Preposition 'zu' (to, dative)

'zu' means 'to' (a destination), and always takes the dative. It is the standard preposition for going to people and to many places:

• to people: Ich gehe zu meiner Oma. - I am going to my grandma's.
• to places: Ich gehe zur Schule. - I am going to school. Wir fahren zum Bahnhof. - We are going to the station.

Contractions: zu dem -> zum, zu der -> zur.

It also appears in fixed expressions: zu Hause (at home), zu Fuß (on foot).

Examples:

• Gehst du heute zum Arzt? - Are you going to the doctor today? (zu dem -> zum)
• Sie geht zur Arbeit. - She is going to work. (zu der -> zur)

Common mistakes:

• Choosing the wrong destination preposition: use zu for people/places, nach for cities and countries without an article (nach Berlin), and in for entering buildings/countries with an article (ins Kino, in die Schweiz).
• Forgetting the contractions zum / zur.

'zu' (to) takes the dative; used for going to people and places.

'zu' takes the dative; zu dem → zum, zu der → zur.

'zu' (zu Personen/Orten) steht mit dem Dativ.