should learn it as a unit:

• aproape de casă = near the house / near home
• aproape de școală = near the school / near school
• aproape de parc = near the park / near a park, depending on context

You normally do not say just aproape parc. The de is needed.

This is a very common learner question.

In Romanian, after prepositions, especially with common places, a noun often appears without the definite article, even where English would naturally use the.

So:

• aproape de parc can mean near the park
• context tells you which park is meant

If you want to say near a park, you can make that explicit with:

• aproape de un parc

If you want to make the park clearly specific, especially when it is further described, you may see:

• aproape de parcul central = near the central park
• aproape de parcul din centru = near the park in the center

So the bare form parc after de is very normal Romanian.

Yes. Parc is a masculine noun.

Examples:

• un parc = a park
• parcul = the park
• două parcuri = two parks
• parcurile = the parks

In the sentence de parc, you see the basic singular form.

The normal word order here is:

• Localul = the subject
• este = the verb
• aproape de parc = the location phrase

So:

• Localul este aproape de parc.

This is the most neutral order.

Romanian does allow some flexibility, but changes usually add emphasis or sound more marked. For example:

• Este aproape de parc. = It is near the park.
  (The subject is omitted because it is understood from context.)

For a learner, the original order is the best one to use first.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

loh-KAH-lool EH-steh ah-PROH-ah-peh deh park

A few helpful notes:

• c in localul sounds like k
• este is pronounced roughly EH-steh
• aproape has four syllables: a-pro-a-pe
• parc is pronounced much like English park, but shorter and crisper

If you want a more natural everyday rhythm, many speakers would say:

• Localul e aproape de parc.

Yes. Depending on context, localul can refer to a specific kind of establishment, such as:

• a restaurant
• a bar
• a club
• a venue

So if the surrounding context is about eating out or nightlife, a translation like The restaurant is near the park or The bar is near the park may fit better than the more general The venue is near the park.

Romanian often relies on context more than a single fixed English equivalent.