Στο κατάστημα δοκίμασα ένα βαμβακερό πουκάμισο και ένα δερμάτινο μπουφάν.

Στο is the contracted form of σε + το.

• σε = in / at / to
• το = the (neuter singular)

So:

• σε το κατάστημα → στο κατάστημα

This is very common in Greek:

• σε + το → στο
• σε + τη(ν) → στη(ν)
• σε + τα → στα

Here στο κατάστημα means in the shop/store or at the shop/store, depending on context.

After σε, Greek normally uses the accusative case, not a special locative case.

So:

• το κατάστημα = the shop/store (nominative)
• στο κατάστημα = in/at the shop (σε + το κατάστημα, accusative form)

For this noun, the nominative and accusative singular look the same: κατάστημα. That is why you do not see a visible change in the noun itself.

Δοκίμασα is the aorist form of δοκιμάζω.

In this sentence, it means:

• I tried on
• I tried

The Greek aorist usually refers to a single completed action in the past. So δοκίμασα suggests one finished event: you went to the store and tried on those items.

Compare:

• δοκιμάζω = I try / I am trying
• δοκίμασα = I tried

In clothing contexts, δοκιμάζω very often means try on.

So in this sentence:

• δοκίμασα ένα βαμβακερό πουκάμισο = I tried on a cotton shirt
• δοκίμασα ένα δερμάτινο μπουφάν = I tried on a leather jacket

Outside clothing contexts, δοκιμάζω can also mean:

• try
• test
• taste (in some contexts)

So the exact English translation depends on what is being tried.

It is used once before each noun phrase:

• ένα βαμβακερό πουκάμισο
• ένα δερμάτινο μπουφάν

This is very natural in Greek. Repeating the article or indefinite article helps make the structure clear, especially when each noun has its own adjective.

English can also do this:

• I tried a cotton shirt and a leather jacket.

If you left out the second ένα, the sentence could sound less balanced or less natural in this particular structure.

Because they must agree with the nouns they describe.

Both nouns here are neuter singular:

• πουκάμισο = shirt, neuter singular
• μπουφάν = jacket, neuter singular

So the adjectives also appear in the neuter singular accusative/nominative form:

• βαμβακερό πουκάμισο
• δερμάτινο μπουφάν

Greek adjectives agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• case

For example:

• βαμβακερός = masculine
• βαμβακερή = feminine
• βαμβακερό = neuter

And similarly:

• δερμάτινος = masculine
• δερμάτινη = feminine
• δερμάτινο = neuter

Because ένα is the indefinite article, meaning a/an.

So:

• ένα βαμβακερό πουκάμισο = a cotton shirt
• βαμβακερό πουκάμισο = cotton shirt in a more general or article-less style, depending on context

In ordinary sentences about a specific item you tried on, ένα is the normal choice.

Greek nouns have grammatical gender, and it is not always predictable from real-world meaning.

πουκάμισο happens to be a neuter noun:

• το πουκάμισο
• ένα πουκάμισο

Many Greek nouns ending in -ο are neuter, so that ending is a useful clue. But it is best to learn nouns together with their article:

• το πουκάμισο
• το κατάστημα
• το μπουφάν

That helps you remember gender naturally.

Because grammatical gender in Greek is lexical: you learn it with the noun.

μπουφάν is a borrowed word, and in modern Greek it is treated as neuter:

• το μπουφάν
• ένα μπουφάν

Some borrowed nouns do not change much in form, but they still have grammatical gender and take articles and adjectives accordingly.

That is why you get:

• ένα δερμάτινο μπουφάν

with a neuter adjective.

Usually μπουφάν is treated as largely indeclinable in everyday modern Greek. That means the noun form itself often stays the same.

For example:

• το μπουφάν
• του μπουφάν
• το μπουφάν

But the words around it still show grammar:

• article
• adjective
• prepositions

So even if μπουφάν itself does not visibly change, you still see its role through the rest of the phrase.

They are both adjectives describing material:

• βαμβακερό = cotton
• δερμάτινο = leather

More literally:

• βαμβακερό = made of cotton
• δερμάτινο = made of leather

These are very common adjective patterns in Greek for materials.

Yes. Κατάστημα is a general word for a commercial place where goods are sold.

Depending on context, English might translate it as:

• shop
• store
• business
• retail store

In this sentence, shop or store both work well.

Greek word order is more flexible than English word order.

Starting with Στο κατάστημα puts the location first:

• Στο κατάστημα δοκίμασα... = At/In the store, I tried...

This sounds natural and can help set the scene before the action.

You could also say:

• Δοκίμασα στο κατάστημα ένα βαμβακερό πουκάμισο και ένα δερμάτινο μπουφάν.

That is also understandable, but the original sentence feels very natural because it introduces the setting first.

Because Greek often omits subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb ending.

Δοκίμασα already means I tried.

So Greek does not need εγώ here unless you want emphasis.

Compare:

• Δοκίμασα = I tried
• Εγώ δοκίμασα = I tried / I was the one who tried

This is very common in Greek.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

Sto kata-STI-ma dho-KI-ma-sa E-na vam-va-ke-RO pu-KA-mi-so ke E-na dher-MA-ti-no bou-FAN.

A few useful notes:

• σ = s
• δ sounds like th in this
• θ would sound like th in think
• μπ at the start of a word often sounds like b
• stress matters in Greek, so pay attention to the accented syllables:
  • κατάστημα
  • δοκίμασα
  • βαμβακερό
  • πουκάμισο
  • δερμάτινο

Yes, often you can.

• κατάστημα is slightly more neutral or formal
• μαγαζί is very common in everyday speech and often feels more conversational

So:

• Στο κατάστημα δοκίμασα...
• Στο μαγαζί δοκίμασα...

Both can work, though the tone changes a little.

Yes—this sentence is a great example of several core Greek patterns:

1. Contraction of preposition + article

   • σε το → στο

2. Aorist past tense

   • δοκίμασα = I tried

3. Omitted subject pronoun

   • no need to say εγώ

4. Adjective agreement

   • βαμβακερό πουκάμισο
   • δερμάτινο μπουφάν

5. Flexible word order

   • location first: Στο κατάστημα...

If a learner understands those points, they understand a lot more than just this one sentence.