Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching German grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ist der Bahnhof groß?
Why doesn't this question start with a W-word like was or wo?
Because it is a "Yes/No" question! If you want a simple "yes" or "no" answer, you pull the verb out to the very front of the sentence (in this case, ist) instead of using a question word. W-questions ask for specific details, while verb-first questions just ask for confirmation.
How would I change this into a W-question to ask where the train station is?
You would put the W-word wo (where) at the very beginning, immediately followed by the verb. The sentence becomes: Wo ist der Bahnhof? (Where is the train station?).
Why is it der Bahnhof and not das or die?
It is a masculine noun, which is why it takes der. Here is a helpful trick for your vocabulary: Bahnhof is a compound word made of die Bahn (train/railway) and der Hof (courtyard). In German compound words, the gender always matches the last word. Since it's der Hof, the whole word becomes der Bahnhof.
What is the special 'ß' letter in groß?