בקופה ביקשו ממני תעודת זהות וכרטיס אשראי.

Here בקופה means at the checkout / at the cashier / at the register.

The basic noun is קוּפָה. Depending on context, it can mean things like:

• checkout counter
• cash register
• ticket office / box office

So in this sentence, it refers to the place where payment or verification happens.

ביקשו is 3rd person plural past: they asked / they requested.

Hebrew often uses plural verbs with no stated subject to mean something like:

• they asked me
• someone there asked me
• the staff asked me

This is very common when the exact person is not important.

So ביקשו ממני does not necessarily mean several specific people literally asked; it can work like an impersonal they in English.

Because Hebrew often leaves the subject unstated when it is:

• obvious from context
• unknown
• unimportant

So instead of saying:

• הם ביקשו ממני... = They asked me...

Hebrew very naturally just says:

• ביקשו ממני...

The verb form already tells you it is they.

ממני means from me.

It is made from:

• מ־ / מן = from
• אני = I

Combined, they become:

• ממני = from me

With the verb לבקש in the sense of to ask someone for something / request something from someone, Hebrew uses מ־:

• ביקשו ממני תעודת זהות = they asked me for an ID card

So literally it is closer to they requested from me.

Because the verb pattern is different from English.

In English, we say:

• They asked me for ID

So me comes directly after asked.

But in Hebrew, with לבקש meaning to ask/request, the person is introduced with מ־:

• לבקש ממישהו משהו = to ask someone for something
• literally: to request something from someone

So:

• ביקשו ממני תעודת זהות = correct
• ביקשו אותי תעודת זהות = incorrect

Because Hebrew usually distinguishes between:

• לשאול = to ask a question
• לבקש = to ask for / request

Here the meaning is they asked me for ID and a credit card, so Hebrew uses לבקש.

Compare:

• שאלו אותי שאלה = they asked me a question
• ביקשו ממני תעודה = they asked me for a document

That is a very useful distinction for learners.

Because תעודת זהות is a construct phrase (called סמיכות in Hebrew).

The first noun changes form because it is linked to the second noun:

• תעודה = certificate / document
• תעודת... = document of...
• זהות = identity

So:

• תעודת זהות = identity document / ID card

This is a very common Hebrew structure.

Yes. כרטיס אשראי is also a noun + noun combination.

• כרטיס = card / ticket
• אשראי = credit

So:

• כרטיס אשראי = credit card

Like תעודת זהות, this functions as a fixed expression.

Because את is used before a definite direct object, and these nouns are indefinite in form.

Here we have:

• תעודת זהות
• כרטיס אשראי

There is no ה־ and no other marker making them definite, so את is not used.

Compare:

• ביקשו ממני תעודת זהות = They asked me for an ID card
• ביקשו ממני את תעודת הזהות שלי = They asked me for my ID card

In the second sentence, את appears because the object is definite.

Because Hebrew often leaves possession unstated when it is obvious from context.

If someone at the checkout asks you for ID and a credit card, it is naturally understood that they mean your ID and your credit card.

So Hebrew can simply say:

• ביקשו ממני תעודת זהות וכרטיס אשראי

Even though a natural English translation may often be:

• They asked me for my ID card and credit card

Hebrew does not always need to spell out my when the situation already makes it clear.

Starting with בקופה sets the scene first:

• At the checkout, they asked me...

This is a very natural Hebrew word order.

The sentence could also be rearranged, for example:

• ביקשו ממני בקופה תעודת זהות וכרטיס אשראי

But בקופה ביקשו ממני... sounds very natural because it begins with the location and gives the listener context immediately.

Here is the breakdown:

• ב־ = in / at
• קופה = checkout / register
• ביקשו = they asked for / requested
• ממני = from me
• תעודת זהות = ID card
• ו־ = and
• כרטיס אשראי = credit card

So the structure is roughly:

• At the checkout, they requested from me an ID card and a credit card

That is why the natural English meaning is At the checkout, they asked me for an ID card and a credit card.