Questions & Answers about Ich bin allein zu Hause.
Why do we use the preposition zu in zu Hause to mean 'at home'?
The phrase zu Hause is a fixed expression in German. Even though zu usually translates to 'to' or implies a destination, in this specific historical phrase it indicates a location. You just have to memorize it as a set chunk.
How is zu Hause different from nach Hause?
You use zu Hause when describing a fixed location where you already are, as in this sentence. You use nach Hause when describing movement toward your home, like in the sentence Ich gehe nach Hause (I am going home).
Since our current lesson is about indefinite pronouns like niemand (nobody), could I express this same idea using niemand?
Yes! You could say Niemand ist zu Hause außer mir (Nobody is at home except me). While allein is an adjective describing your state of being alone, niemand is an indefinite pronoun emphasizing that zero other people are present.
Why does the word Hause have an 'e' at the end instead of just being Haus?
The extra 'e' is a leftover from an old German grammar rule where certain nouns got an 'e' ending when used with dative prepositions. That rule is almost entirely gone today, but it survives permanently in fixed phrases like zu Hause and nach Hause.