Breakdown of Ελέγχουν όχι μόνο αριθμό διαβατηρίου αλλά και ημερομηνία λήξης.
όχι μόνο ... αλλά και
not only ... but also
ελέγχω
to check
ο αριθμός διαβατηρίου
the passport number
η ημερομηνία λήξης
the expiry date
Questions & Answers about Ελέγχουν όχι μόνο αριθμό διαβατηρίου αλλά και ημερομηνία λήξης.
Why does the sentence start with Ελέγχουν? What exactly does it mean?
Ελέγχουν means they check / they are checking.
It is the 3rd person plural form of the verb ελέγχω (to check, inspect, verify).
Greek often leaves out the subject pronoun when it is obvious from the verb ending, so Ελέγχουν by itself already means they check. You do not need to add αυτοί unless you want emphasis.
Why is there no word for they in the sentence?
Because Greek is a pro-drop language, which means subject pronouns are often omitted.
So:
- Ελέγχουν = They check
- Αυτοί ελέγχουν = They check (with extra emphasis, like they do it)
In ordinary Greek, leaving out the pronoun is the most natural choice.
What does όχι μόνο ... αλλά και ... mean?
This is the standard Greek pattern for not only ... but also ...
So:
- όχι μόνο αριθμό διαβατηρίου
- αλλά και ημερομηνία λήξης
= not only passport number but also expiration date
A useful pattern to remember is:
- όχι μόνο X αλλά και Y = not only X but also Y
Why are αριθμό and ημερομηνία in these forms?