Learn Hardcore German: Das Auto ist hinter dem Haus.

German prepositions govern specific cases. Hinter is a two-way preposition (Wechselpräposition) that, in a static context (no movement), requires the dative case. Das Haus is neuter; its nominative article is das, but the dative article is dem. Hence hinter dem Haus.

How do I know when hinter takes the dative versus the accusative?

Static location (“where?”) → dative: Das Auto ist hinter dem Haus.
Movement toward a target (“where to?”) → accusative: Ich fahre das Auto hinter das Haus.
Ask “Wo?” for dative, “Wohin?” for accusative.

Why do we say ist here instead of steht or liegt?

Ist (from sein) is a neutral way to say “is located.” If you want to emphasize the car’s posture or position, you can use:

Das Auto steht hinter dem Haus. (it’s standing/parked there)
Das Auto liegt hinter dem Haus. (rare for cars, more for flat-laying objects)
But ist works for simple location statements.

Can I start the sentence with Hinter dem Haus? What changes in word order?

Yes. German follows the V2 (verb-second) rule. If you put the prepositional phrase first for emphasis, the verb remains second:
Hinter dem Haus ist das Auto.
The subject das Auto follows the verb.

Why is Auto neuter, and what if I use Wagen instead?

Auto is short for das Automobil, which is neuter. If you choose der Wagen (masculine), your sentence becomes:
Der Wagen ist hinter dem Haus.
Note that hinter dem Haus stays the same because Haus is still neuter.

Why can’t I say Hinter Haus without an article?

German nouns generally require a determiner (definite/indefinite article or possessive) in most contexts. Omitting the article sounds ungrammatical. You need dem (dative definite article) to mark the case and number: hinter dem Haus.

Is hinter always translated as “behind”?

In spatial contexts, yes: hinter = “behind,” “at the back of.” In non-spatial or idiomatic uses it may appear in compounds (e.g. hinterfragen “to question/examine”), but its core meaning remains spatial.