Learn German: Es ist auch da. - It is also there.

Yes, but with a catch! In English, we use 'it' for almost all objects. In German, es stands for a neuter noun (a das word). If you were talking about a masculine noun (a der word), you would actually use er to mean 'it'. Since we do not know what object this sentence refers to, es is simply translated as 'it'.

Is ist the exact same as the English word 'is'?

Yes! ist is the third-person singular form of the verb sein (to be). You will use it with er (he), sie (she), and es (it).

I have seen da translated as 'here'. Does it mean 'here' or 'there'?

It can mean both! Germans use da generally to mean that something is present or in a specific location. Depending on the context, it translates to 'here' or 'there'. If you need to point to something specifically far away, you would use dort.

Why is auch placed before da?

In German, the word auch (also/too) generally comes right before the idea it emphasizes. Here, it is emphasizing da, meaning it is 'also in that place'.