Μετά την καταστροφή έγινε διακοπή ρεύματος.

After the disaster, there was a power cut.

Breakdown of Μετά την καταστροφή έγινε διακοπή ρεύματος.

• μετά: after
• γίνομαι: to happen
• το ρεύμα: the electricity
• η διακοπή: power cut; disconnection

Questions & Answers about Μετά την καταστροφή έγινε διακοπή ρεύματος.

Why does the sentence start with Μετά την καταστροφή?

Μετά means after.

In this sentence, μετά is followed by a noun phrase meaning the disaster / the destruction:

• μετά = after
• την καταστροφή = the disaster / the destruction

So Μετά την καταστροφή means after the disaster.

This is a very common way to begin a sentence with a time expression in Greek.

Why is it την καταστροφή and not η καταστροφή?

Because μετά here takes the accusative case.

The basic form of the noun is:

• η καταστροφή = the disaster / destruction

But after μετά in modern Greek, you use the accusative:

• μετά την καταστροφή

So:

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

And the noun also appears in its accusative singular form:

• καταστροφή

For this noun, nominative and accusative look the same, so the article is the clearest sign of the case change.

What exactly does έγινε mean here?