Learn Hardcore German: Vorerst bleiben wir draußen im Hof. - For now we will stay outside in the courtyard.

Vorerst means “for the time being / for now / for the moment.” It’s neutral to slightly formal. Colloquial alternatives: erst mal/erstmal; other neutral options: zunächst, im Moment; a more official-sounding one: bis auf Weiteres.

Where can vorerst go in the sentence, and why does the verb come second?

German has the verb-second (V2) rule in main clauses. If you put vorerst first, it occupies the first slot, so the finite verb (bleiben) must be second: Vorerst bleiben wir ... You can also say Wir bleiben vorerst draußen im Hof. Both are correct; fronting vorerst gives it a bit more emphasis.

Why is it im Hof (dative) and not accusative?

In is a two-way preposition: it takes dative for location and accusative for movement. Here it’s a static location (“in the yard”), so dative is used: in dem Hof → contracted to im Hof. For movement into the yard, you’d use accusative: in den Hof.

Are draußen and im Hof redundant together?

No. Draußen says you’re outside (not inside the building). Im Hof specifies exactly where outside (in the courtyard/yard). Together: “outside, in the yard (not e.g., out on the street).” You can drop one if context already makes it clear: Vorerst bleiben wir draußen or Vorerst bleiben wir im Hof.

What’s the difference between draußen, außen, außerhalb, and im Freien?

draußen: outdoors / outside (as a place you can be). Static: Ich bin draußen.
außen: on the outside (surface of something): Die Tasche ist außen nass.
außerhalb (+ Genitive): outside of (beyond a boundary): außerhalb der Stadt.
im Freien: outdoors (emphasizes open air): Wir essen im Freien.

Why im Hof and not auf dem Hof? Are both correct?

Both occur, but nuance and region matter.

im Hof is typical for an enclosed courtyard (Innenhof).
auf dem Hof is common when conceptualizing an open yard/grounds (e.g., a farmyard Bauernhof, or a schoolyard Schulhof) and in some regions. Both take dative for location: im/auf dem Hof; for movement: in/auf den Hof (accusative).

Does Hof mean “yard,” “courtyard,” “farm,” or “royal court”?

All of those, depending on context:

Urban building courtyard: der Hof (often = der Innenhof).
Farm/farmyard: der Bauernhof.
Schoolyard: der Schulhof.
Royal/noble court: der Hof (e.g., am Hof). Here, with draußen im Hof, it’s the courtyard/yard.

Is the word order draußen im Hof fixed? Could I say im Hof draußen?

The usual (and most natural) order is broad to specific: draußen (general) + im Hof (specific). Im Hof draußen is possible but marked; it can sound like afterthought emphasis on “draußen.” Stick with draußen im Hof in neutral style.

How is the sentence pronounced?

A careful Standard German approximation:

Vorerst [ˈfoːɐ̯ɛʁst] (the r in the first syllable is often vocalized)
bleiben [ˈblaɪ̯bən]
wir [viːɐ̯]
draußen [ˈdʁaʊ̯sən]
im [ɪm]
Hof [hoːf] Together: [ˈfoːɐ̯ɛʁst ˈblaɪ̯bən viːɐ̯ ˈdʁaʊ̯sən ɪm hoːf] (regional variation is normal).

Why is draußen spelled with ß, and what about Switzerland?

After a long vowel or diphthong (here: au), the voiceless s-sound is spelled ß: draußen. In Swiss Standard German, ß is not used, so you’ll see draussen.

Could I use the present tense here to talk about the near future?

Yes. German present often covers near-future plans: Vorerst bleiben wir draußen im Hof can mean “We’ll stay outside in the yard for now.” A more explicitly future version is possible: Vorerst werden wir draußen im Hof bleiben, but it’s not required.

What about the verb bleiben—how does it work here?

Bleiben means “to stay/remain” and can take a location complement: bleiben + Ort. Conjugation: ich bleibe, du bleibst, er/sie/es bleibt, wir bleiben, ihr bleibt, sie bleiben. Perfect tense uses sein: Wir sind draußen im Hof geblieben.

Can I drop the subject wir like in some other languages?

No. German is not a pro‑drop language in the present tense; you normally must state the subject: wir. Note: Bleiben wir ... can be a suggestion/question (“Shall we stay...?”), but that’s a different structure.

Is there any punctuation or capitalization trick here?

No comma is needed. Hof is capitalized because all nouns are. im is the standard contraction of in dem. An old-fashioned dative ending (im Hofe) exists but sounds archaic today.