Wir bleiben heute zuhause.

We stay at home today.

Breakdown of Wir bleiben heute zuhause.

• wir: we
• heute: today
• bleiben: to stay
• zuhause: at home

Questions & Answers about Wir bleiben heute zuhause.

Why is zuhause not capitalized in Wir bleiben heute zuhause?

Because in this sentence zuhause is used as an adverb meaning “at home.” Adverbs in German are written lowercase. If you wanted to treat Zuhause as a noun (for example das Zuhause = “the home”), you would capitalize it.

Why isn’t there a preposition before zuhause (like bei or in)?

zuhause (or zu Hause) itself means “at home” and functions like an adverbial phrase. You don’t need an extra preposition. It’s similar to English “We’re staying home,” not “We’re staying at home” with a preposition.

When should I use zuhause vs. zu Hause?

Both forms are acceptable for the adverb “at home.”

• zu Hause (two words): traditional Duden recommendation for the adverb.
• zuhause (one word): very common in modern usage and also listed as correct.
  Regardless of spelling, if you use it as a noun (with an article), you write das Zuhause (one word, capitalized).

Could I say Heute bleiben wir zuhause instead, and would the meaning change?

Yes. German allows fronting an adverb of time to the first position.

• Heute bleiben wir zuhause.
  Word order becomes:
  
  1. Heute (time)
  2. bleiben (verb)
  3. wir (subject)
  4. zuhause (place)
     The meaning (“Today we are staying home”) is identical; the fronted Heute simply emphasizes “today.”

Why is heute placed after the verb in Wir bleiben heute zuhause?

German main clauses follow the Time–Manner–Place (TMP) or Time–Place–Manner (depending on style) principle in the “middle field.” With Wir as sentence-initial subject and bleiben as the finite verb in second position, time‑adverb heute naturally follows:

1. Wir (subject)
2. bleiben (verb)
3. heute (time)
4. zuhause (place)

Why is the verb bleiben used here instead of sein?

• bleiben means “to stay/remain,” indicating that you stay at home instead of going out.
• sein would simply state location: Wir sind zuhause = “We are at home” (no nuance of “we’re staying in”).

Does zuhause function as a noun or an adverb in this sentence?

Here it’s an adverbial of place. It tells you where the staying happens. If it were a noun, you’d see an article: das Zuhause (e.g. Unser Zuhause ist gemütlich).

Are there other ways to say “at home” in German?

Yes. Depending on context you can use:

• zu Hause / zuhause (adverbial)
• daheim (somewhat formal or poetic)
• im Haus (in the house; more concrete)
• bei mir/uns (at my/our place)