בתא המדידה מצאתי סימן שחיקה.

Because תא המדידה is a construct phrase (called סמיכות in Hebrew), literally the chamber of the measurement.

In Hebrew construct phrases:

• the first noun usually does not take ה־
• the second noun shows the definiteness for the whole phrase

So:

• תא מדידה = a measurement chamber
• תא המדידה = the measurement chamber

With the preposition ב־ attached, you get:

• בתא המדידה = in the measurement chamber

This is very common in Hebrew:

• בית הספר = the school (literally the house of the book)
• חדר המורים = the teachers’ room

Because את is used only before a definite direct object.

Here, סימן שחיקה is indefinite:

• סימן = a sign
• שחיקה = wear / abrasion
• סימן שחיקה = a sign of wear

So the sentence says:

• מצאתי סימן שחיקה = I found a sign of wear

If it were definite, you would use את:

• מצאתי את סימן השחיקה = I found the sign of wear

מצאתי means I found.

It comes from the verb מצא = to find.

In the past tense, Hebrew adds personal endings. For I, the ending is ־תי.

So:

• מצא = he found
• מצאתי = I found

This is a very common pattern in past tense verbs:

• כתבתי = I wrote
• שמעתי = I heard
• למדתי = I studied / learned

Yes. סימן שחיקה is another construct phrase (סמיכות).

It literally means:

• sign of wear

So:

• סימן = sign / mark
• שחיקה = wear / abrasion
• סימן שחיקה = a sign of wear

This is more compact and natural in Hebrew than using של:

• סימן שחיקה = natural
• סימן של שחיקה = possible in some contexts, but less natural here

Hebrew often prefers this noun + noun structure.

Here שחיקה means wear, abrasion, or erosion from use/friction.

It is a noun often used in technical, mechanical, medical, or descriptive contexts.

For example:

• שחיקה של הצמיגים = wear of the tires
• שחיקה בברך = wear in the knee
• סימני שחיקה = signs of wear

So in this sentence, it suggests physical wearing down, not emotional exhaustion or anything figurative.

תא can mean cell, compartment, chamber, or cavity, depending on context.

In תא המדידה, the best translation is probably something like:

• measurement chamber
• measuring compartment
• measurement cell

The exact English word depends on the device or technical setting being described.

So the Hebrew word is somewhat flexible, and the context tells you which English option fits best.

Hebrew word order is flexible.

This sentence begins with בתא המדידה to set the scene first:

• In the measurement chamber, I found a sign of wear.

That is perfectly natural.

You could also say:

• מצאתי סימן שחיקה בתא המדידה

That would also be grammatical, and it may sound a bit more neutral:

• I found a sign of wear in the measurement chamber.

So the fronting of בתא המדידה gives a slight emphasis to the location.

A natural pronunciation is:

be-ta ha-medidá matsáti simán shekhiká

A few notes:

• ch / kh in shekhiká is the throaty sound of כ/ח, like German Bach or Scottish loch
• stress is usually near the end in:
  • medidá
  • matsáti
  • shekhiká
• simán is stressed on the second syllable

If you want it broken down:

• בתא = be-ta
• המדידה = ha-me-di-da
• מצאתי = ma-tsa-ti
• סימן = si-man
• שחיקה = she-khi-ka

Yes, depending on context.

Hebrew past tense often covers what English expresses as either:

• I found
• I have found

So מצאתי סימן שחיקה can mean:

• I found a sign of wear
• I have found a sign of wear

Usually the surrounding context determines which English translation sounds best.

You would usually say:

• בתא מדידה

That makes the phrase indefinite:

• תא מדידה = a measurement chamber
• בתא מדידה = in a measurement chamber

Compare:

• בתא המדידה = in the measurement chamber
• בתא מדידה = in a measurement chamber

So the presence of ה־ on the second noun makes the whole construct phrase definite.

Because Hebrew usually prefers a construct phrase (סמיכות) when two nouns are closely linked.

So:

• תא המדידה is the normal, compact way to say the measurement chamber
• תא של המדידה sounds less natural here

Hebrew does use של very often, but mostly when:

• the relationship is less fixed
• the phrase is longer or more complicated
• the construct form would sound awkward

In technical or standard noun combinations, construct phrases are especially common.

סימן is singular: a sign / a mark.

Its plural is:

• סימנים = signs

So:

• סימן שחיקה = a sign of wear
• סימני שחיקה = signs of wear

Notice that in the plural construct form, סימן changes to סימני.

That pattern is very common:

• ספר ילדים = a children’s book
• ספרי ילדים = children’s books

Yes, it sounds fairly neutral-to-technical.

Words like:

• תא
• מדידה
• שחיקה

are common in technical, engineering, inspection, laboratory, or maintenance contexts.

A native speaker would understand it, but it does not sound especially casual or conversational. It sounds like something from:

• a report
• an inspection note
• a technician’s observation
• a lab description

That is one reason the wording is compact and noun-heavy.