Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ist das Fundbüro hier?
Why does the sentence start with Ist?
To ask a yes/no question in German, you move the verb to the first position, just like in English. So the statement Das Fundbüro ist hier (The lost and found is here) turns into the question Ist das Fundbüro hier? (Is the lost and found here?).
Is Fundbüro a combination of two words?
Yes! It is a compound word made from der Fund (the find or discovery) and das Büro (the office). German often glues words together like this to create new vocabulary.
Since Fundbüro is made of two words, how do I know it uses das?
For compound nouns in German, the gender is always decided by the very last word. Because the word for office is das Büro (neuter), the entire compound word becomes das Fundbüro.
How would I say 'This is not a lost and found office' using the negative article from this lesson?
You would say, 'Das ist kein Fundbüro.' Because Fundbüro is a neuter noun in the subject position (nominative case), you negate it with the basic neuter form kein, rather than the feminine or plural form keine.