German Phrase
Ist es weit zu Fuß?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether a destination is far when traveling on foot. It focuses on the distance rather than the time it will take, and it is a neutral, everyday way to inquire about walking distance.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know if a place is within a comfortable walking range, for example before deciding whether to walk, take public transport, or drive. It works in both casual conversations with friends and more formal settings like asking a hotel receptionist.
✦Grammar Breakdown
IstesweitzuFuß?
Verb‑Subject Inversion
In yes‑no questions the finite verb (ist) moves to the first position, followed by the subject (es).
Pronoun "es" as dummy subject
"es" is used as a placeholder subject when the real subject is an infinitive phrase or a clause.
Adverb "weit"
"weit" means ‘far’ and can modify distance verbs like gehen, laufen, or the infinitive phrase that follows.
"zu Fuß" as a prepositional phrase
"zu Fuß" literally means ‘by foot’ and is the standard way to say ‘on foot’ in German.
Question mark placement
German uses a single question mark at the end of the sentence; the opening question mark (¿) is not used.
🗨In Conversation
Entschuldigung, ist es weit zu Fuß zum Hauptbahnhof?
Excuse me, is it far on foot to the main train station?
Nein, nur etwa zehn Minuten. Sie gehen geradeaus und dann links.
No, only about ten minutes. You go straight ahead and then turn left.
✕Common Mistakes
Ist es weit zu Fußes?
The prepositional phrase does not take a genitive ending; it stays "zu Fuß".
Ist es weit zu Fußes gehen?
Do not add a verb after "zu Fuß"; the phrase itself already means ‘on foot’.
Ist es weit zu Fußes?
Avoid the unnecessary "es" after "zu Fuß"; the correct form is simply "zu Fuß".
?Ist es weit zu Fuß?
The question mark is placed only at the end; no opening question mark is used in German.
↔Alternatives
Wie weit ist es zu Fuß?
How far is it on foot?
Kann man zu Fuß gut hinkommen?
Can you get there easily on foot?
Ist das zu Fuß erreichbar?
Is that reachable on foot?
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries people often judge walking distance by the time it takes (e.g., "fünf Minuten zu Fuß"). Saying "Ist es weit zu Fuß?" is perfectly natural, but you may also hear "Wie lange dauert es zu Fuß?" which focuses on minutes rather than abstract distance. In southern Germany and Austria, "zu Fuß" is used just like in the north, but in some informal contexts people shorten it to "zu Fuß gehen" or simply "zu Fuß" without the verb.