Questions & Answers about Wir warten vor dem Kino.
Why is it dem Kino and not das Kino?
The preposition vor (in front of) is a "two-way" preposition. Since we are waiting in a fixed location and answering the question "Where?" (Wo?), it forces the following noun into the Dative case. The word for cinema is neuter (das Kino), and in the Dative case, das changes to dem.
Does German have an "-ing" form for "are waiting"?
No, German doesn't have a continuous present tense like English does. Wir warten translates to both "We wait" and "We are waiting," depending on the context.
I thought vor meant "before". Does it mean "in front of" here?
Yes! The word vor can be used for both time and physical space. When talking about time, it means "before" (like vor dem Essen - before the meal). When talking about physical locations, like in this sentence, it means "in front of".
If we were moving to the front of the cinema, would the sentence change?
Yes! Because vor is a two-way preposition, it takes the Accusative case if you are moving to a new destination (answering "Where to?" or Wohin?). If you were saying "We are going to the front of the cinema", it would be Wir gehen vor das Kino. But since we are just hanging out in one spot, we use the Dative case (dem Kino).
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