Cazul este simplu.

Because -ul is the definite article in Romanian for a masculine/neuter singular noun.

• caz = a case
• cazul = the case

Unlike English, Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word like the.

So:

• cazul este simplu = the case is simple

Caz is a neuter noun in Romanian.

That means:

• in the singular, it behaves like a masculine noun
• in the plural, it behaves like a feminine noun

So in the singular you get forms like:

• un caz = a case
• cazul = the case

This is why the sentence uses forms that look masculine/neuter singular.

Este is the 3rd person singular form of a fi, which means to be.

So:

• eu sunt = I am
• tu ești = you are
• el/ea este = he/she is

In this sentence, cazul este simplu literally has the structure:

• the case
  • is
    • simple

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

So both are correct:

• Cazul este simplu.
• Cazul e simplu.

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

Because simplu is an adjective used predicatively after este.

In Romanian, when an adjective comes after to be and describes the subject, it is normally not definite.

So:

• Cazul este simplu. = The case is simple.

Compare that with an adjective used directly with a noun:

• cazul simplu = the simple case

In cazul simplu, the adjective is part of the noun phrase. In cazul este simplu, it is the predicate adjective, so it stays simplu.

Yes. Romanian adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number.

Here, cazul is singular masculine/neuter in form, so the adjective is simplu.

Some other forms of simplu are:

• masculine/neuter singular: simplu
• feminine singular: simplă
• masculine plural: simpli
• feminine/neuter plural: simple

Examples:

• cazul este simplu = the case is simple
• problema este simplă = the problem is simple
• băieții sunt simpli = the boys are simple/plain
• cazurile sunt simple = the cases are simple

Here cazul is the subject of the sentence, so it is in the nominative.

In Romanian, the nominative and accusative forms are often the same for nouns, so the form itself may not change much. In this sentence, you identify it as nominative because it is the thing that is something:

• cazul = the subject
• este simplu = what is said about the subject

The normal, neutral word order is:

• Cazul este simplu.

This is the most natural way to say it.

Romanian does allow some flexibility in word order, but changing it usually adds emphasis or sounds literary, marked, or unusual. For a learner, the standard order is best.

So stick with:

• subject + verb + adjective

A helpful pronunciation guide is:

• Cazul: KAH-zool
• este: YES-teh
• simplu: SEEM-ploo

A more careful approximation in IPA is:

• /ˈka.zul ˈes.te ˈsim.plu/

A few useful notes:

• c before a sounds like k
• z sounds like English z
• u is a clear oo sound
• e in este is pronounced, not silent

Because Romanian usually expresses the by attaching the definite article to the end of the noun.

So instead of English:

• the case

Romanian says:

• cazul

This is one of the big structural differences between English and Romanian.

Compare:

• un caz = a case
• cazul = the case

Normally, no. In standard Romanian, in a sentence like this, you usually keep the verb a fi.

So the natural sentence is:

• Cazul este simplu.
• or more commonly, Cazul e simplu.

Leaving out the verb completely would generally sound wrong in ordinary Romanian.

No. It is capitalized simply because it is the first word of the sentence.

If it appeared in the middle of a sentence, it would normally be written cazul, with a lowercase c.

Usually it means simple, but like English simple, its exact nuance depends on context.

It can mean things like:

• not complicated
• straightforward
• plain
• basic

In Cazul este simplu, the usual idea is The case is simple or The matter is straightforward.