Breakdown of Die Eltern warten am Bahnhof.
dem
the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
der Bahnhof
the train station
warten
to wait
an
at
Questions & Answers about Die Eltern warten am Bahnhof.
What does the word order tell me? Could I start with the place?
The neutral order is Subject–Verb–(other info): Die Eltern warten am Bahnhof. You can front the place for emphasis and still keep verb-second: Am Bahnhof warten die Eltern. Both are correct; the second highlights the location.
Does German need a special “-ing” form for “are waiting”?
No. German has no separate present progressive. The simple present covers both “wait” and “are waiting.” So Die Eltern warten = “The parents wait/are waiting.”
Why is it die Eltern? Is that feminine?
Here, die is the definite article in the plural, not feminine gender. Eltern is always plural (“parents”). So die Eltern = “the parents.”
How do I say “a parent” in German?
Use ein Elternteil (“a parent”). There’s also der/das Elternteil in the singular in dictionaries. A rare alternative is ein Elter, but Elternteil is the usual, clear choice.
What does am mean here, and why not just an?