Aparatul foto este gata.

Literally, aparatul foto is the photo apparatus or the camera.

In normal English, you would just say the camera. Romanian often uses noun combinations like this, where the first noun is the main thing and the second noun helps specify what kind it is.

• aparat = device, apparatus
• foto = photo / photographic

So aparat foto = camera, and aparatul foto = the camera.

Romanian usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun, not before it like English does.

So:

• aparat = a device / device
• aparatul = the device

This ending -ul is the definite article for this noun in the singular.

That is why aparatul foto means the camera, not aparat foto.

Because in Romanian, in a noun phrase like this, the definite article usually goes on the main noun.

Here, the main noun is aparat. The word foto just specifies the type.

So:

• aparat foto = camera
• aparatul foto = the camera

You do not normally say aparatul fotoul or anything like that.

Not exactly. In aparat foto, foto acts more like an unchanging modifier, originally related to photographic / photo.

A learner does not usually need to analyze it too deeply; the important thing is that aparat foto is a fixed, common way to say camera.

You may also meet longer expressions such as aparat de fotografiat, which also means camera.

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

So:

• Aparatul foto este gata. = The camera is ready.

In standard Romanian, the verb a fi is normally not omitted here.
In casual speech, people very often say e instead of este:

• Aparatul foto e gata.

That is very common and natural.

Here, gata means ready.

So the whole sentence means:

• The camera is ready.

Depending on context, gata can also mean things like done, finished, or even function as an interjection like That’s enough! or Done! But in this sentence, the natural meaning is ready.

Usually, gata is treated as invariable in this meaning. That means it stays gata no matter what noun it refers to.

Examples:

• Băiatul este gata. = The boy is ready.
• Fata este gata. = The girl is ready.
• Copiii sunt gata. = The children are ready.

So even though aparat is a noun with grammatical gender, gata still remains gata.

Aparat is a neuter noun in Romanian.

Romanian neuter nouns behave:

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

So:

• singular: un aparat, aparatul
• plural: două aparate, aparatele

In this sentence, it matters mostly for the form of the noun itself. The adjective gata does not change, so you do not see any special agreement there.

The normal, neutral order is:

• Aparatul foto este gata.

Romanian word order is somewhat flexible, but this is the most straightforward version.

You might also hear:

• Este gata aparatul foto? = Is the camera ready?

That version is natural as a question. For a simple statement, the original order is the most basic one.

Yes. Camera este gata also means The camera is ready.

But be careful: camera in Romanian can also mean room. So context matters.

That is one reason aparatul foto can be especially clear: it specifically means the camera as a device.

You add nu before the verb:

• Aparatul foto nu este gata. = The camera is not ready.

In everyday speech:

• Aparatul foto nu e gata.

Both are correct; nu e is just more conversational.

Romanian often makes yes/no questions through intonation, and sometimes by changing word order.

You can say:

• Aparatul foto este gata?
• Este gata aparatul foto?

Both can mean Is the camera ready?

The second one can sound a bit more focused on checking the state.

Yes, slightly.

• este = fuller, more neutral or formal
• e = very common in everyday speech

So:

• Aparatul foto este gata. sounds perfectly correct and standard.
• Aparatul foto e gata. sounds natural and conversational.

A learner should understand both.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

a-pa-RA-tul FO-to ES-te GA-ta

A few helpful notes:

• r is rolled or tapped
• a is usually like the a in father
• stress falls roughly on:
  • apaRAtul
  • FOto
  • ESte
  • GAta

Romanian spelling is fairly phonetic, so once you learn the sounds, pronunciation becomes easier.

Yes, depending on context.

Some possibilities are:

• Aparatul foto e gata. = The camera is ready.
• Camera e gata. = The camera is ready.
• Aparatul de fotografiat este gata. = The camera is ready.

The original sentence is clear, standard, and very natural. It is a good model to learn from because it shows:

• a noun with a suffixed definite article: aparatul
• the verb to be: este
• a common predicate word: gata