German Phrase
Die Turnhalle ist zum Sportmachen da.
Meaning
The sentence states that the gym exists for the purpose of doing sport. It emphasizes the function of the building rather than its location.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to explain why a particular facility is available, especially in schools, clubs, or community centers where the purpose of a room is being clarified.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DieTurnhalleistzumSportmachenda.
Definite article (Die)
‘Die’ is the feminine nominative singular article, matching ‘Turnhalle’ (the gym).
Verb ‘sein’ (ist)
‘ist’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘sein’, used to link subject and predicate.
Preposition ‘zu’ + dative (zum)
‘zum’ = ‘zu dem’; it introduces a purpose clause and requires the dative case.
Nominalized verb (Sportmachen)
‘Sportmachen’ combines the noun ‘Sport’ and the verb ‘machen’ into a single noun, used here in the dative after ‘zum’.
Adverb of purpose (da)
‘da’ placed at the end of the sentence signals that something exists for a specific purpose.
🗨In Conversation
Wo kann ich Basketball spielen?
Where can I play basketball?
Die Turnhalle ist zum Sportmachen da.
The gym is there for doing sports.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Turnhalle ist für Sportmachen da.
‘für’ would require the accusative and sounds unnatural here; the idiomatic choice is ‘zum’ (zu + dem).
Die Turnhalle ist zum Sport machen da.
When used after ‘zum’, the verb must be nominalized into one word.
Die Turnhalle da ist zum Sportmachen.
Placing ‘da’ before the verb changes the meaning; it should stay at the end to express purpose.
↔Alternatives
Die Turnhalle ist zum Sport da.
The gym is for sport.
In der Turnhalle kann man Sport treiben.
In the gym one can do sport.
Die Turnhalle dient dem Sport.
The gym serves sport.
Cultural Tip
In German schools the word ‘Turnhalle’ refers to an indoor sports hall used for activities like basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball. The construction ‘ist … da’ is a common, slightly informal way to state a purpose, similar to ‘ist dafür da, …’ in more formal speech.