Zgârietura este mică.

Because zgârietura means the scratch, not just scratch.

The basic noun is zgârietură = a scratch.
Romanian often puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like English the.

So:

• zgârietură = a scratch
• zgârietura = the scratch

This is very common in Romanian:

• fată = a girl
• fata = the girl

Zgârietură is a feminine noun.

That matters because adjectives in Romanian usually agree with the noun in gender and number. Since zgârietura is feminine singular, the adjective also has to be feminine singular:

• masculine singular: mic
• feminine singular: mică

So:

• băiatul este mic = the boy is small
• zgârietura este mică = the scratch is small

Because mică is the feminine singular form of the adjective small.

The noun zgârietura is feminine singular, so the adjective must match it.

A useful pattern is:

• mic = masculine singular
• mică = feminine singular
• mici = plural

Examples:

• un câine mic = a small dog
• o casă mică = a small house
• case mici = small houses

Este is the 3rd person singular form of the verb a fi = to be.

So here it means is:

• zgârietura = the scratch
• este = is
• mică = small

Romanian uses este much like English uses is.

Yes. E is a very common short form of este.

Both are correct:

• Zgârietura este mică.
• Zgârietura e mică.

In everyday speech, e is extremely common.
Este may sound a bit fuller or slightly more careful/formal, depending on context.

Normally, no. In a regular Romanian sentence like this, you should keep the verb.

So you say:

• Zgârietura este mică.
• Zgârietura e mică.

Not normally:

• Zgârietura mică.

Romanian usually requires the equivalent of is in this kind of sentence.

Because mică is acting as a predicate adjective: it describes the subject through the verb to be.

This is the normal pattern:

subject + este/e + adjective

So:

• Zgârietura este mică.
• Camera este mare.
• Pisica e albă.

If you want the adjective directly before the noun, that usually forms a noun phrase instead:

• o zgârietură mică = a small scratch

So compare:

• Zgârietura este mică. = The scratch is small.
• O zgârietură mică = a small scratch

A rough pronunciation guide is:

z-guh-ree-eh-TOO-ra ES-te MEE-kuh

A few important sounds:

• z = like English z
• gâ contains â, a Romanian vowel that does not exist in standard English; it is a central vowel, somewhat like a muted, deep uh
• ă in mică is also a reduced vowel, like a soft uh
• c in mică is a hard k sound

The stress is roughly:

• zgârieTUra
• ESte
• MIcă

They show different vowel sounds, and they matter.

In this sentence:

• zgârietura contains â
• mică contains ă

These are not decorative marks; they are real letters in Romanian.

Very roughly:

• ă = a short, neutral uh sound
• â = a deeper central vowel, also unlike standard English

If you ignore diacritics, your pronunciation may become unclear or wrong. So it is best to learn the words with the correct spelling from the start.

You would say:

O zgârietură mică.

This is different from Zgârietura este mică.

Compare:

• o zgârietură mică = a small scratch
• zgârietura este mică = the scratch is small

So in the first one, small is directly attached to the noun.
In the second one, small is part of the predicate after is.

You add nu before the verb:

• Zgârietura nu este mică.
• Zgârietura nu e mică.

This means The scratch is not small.

This is the normal way to negate to be in Romanian:

• Este mare = It is big
• Nu este mare = It is not big

A very useful set to learn is:

Singular:

• o zgârietură = a scratch
• zgârietura = the scratch

Plural:

• niște zgârieturi = some scratches
• zgârieturile = the scratches

This helps you see both the noun pattern and the definite article pattern clearly.