Learn Romanian: Încerc să citesc cartea. - I am trying to read the book.

In Romanian, when you connect two verbs like "I try" and "to read", you usually don't use the dictionary form (the infinitive). Instead, you use the connecting word să followed by a conjugated verb. It translates almost like "I try that I read".

Why are both verbs in the "I" form here?

Because you are the one doing both actions! In English, we say "I try to read", leaving the second verb neutral. In Romanian, the să structure requires the second verb to match the person doing the action. So you literally say încerc (I try) and să citesc (that I read).

Where is the word for "the" in cartea?

In Romanian, "the" is attached to the end of the noun. The basic word for "book" is carte. To say "the book", the feminine ending -e changes to -ea, creating cartea.

Does încerc mean "I try" or "I am trying"?

It means both! Romanian does not have a separate continuous tense like the English "-ing" forms. The single word încerc covers "I try", "I am trying", and "I do try".