The letter "ă" is a vowel used in the Romanian alphabet. It represents a short, open-mid front unrounded vowel sound, similar to the "a" in the English word "cat." This letter is important for distinguishing meanings in Romanian, as it can change the pronunciation and meaning of words. In the context of the Romanian language, "ă" appears in various words, such as mă (meaning "me") and băiat (meaning "boy"). Its unique sound contributes to the richness of Romanian phonetics and helps in the proper articulation of the language.