Learn Dutch: Gaan we met de trein? - Are we going by train?

This is a yes/no question, which means the answer is simply yes or no. You don't need question words like wie (who) or waar (where) for these. Instead, you just put the verb first. By swapping the subject (we) and the verb (gaan), the statement We gaan (We are going) becomes the question Gaan we? (Are we going?).

Why does it say met de trein instead of just translating 'by train'?

In English, we say 'by train' without an article. In Dutch, you use the preposition met (with) and usually include the article de (the) when talking about transportation. So, 'by train' translates literally to 'with the train' (met de trein). You will see the same pattern for other vehicles, like met de auto (by car).

English uses 'Are we going', but there is no word for 'are' in the Dutch sentence. Why?

Dutch doesn't have an exact match for the English 'are going' or 'is going' structure. A regular Dutch present tense verb like gaan covers both 'go' and 'are going'. Therefore, Gaan we? means 'Are we going?' all on its own without needing an extra verb for 'are'.

Why is the verb gaan used here instead of gaat?