"The bus is small."

Translation: そのバスは小さいです。

[DannyTowne]

It didn't ask for 'this bus', just 'the bus'...

[EquanimousLingo]

Because it is not talking about buses in general, その is here used to make this definite, specific bus. I disagree with the usage though unless the bus is near enough the listener and the speaker to be labeled as "the bus"

[francisdavey]

But Duolingo has (so far) been happy to translate as "the X" something that is not marked with a demonstrative. "The cat is....". Surely 猫は小さいです can be translated as "the cat is small"?

[Stradaniye]

If it's a particular bus, shouldn't it be が? Or do I have them mixed up?

[Hachlys]

Could it not be ano basu... instead of sono ?

[SamuelDres1]

do the japanese have the same sentence structure as yoda? "This bus, small is"