Adăpostul de animale este în oraș.

Because Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it.

• adăpost = shelter
• adăpostul = the shelter

So adăpostul de animale means the animal shelter.

de animale literally means of animals or for animals, but in this sentence it works like the English noun modifier in animal shelter.

So:

• adăpost = shelter
• animale = animals
• adăpost de animale = animal shelter

This is a very common Romanian pattern: noun + de + noun.

Because the shelter is for animals in general, not just one animal.

• animal = animal
• animale = animals

So adăpost de animale naturally means a shelter meant for animals as a group.

este means is. It is the 3rd person singular form of the verb a fi (to be).

So:

• este = is

In this sentence, it links the subject and the location:

• Adăpostul de animale = the animal shelter
• este = is
• în oraș = in the city / in town

This is a very common question. In Romanian, after some prepositions, a noun can appear without the definite article even when English would use the.

So:

• în oraș can mean in the city or in town, depending on context.

Using orașul would usually make it sound more specifically definite and often needs extra information, such as:

• în orașul acesta = in this city
• în orașul București = in the city of Bucharest

In your sentence, în oraș is the natural choice.

în means in.

It is a very common preposition used for location:

• în casă = in the house
• în școală = in school
• în oraș = in the city / in town

So este în oraș means is in the city.

The sentence follows a very straightforward pattern:

• Adăpostul de animale = subject
• este = verb
• în oraș = location

So the order is basically:

Subject + Verb + Place

That is also the most neutral and natural order here.

Yes, Romanian word order is more flexible than English, but the original version is the most neutral.

For example, you might also hear:

• În oraș este adăpostul de animale.

This can sound more emphatic, as if stressing where it is.

But for a learner, Adăpostul de animale este în oraș is the best standard version to use.

adăpost is a neuter noun in Romanian.

In Romanian, neuter nouns behave:

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

That is why the singular definite form is:

• adăpostul = the shelter

The two special letters here are:

• ă = a short, relaxed vowel sound, something like the a in sofa
• ș = sh as in shoe

So:

• Adăpostul sounds roughly like uh-duh-POHS-tool
• oraș sounds roughly like oh-RAHSH

A rough full pronunciation guide is:

uh-duh-POHS-tool deh ah-nee-MAH-leh EH-steh uhn oh-RAHSH

Yes. A very common alternative is:

• adăpost pentru animale = shelter for animals

This is a little more explicit than adăpost de animale.

Both are understandable, but adăpost pentru animale may feel especially clear to learners because it matches English shelter for animals more directly.