German Phrase
Ist das Parken für Gäste kostenlos?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether parking is provided free of charge for guests. It is a polite, neutral way to inquire about a service that might be offered by hotels, offices, or private venues.
When to use
Use this question when you arrive at a hotel, conference centre, or a friend's house and need to know if you can leave your car without paying. It works both in spoken conversation and in written inquiries (e‑mail, chat).
✦Grammar Breakdown
IstdasParkenfürGästekostenlos?
Verb‑First Question
In yes/no questions the finite verb (here ‘ist’) moves to the first position, followed by the subject.
Nominalised Verb
‘Parken’ is a verb turned into a neuter noun; it takes the article ‘das’ and behaves like any other noun.
Preposition ‘für’ + Accusative
‘für’ always governs the accusative case; ‘Gäste’ is the plural accusative form of ‘der Gast’.
Predicative Adjective
‘kostenlos’ is used predicatively after ‘sein’ and does not need an ending.
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, ist das Parken für Gäste kostenlos?
Excuse me, is parking free for guests?
Ja, unser Gästeparkplatz ist kostenfrei. Sie können dort direkt vor dem Gebäude parken.
Yes, our guest parking is free. You can park right in front of the building.
✕Common Mistakes
Sind das Parken für Gäste kostenlos?
The verb must agree with the singular noun ‘Parken’, not with the plural ‘Gäste’. Use ‘ist’ not ‘sind’.
Ist Parken für Gäste kostenlos?
When ‘Parken’ is used as a noun it needs the article ‘das’; omitting it sounds ungrammatical.
Ist das Parken für Gäste kostenfrei?
‘Kostenfrei’ is correct but many learners mix the spelling; the standard form is ‘kostenlos’ in this context.
↔Alternatives
Ist das Parken für Besucher kostenlos?
Is parking free for visitors?
Müssen Gäste für das Parken bezahlen?
Do guests have to pay for parking?
Gibt es kostenfreies Parken für Gäste?
Is there free parking for guests?
Cultural Tip
In many German cities parking is metered or limited to residents, so a free guest parking spot is often seen as a valuable perk, especially at hotels and conference venues. When you ask this question, a polite ‘Entschuldigung’ or ‘Bitte’ at the start makes the request sound courteous. Note that ‘kostenlos’ and ‘kostenfrei’ are interchangeable, but ‘kostenlos’ is more common in everyday speech.