Αυτή η δουλειά χρειάζεται ικανότητα.

In Greek, a demonstrative like αυτή normally appears together with the definite article when it comes before a noun.

So:

• αυτή = this
• η δουλειά = the job / the work
• αυτή η δουλειά = this job / this work

Even though it looks like Greek is saying this the job, that is just the normal Greek structure. English does not translate the article separately here.

A very common pattern is:

• αυτό το βιβλίο = this book
• αυτή η πόρτα = this door
• αυτό το παιδί = this child

Because δουλειά is a feminine singular noun, and both the demonstrative and the article must agree with it.

Greek agreement here is:

• masculine: αυτός ο
• feminine: αυτή η
• neuter: αυτό το

So with δουλειά you need:

• αυτή η δουλειά

If the noun were neuter, for example βιβλίο, you would say:

• αυτό το βιβλίο

Χρειάζεται is the third person singular present form of χρειάζομαι, meaning need or require.

Here it agrees with the subject:

• Αυτή η δουλειά = singular
• so the verb is χρειάζεται = singular

So the structure is:

• Αυτή η δουλειά = subject
• χρειάζεται = verb
• ικανότητα = object

A natural English equivalent is often requires as well as needs.

Because the subject is singular: Αυτή η δουλειά = this job / this work.

Greek verbs agree with their subject in number:

• singular subject → singular verb
• plural subject → plural verb

Compare:

• Αυτή η δουλειά χρειάζεται ικανότητα.
• Αυτές οι δουλειές χρειάζονται ικανότητα.

In the second sentence, δουλειές is plural, so the verb becomes χρειάζονται.

It is in the accusative singular, because it is the direct object of χρειάζεται.

The sentence is basically:

• This job = subject
• needs / requires = verb
• ability = direct object

A detail that can confuse learners: for many feminine nouns, the nominative and accusative singular can look the same.

So:

• nominative: η ικανότητα
• accusative: την ικανότητα

Without the article, the noun form itself is still ικανότητα, so the case is understood from its role in the sentence.

Because Greek often leaves out the article with an abstract noun when speaking in a general way.

So χρειάζεται ικανότητα means something like:

• it requires ability
• it takes skill
• ability is needed

If you added the article, την ικανότητα, it would usually sound more specific, as if you mean a particular ability already known from context.

So:

• χρειάζεται ικανότητα = general ability / skill is needed
• χρειάζεται την ικανότητα = it needs that specific ability

In this sentence, the article is omitted because the meaning is general.

Yes, it could be plural, but the meaning would shift.

The singular ικανότητα is an abstract noun meaning ability / skill / competence in a general sense.

So:

• χρειάζεται ικανότητα = it requires ability / skill

If you use the plural ικανότητες, you are talking more about specific abilities or skills:

• Αυτή η δουλειά χρειάζεται ικανότητες.

That is possible, but it sounds a bit different:

• singular = general capability
• plural = several distinct skills

Greek often uses the singular abstract noun where English might also use an uncountable idea like skill or ability.

The given order is the most neutral and natural:

• Αυτή η δουλειά χρειάζεται ικανότητα.

Greek word order is more flexible than English, so you can move things around for emphasis. For example:

• Ικανότητα χρειάζεται αυτή η δουλειά.

This is still understandable, but it emphasizes ικανότητα more strongly.

So yes, the order can change, but the original sentence is the best default version for a learner to use.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

• Αυτή → af-TI
• η → ee
• δουλειά → thoo-LYA or dhoo-LYA depending on how you approximate δ
• χρειάζεται → khree-A-ze-te
• ικανότητα → ee-ka-NO-ti-ta

A rough full pronunciation is:

af-TI ee thoo-LYA khree-A-ze-te ee-ka-NO-ti-ta

A couple of useful points:

• The stress is marked by the written accent: Αυτή, δουλειά, χρειάζεται, ικανότητα
• δ in Modern Greek sounds like the th in this
• χ is a rough sound, somewhat like German Bach or Scottish loch

They are related, but not always identical in tone.

• δουλειά is very common in everyday speech and can mean job, work, or even task
• εργασία is often more formal and can also mean assignment, paper, or piece of work, depending on context

In this sentence, δουλειά sounds natural and conversational. If you replaced it with εργασία, the sentence would feel a bit more formal or less everyday:

• Αυτή η εργασία χρειάζεται ικανότητα.

That is grammatical, but it does not sound quite the same as the original.