Table of Contents
Basic Word Order in German Main Clauses
German word order looks flexible at first, but in main clauses it follows very clear patterns. At A1 level, you should understand and use these basic patterns correctly, especially in everyday sentences about routines.
The Verb in Second Position (V2 Rule)
In normal statements, the conjugated verb in German main clauses is in the second position of the sentence.
This is called the V2 rule: Verb in position 2.
In German main clauses, the conjugated verb is ALWAYS in second position, no matter what comes first.
This is easiest to see with simple sentences where the subject comes first.
Example:
Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf.
I get up at seven o’clock.
Table:
| Position | German word | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ich | I |
| 2 | stehe | stand / get up |
| 3 | um | at |
| 4 | sieben | seven |
| 5 | Uhr | o’clock |
| 6 | auf | up |
Here, the subject is in first position, the conjugated verb in second position.
Subject First: The Neutral Word Order
The most neutral and common word order in simple sentences is:
Subject + conjugated verb + time + manner + place + other parts
Typical pattern:
Ich arbeite heute im Büro.
I work in the office today.
Table:
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ich | Subject |
| 2 | arbeite | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | heute | Time |
| 4 | im Büro | Place |
Another example:
Wir essen um zwölf Uhr Mittagessen.
We eat lunch at twelve o’clock.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wir | Subject |
| 2 | essen | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | um zwölf Uhr | Time |
| 4 | Mittagessen | Object |
As long as the subject is first, the structure is similar to English, but you must always keep the verb in second position.
Something Other Than the Subject in First Position
German allows you to put other elements at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis or structure, for example time or place. The verb still stays in second position. The subject moves behind the verb.
If time, place, or another element stands in first position, the subject usually comes AFTER the verb. The verb stays in position 2.
Example with time first:
Heute arbeite ich im Homeoffice.
Today I work from home.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heute | Time |
| 2 | arbeite | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | ich | Subject |
| 4 | im Homeoffice | Place |
Example with place first:
Im Park jogge ich jeden Morgen.
In the park I jog every morning.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Im Park | Place |
| 2 | jogge | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | ich | Subject |
| 4 | jeden Morgen | Time |
Example with object first for emphasis:
Dieses Buch lese ich jeden Abend.
I read this book every evening.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dieses Buch | Object |
| 2 | lese | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | ich | Subject |
| 4 | jeden Abend | Time |
The meaning of the sentence stays almost the same, but the emphasis on the first element changes: time, place, or object.
Only One Element in First Position
“Second position” means:
The verb is the second element, not necessarily the second word.
You can have small words together in first position if they form one element, for example “am Morgen” (in the morning) or “in der Küche” (in the kitchen).
Examples:
Am Morgen trinke ich Kaffee.
In the morning I drink coffee.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Am Morgen | Time |
| 2 | trinke | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | ich | Subject |
| 4 | Kaffee | Object |
In der Küche frühstücken wir.
In the kitchen we have breakfast.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In der Küche | Place |
| 2 | frühstücken | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | wir | Subject |
The first position can be a group of words that belong together, like “am Abend”, “nach der Arbeit”, “in der Schule”. The verb still comes immediately after this group.
Typical Order of Time, Manner, Place
In German there is a typical order for adverbials such as time, manner, and place. At A1 level, focus mainly on the position of time and place in simple sentences.
Common pattern inside the sentence:
Time + Manner + Place
Often you will mostly use time and place.
Example:
Ich gehe heute mit Freunden ins Kino.
I go to the cinema today with friends.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ich | Subject |
| 2 | gehe | Verb |
| 3 | heute | Time |
| 4 | mit Freunden | Manner |
| 5 | ins Kino | Place |
You can also place the time element at the beginning, but then the verb must come second:
Heute gehe ich mit Freunden ins Kino.
Both sentences are correct. The difference is which element is in the first position.
Word Order in Yes/No Questions
In yes/no questions, the conjugated verb comes first, and the subject comes after the verb.
In yes/no questions, the conjugated verb is in position 1, the subject comes after the verb.
Examples:
Arbeitest du heute?
Are you working today?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arbeitest | Conjugated verb |
| 2 | du | Subject |
| 3 | heute | Time |
Kochst du oft zu Hause?
Do you often cook at home?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kochst | Conjugated verb |
| 2 | du | Subject |
| 3 | oft | Manner |
| 4 | zu Hause | Place |
Word Order in W‑Questions (Question Words)
In questions with question words like “wo”, “wann”, “wie”, “was”, the pattern is:
Question word + conjugated verb + subject + rest
In W‑questions, the question word is in position 1, the conjugated verb in position 2, and the subject usually follows.
Examples:
Wann stehst du auf?
When do you get up?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wann | Question word |
| 2 | stehst | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | du | Subject |
| 4 | auf | Separable part |
Wo arbeitest du?
Where do you work?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wo | Question word |
| 2 | arbeitest | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | du | Subject |
Was machst du am Wochenende?
What do you do at the weekend?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Was | Question word |
| 2 | machst | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | du | Subject |
| 4 | am Wochenende | Time |
Position of Separable Verb Prefixes
With separable verbs in main clauses, the conjugated part of the verb stays in second position, and the separable prefix goes to the end of the clause. The V2 rule still applies to the conjugated part.
Examples:
Ich stehe um sechs Uhr auf.
I get up at six o’clock.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ich | Subject |
| 2 | stehe | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | um sechs Uhr | Time |
| 4 | auf | Separable prefix, end |
Morgens räume ich die Küche auf.
In the mornings I tidy the kitchen.
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morgens | Time |
| 2 | räume | Conjugated verb |
| 3 | ich | Subject |
| 4 | die Küche | Object |
| 5 | auf | Separable prefix, end |
In questions, the same idea:
Stehst du früh auf?
Do you get up early?
| Position | German | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stehst | Conjugated verb |
| 2 | du | Subject |
| 3 | früh | Manner |
| 4 | auf | Separable prefix, end |
The conjugated verb part follows the normal rules of word order. The prefix stands at the very end of the clause.
Summary of the Main Patterns
In A1 everyday speech, most of your sentences will follow these patterns:
- Statements, subject first:
Subject + verb (position 2) + other information
Example: Ich arbeite heute zu Hause.
- Statements, other element first:
Time/place/other + verb (position 2) + subject + rest
Example: Heute arbeite ich zu Hause.
- Yes/no questions:
Verb + subject + rest
Example: Arbeitest du heute?
- W‑questions:
Question word + verb + subject + rest
Example: Wann arbeitest du?
If you keep the conjugated verb in second position in statements and after the question word in questions, your German will already sound much more correct and natural.
Vocabulary List
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Subjekt | subject |
| das Verb | verb |
| die Wortstellung | word order |
| der Hauptsatz | main clause |
| die Frage | question |
| das Fragewort | question word |
| die Ja/Nein‑Frage | yes/no question |
| die W‑Frage | wh‑question |
| die Position | position |
| das Objekt | object |
| die Zeitangabe | time expression |
| die Ortsangabe | place expression |
| das Prädikat | predicate |
| trennbares Verb | separable verb |
| morgens | in the mornings |
| am Morgen | in the morning |
| heute | today |
| oft | often |
| zu Hause | at home |
| im Büro | in the office |
| im Park | in the park |
| in der Küche | in the kitchen |
| am Wochenende | at the weekend |
| aufstehen | to get up |
| arbeiten | to work |
| frühstücken | to have breakfast |
| kochen | to cook |
| gehen | to go |
| lesen | to read |
| joggen | to jog |
| aufräumen | to tidy up |
| ins Kino | to the cinema |
| die Küche | kitchen |
| das Buch | book |
| der Morgen | morning |
| der Abend | evening |
| wann | when |
| wo | where |
| was | what |
| wie | how |