Questions & Answers about Er ist beim Arzt.
What exactly is the word beim?
beim is a combination of two words: the preposition bei (at) and the article dem (the). German frequently squishes short prepositions and the dative articles dem or der together into a single word to make sentences flow more smoothly.
Why do we need the dative article dem here instead of the standard der Arzt?
The preposition bei is a strict dative preposition. This means any noun that comes right after it must take the dative case. Because Arzt is a masculine noun (der Arzt), it changes to dem Arzt after bei.
Could I just write bei dem Arzt as two separate words?
You can, but it sounds slightly unnatural unless you are trying to strongly emphasize a specific doctor (like saying "at THAT doctor"). In normal, everyday speech and writing, German speakers almost always use the contraction beim.
Why does the German sentence just say Arzt when the English translation says "doctor's"?
In English, we use a possessive form to imply "at the doctor's office" or "at the doctor's clinic." German doesn't use a possessive here; it simply translates literally to "at the doctor."
Why use instead of another word for "at"?