Η τράπεζα δέχτηκε την επιταγή.

Greek shows this mainly through case, especially in the article:

• η τράπεζα = nominative singular → the subject
• την επιταγή = accusative singular → the direct object

So the bank is doing the action, and the check is the thing being accepted.

In English, word order does a lot of this work. In Greek, the endings and articles help tell you each word’s role.

Both nouns are feminine singular, but they are in different cases:

• η = feminine singular nominative
• την = feminine singular accusative

So:

• η τράπεζα = the bank as subject
• την επιταγή = the check as object

This is a very common pattern in Greek. For feminine singular nouns, the article changes depending on the noun’s job in the sentence.

A useful mini-table:

• nominative: η
• genitive: της
• accusative: την

δέχτηκε is the aorist, which is the normal Greek simple past for a completed action.

Here it means that the action happened as a single completed event: accepted.

So the sentence is talking about one completed past action: the bank accepted the check.

This is different from an imperfect idea such as was accepting or used to accept, which would describe an ongoing or repeated past action.

The dictionary form is δέχομαι, meaning to accept / receive.

Greek verbs can change quite a lot between the dictionary form and the past tense. In this case:

• dictionary form: δέχομαι
• aorist base: δέχτηκ-
• 3rd person singular: δέχτηκε

So δέχτηκε means he/she/it accepted.

This is a good example of a Greek verb whose everyday present form and past form are not identical in shape, so it is worth learning them together.

You may also see the more formal spelling δέχθηκε. In everyday Modern Greek, δέχτηκε is extremely common.

The full form of the feminine accusative article is την.

In everyday speech and writing, the final -ν is sometimes dropped before certain consonants, giving τη. But it is normally kept:

• before vowels
• and before certain consonants

Since επιταγή begins with a vowel (ε), την is the expected form here:

• την επιταγή

So this sentence uses the standard form you would expect.

Greek word order is more flexible than English because case helps show who is doing what.

The neutral, straightforward order here is:

• Η τράπεζα δέχτηκε την επιταγή.
• subject + verb + object

But other orders are possible for emphasis, for example:

• Την επιταγή δέχτηκε η τράπεζα.

That could emphasize the check or create contrast, depending on context.

So yes, you can move things around more in Greek than in English, but the default order here is very natural.

Many feminine nouns in -ή have the same form in the nominative and accusative singular.

So:

• nominative: η επιταγή
• accusative: την επιταγή

Notice that the article changes, but the noun itself stays the same.

That is why the object phrase looks like την επιταγή and not some very different noun form.

A rough pronunciation is:

• ee TRA-peh-za THEH-hti-keh teen eh-pee-ta-YEE

A few helpful notes:

• Η sounds like ee
• δ in δέχτηκε sounds like th in this, not thin
• χ is a rough sound not found in normal English; many learners approximate it at first
• the written accent mark shows the stressed syllable:
  • τράπεζα
  • δέχτηκε
  • επιταγή

So the main stresses are on:

• ΤΡΑ in τράπεζα
• ΔΕΧ in δέχτηκε
• ΓΗ in επιταγή

Not always. The verb δέχομαι can mean things like:

• accept
• receive
• admit
• take

The exact meaning depends on context.

In this sentence, with bank and check, the natural meaning is accepted. But in another sentence, the same verb might be better translated as received or admitted.

So it is a good verb to learn by range of meaning, not just by one English word.