"Ist jemand zu Hause?"

Translation: Is anybody home?

[n1m]

How many meanings does 'zu' have?

[deactivated user]

I agree, this word is becoming more and more ambiguous every time it pops up in this subject.

[JaredShope1]

little late, but the word for "home" is literally "Zuhause", so think if it like "Is anyone home"

[YoungMountain]

I would like to know that as well!

[MohammadBres]

Why did we use "Hause"
not Haus?

[niceliz]

"Haus" just means "house," but this phrase is uses "home" which is a completely different word. "Zu Hause" as a whole means "(at) home" and for when you're going "[to] home" it's "nach Hause."

[mizinamo]

The -e ending is the old dative-case ending.

It dropped off from most words but was kept in some fixed expressions including nach Hause and zu Hause. (But we say e.g. in einem Haus and not usually in einem Hause.)

Such idioms often preserve old grammar and vocabulary that is otherwise not in use.

[e.fernande]

It should be "anyone", not someone!!! Who did this quiz?

[niceliz]

"Jemand" can mean both "someone" or "anyone."

[Edrika]

I agree with you, because someone is used in affirmative sentences, but for interrogative sentences and negative you have to use ANYONE OR ANYBODY

[niceliz]

I guess you learn something new every day! I never knew that rule before and I know that I've heard things like "Is someone there?" before.

[lai_mesunda]

I completely agree. I wasn't aware that such a rule existed! @-)

[Feras..]

Every one should see this
Very very important for who wants to speak German fluency.
http://leicht-deutsch-lernen.com/do-not-focus-too-much-on-grammar-rules

[TheM11Mum]

Actually I would disagree (for the English translation). I don't know if it's grammatically correct but in a conversation it is perfectly likely and acceptable to hear 'is someone at home?' Yesterday, for example, a family member was coordinating a move and organising a van to go to the house, they needed someone to be there to accept delivery and indeed said 'is someone at home?' It was quite a specific question, it was emphasising the importance that someone should be there, else the plan would go to pot. I bellieve that 'someone' CAN be used in this case and it is emphatic.

[CainKellye]

Yes, and anyone is still not accepted. I don't know why...

[Lucid_kiwi]

Why isn't "Is somebody home?" correct?

[Pedro_Santiago_]

In english for questions, instead of using 'some' you should (I would say MUST) used 'any'

[KarlEisenhofer]

Some-/any- in questions is subject to colloquial variation but negatives definitely prefer any-. "Did we get some/any?" "No, we didn't get any". Positives prefer some- "Yes, we got some" Any in a question may imply need versus want for some: "Did we get some? (Because it would be nice if we did)" "Did we get any? (Because it is important that we did)" But even with that, emphasis can allow any/some to be interchangable in that context.

[alekolas]

Why "Is someone home?" is not acceptable solution?

[Feras..]

Every one should see this
Very very important for who wants to speak German fluency.
http://leicht-deutsch-lernen.com/do-not-focus-too-much-on-grammar-rules

[Wilmonde]

Which word is dative in this sentence?

[mizinamo]

Hause

[GermanB121]

Can anyone tell me why is it "zu Hause" but not "zum Hause" (zu+dem) ???

[northernguy]

It is the difference between ...at home....and ...at the home.

[northernguy]

When to use zu hause instead of zuhause?

[Guyeatsworld]

Can I just say Ist jemand zu?

[niceliz]

No, that doesn't work. The whole thing, "zu Hause," is "(at) home."

[YoungMountain]

Is there any difference between zu Hause and nach Hause?

[Guyeatsworld]

Ah. Danke.

[zizau]

why the definite article "das" (in its dative forme) doesn't exist after zu like in other examples ?

[mitridat]

Why i can't use "house" instead of home..

[Elin_r]

So why is 'Haus' spelt with an 'e' at the end?

[niceliz]

Because it's not really the same word as "Haus" in this sentence. The whole phrase "zu Hause" means "home." There's also another phrase like this, "nach Hause," which is used when you say that you're going home (as opposed to already being there).

[Davidngreer65]

I think that in the US we would someone a bit more in the context now, at least in the areas where there are many Spanish speakers.

[mariaspitfire]

why is zuhause a mistake?

[KrisB06]

I typed in the exact correct answer, and then it says I missed a wored but all I did is forget ONE space!?!?

[phuntimes]

"is anyone home" is not accepted and somehow the ability to mark my answer correct is not an option under report for this question...

[eshan943679]

"Is someone at home". I think it should be accepted.

[mizinamo]

It is accepted in a translation exercise.

Did you have a listening exercise, perhaps?

[eshan943679]

I had a translation exercise

[mizinamo]

Then I don't know what might have happened.

If this happens again, a link to a screenshot would be helpful.

[JTTeske]

It would be the good if the Duolingo dictionary included 'nach Hause' and 'zu Hause' in the examples. Right now you can look up Hause and it says it means either home or house, but none of the examples actually use Hause.

[raufo_on]

Now if i don't remember a preposition, i will use zu

[A2WithinAug]

Why can't be like 'bei haus'

[mizinamo]

Why can't be like 'bei haus'

And why can't we say "I am still by home" in English, or "I am still in home", instead of "at home".

The answer is the same: preposition usage is mostly arbitrary, not "logical". It's just something you have to learn.

[Gagger07]

Is everone at home why wrong

[mizinamo]

Is everone at home why wrong

• "everone" is not an English word
• "everyone" is not a correct translation of jemand (= someone, anyone)

[Alsebai]

Why is not "is anybody at house"?

[mizinamo]

Why is not "is anybody at house"?

Because we don't say it like that in English.

[Edrika]

someone is for affirmative not for questions or negations

[rodresco]

I have heard so many times "Anybody at home?"

[NataliaPla5]

"ISST jemand zu Hause?",- that could be also right(?)

[OldMate2]

Isst is the du form for to eat.

[hmsong.10]

I'm honestly starting to lose confidence in choosing between "nach" "zu" or "bei" to simply say "to." It really shouldn't be this complicated.

[deactivated user]

Shouldn't it be haus instead of hausE?

[mizinamo]

No -- this is a fixed expression which has kept the old dative ending -e.

[Feras..]

Every one should see this
Very very important for who wants to speak German fluency.
http://leicht-deutsch-lernen.com/do-not-focus-too-much-on-grammar-rules