Topic 8A1beginner⏱️ 20 min read

Word Order (Basic)

Wortstellung (Grundlagen)

🎯 What You'll Learn

✓Learn the basic German sentence structure (Subject-Verb-Object)
✓Understand the 'verb second' rule
✓Master Time-Manner-Place word order
✓Know when verb goes to the end

📖 Introduction

German word order follows specific rules. The most important: the verb is usually in the second position in main clauses. Understanding word order helps you sound natural and be understood correctly.

💡 Explanation

Basic pattern:

Position 1 - Position 2 (VERB) - Middle - End

Ich esse einen Apfel. (I eat an apple.)

Verb second rule: The conjugated verb is ALWAYS in second position in statements.

Heute esse ich einen Apfel. (Today I eat an apple.) ↑ Position 1 / ↑ Position 2

Notice: Even when 'heute' is first, the verb stays second!

📋 Key Rules

Verb Second Position (V2)

The conjugated verb must be in second position in main clauses

Examples:

• Ich trinke Kaffee. (I drink coffee.) - Subject first
• Heute trinke ich Kaffee. (Today I drink coffee.) - Time first, verb still second!
• Kaffee trinke ich nicht. (Coffee I don't drink.) - Object first for emphasis

Time - Manner - Place

When you have multiple details, they go in this order: WHEN - HOW - WHERE

Examples:

• Ich fahre morgen (TIME) mit dem Auto (MANNER) nach Berlin (PLACE).
• Er geht heute (TIME) schnell (MANNER) nach Hause (PLACE).

Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

Basic structure when no other elements come first

Examples:

• Ich esse einen Apfel. (I eat an apple.)
• Der Mann trinkt Wasser. (The man drinks water.)
• Sie lernt Deutsch. (She learns German.)

📝 Examples in Context

🇩🇪 Ich gehe heute ins Kino.

🇬🇧 I go to the cinema today.

💡 Standard SVO order

Context: Subject-Verb-Time-Place

🇩🇪 Heute gehe ich ins Kino.

🇬🇧 Today I go to the cinema.

💡 Time first, verb stays second position

Context: Inversion: Time-Verb-Subject-Place

🇩🇪 Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug nach München.

🇬🇧 I travel tomorrow by train to Munich.

💡 Time-Manner-Place order

Context: All three elements present

🧠 Memory Tips

💡 Remember: Verb = Position 2

No matter what comes first (subject, time, place), the verb is ALWAYS second!

💡 TMP = Time, Manner, Place

Think 'TiMe Please' to remember the order when all three are present.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌

Putting verb in wrong position

✅

Don't say 'Heute ich gehe'. Say 'Heute gehe ich' (verb in 2nd position).

❌

Wrong TMP order

✅

Don't say 'Ich fahre nach Berlin morgen'. Say 'Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin'.

✏️ Practice Sentences

Morgen esse ich Pizza.

Tomorrow I eat pizza.

📚 Morgen (time first) → esse (verb 2nd) → ich (subject 3rd)

Ich lerne jeden Tag zu Hause Deutsch.

I learn German at home every day.

📚 Time (jeden Tag) - Place (zu Hause) - Object (Deutsch)