Der Bahnhof ist in der Nähe.

The train station is nearby.

Breakdown of Der Bahnhof ist in der Nähe.

• sein: to be
• in: in
• der Bahnhof: the train station
• die Nähe: the vicinity

Questions & Answers about Der Bahnhof ist in der Nähe.

Why is it Der Bahnhof and not Die/Das Bahnhof?

Because Bahnhof is a masculine noun in German. In the nominative singular, masculine nouns take the article der. Many nouns ending in -hof (like Hof, Bahnhof) are masculine.

What case is Bahnhof in?

Nominative. The verb sein (to be) links a subject to a predicate and does not take an accusative object. So Der Bahnhof is the subject in the nominative case.

What is going on grammatically in in der Nähe?

• Nähe is a feminine noun meaning “vicinity/closeness,” which is why it’s capitalized.
• in is a two-way preposition. With location (no movement), it uses the dative: feminine dative singular is der.
• So in der Nähe literally means “in the vicinity,” and it’s a fixed, very common way to say “nearby.”

Are the two der’s the same in this sentence?

They look the same but serve different roles:

• Der in Der Bahnhof = nominative masculine article.
• der in in der Nähe = dative feminine article for Nähe.
  They just happen to be spelled the same.

Why not im Nähe?

im is the contraction of in dem (masculine/neuter dative). Nähe is feminine, so you must use in der, not im.

Can I just say Der Bahnhof ist nah/nahe instead of in der Nähe?

• Der Bahnhof ist nah is understandable but sounds a bit literary or marked; everyday speech prefers in der Nähe or nicht weit (entfernt).
• Der Bahnhof ist nahe is more formal/old-fashioned as an adjective.
• As a preposition, nahe can take the dative/genitive: Der Bahnhof ist nahe dem Hotel (formal). In conversation, in der Nähe is the safest, most natural choice.

How do I specify what it’s near? When do I need von or a genitive?

Use one of these:

• in der Nähe von
  • dative: in der Nähe von hier / in der Nähe von meinem Hotel
• Genitive after Nähe (more formal): in der Nähe des Hotels
• Colloquial contraction: in der Nähe vom Hotel (von + dem)

Is beim/am/im Bahnhof the same as “near the station”?

No.

• beim Bahnhof (= bei dem) and am Bahnhof (= an dem) mean “at the station” (right there).
• im Bahnhof (= in dem) means “inside the station.”
• For “near the station,” say in der Nähe des/ vom Bahnhofs/Bahnhof or nahe dem Bahnhof (formal).

Why ist and not liegt or befindet sich?

All work, with nuances:

• ist is the simplest: neutral “is.”
• liegt often describes location on a map: Der Bahnhof liegt in der Nähe (“is located”).
• befindet sich is more formal: Der Bahnhof befindet sich in der Nähe (“is situated”).

How do I pronounce Bahnhof and Nähe?

• Bahnhof: BAAN-hohf [ˈbaːnhoːf]. The h lengthens the preceding vowel: long a in Bahn, long o in -hof. Stress the first part: BAHN-hof.
• Nähe: NÄ-eh [ˈnɛːə]. The ä is like a long open “eh,” and the final -e is a separate vowel: two syllables (Näh-e).

Why are Bahnhof and Nähe capitalized?

They’re nouns, and all German nouns are capitalized. Nähe is a noun even though it translates to an abstract idea; that’s why in der Nähe has an article.

How do I ask a question or make it negative?

• Yes/no question: Ist der Bahnhof in der Nähe?
• Negative: Der Bahnhof ist nicht in der Nähe.
  You can intensify: Der Bahnhof ist gar nicht in der Nähe (not at all), or soften: nicht gerade in der Nähe (not exactly nearby).

Can I change the word order?

Yes. You can front the place phrase for emphasis: In der Nähe ist der Bahnhof. German main clauses keep the verb in second position, so after fronting In der Nähe, the verb ist comes next.

How do I say “There is a station nearby”?

Prefer an existential construction: Es gibt (hier) in der Nähe einen Bahnhof.
Saying Hier in der Nähe ist ein Bahnhof is possible, but Es gibt is more neutral for existence.

What about the plural?

• Die Bahnhöfe sind in der Nähe. (The train stations are nearby.)
  Note the plural Bahnhöfe with umlaut.

Can I drop the article before Nähe?

Normally no, but with an adjective you often can in set phrases:

• in unmittelbarer/direkter Nähe (in immediate/direct vicinity).
  Plain in Nähe sounds off; use in der Nähe without an adjective.

Is Bahnhof the same as “station” in general?

Bahnhof is a train station. For bus/tram stops you usually say Haltestelle. You might see compounds like U-Bahnhof (subway station) or S-Bahnhof (suburban rail station). Station exists in German but is used differently (e.g., in some city transit names or in medical contexts).