Nici colecționarul, nici Ana nu scotocesc prin cutie.

Because this is the normal Romanian pattern for neither ... nor with a finite verb.

• nici ... nici links the two negative subjects
• nu negates the verb

So Nici colecționarul, nici Ana nu scotocesc ... is standard Romanian.

For an English speaker, this can feel like a double negative, but in Romanian it is not a mistake. In standard usage, you normally keep nu before the verb in this kind of sentence.

It does the job of both.

In English, you usually say neither X nor Y. Romanian uses the same word twice:

• nici X, nici Y

So in this sentence, the first nici corresponds roughly to neither, and the second to nor.

Because the subject is made up of two people: colecționarul and Ana.

Even though each noun is singular by itself, together they form a coordinated subject, so Romanian normally uses a plural verb:

• Nici colecționarul, nici Ana nu scotocesc ...

A singular form such as scotocește would not match this subject in standard Romanian.

Yes. scotocesc can mean either:

• I rummage
• they rummage

The subject tells you which one it is.

Here, since the subject is colecționarul + Ana, it must be 3rd person plural: they rummage.

This kind of overlap is normal in Romanian verb forms.

Because -ul is the Romanian definite article, attached to the end of the noun.

• colecționar = collector
• un colecționar = a collector
• colecționarul = the collector

So colecționarul specifically means the collector.

This is a very important Romanian feature: unlike English, the definite article usually goes at the end of the noun.

Because Ana is a proper name, and proper names usually appear without an article in standard Romanian.

So:

• Ana = Ana

That is completely normal. Romanian does not usually put the-type marking on personal names in neutral standard sentences.

Literally, prin often means through. But with a scotoci, the combination a scotoci prin ceva means something like:

• to rummage through something
• to search around in something

So here prin cutie is best understood idiomatically, not word-for-word. It describes searching around inside the box or through its contents.

Because Romanian does not always match English article use exactly.

• cutie = box / a box
• cutia = the box

In this sentence, prin cutie sounds natural because the focus is on the action scotoci prin rather than strongly identifying the box itself.

If you wanted to make the box more explicitly definite, you could say something like prin cutia aceea or, depending on context, prin cutia de pe masă.

So an English translation may use the box, even if Romanian leaves the noun unarticulated here.

Yes. Romanian word order is more flexible than English word order.

The version you have is a neutral, clear structure:

• Nici colecționarul, nici Ana nu scotocesc prin cutie.

But Romanian can move things around for emphasis. What matters most is that:

• nici stays with each coordinated subject
• nu stays before the verb

So the exact order can shift, but the negative pattern must stay recognizable.

The comma separates the two parts of the nici ... nici ... structure and marks a natural pause:

• Nici colecționarul, nici Ana ...

In real Romanian writing, you will often see this comma in sentences like this. It helps readability, especially when the coordinated parts are a little heavier than just single short words.

No, not in this structure.

Romanian normally repeats nici before each item:

• Nici colecționarul, nici Ana ...

That repetition is what gives the full neither ... nor meaning. If you remove the second nici, the sentence no longer has the standard coordinated negative pattern.