German Word Order

Wortstellung

German word order follows strict structural rules, even though it may seem flexible at first. The most important rule is that the verb must stay in position 2 in main clauses.

Position	Type	Example
1	Time	heute, morgen, jetzt
2	Manner	gern, schnell, mit dem Auto
3	Place	in der Stadt, zu Hause

Ich gehe heute zur Schule.I go to school today.

Heute gehe ich zur Schule.Today I go to school.

Morgen kaufe ich ein Auto.Tomorrow I buy a car.

Ich gehe heute mit dem Auto nach Berlin.I go to Berlin today by car.

Er arbeitet morgen schnell im Büro.He works quickly in the office tomorrow.

Wir essen heute gern zu Hause.We like to eat at home today.

The V2 Rule (Verb Second)

In main clauses, the conjugated verb must always be in the second position.

Ich kann heute nicht kommen.I cannot come today.

Er will ein Auto kaufen.He wants to buy a car.

Wir müssen früh aufstehen.We must get up early.

Common Mistakes

Word order errors usually come from applying English structure directly.

Placing verb in wrong position in main clauses.
Forgetting verb-final in subordinate clauses.
Not moving separable prefixes to sentence end.
Using English word order instead of TMP rule.

Inversion (Changing Subject Position)

When another element starts the sentence, the subject moves after the verb.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before forming a sentence, check structure rules.

Is this a main or subordinate clause?
Is the verb in position 2?
Is there a separable verb?
Am I using TMP order correctly?
Does a modal verb push infinitive to the end?

What Is Word Order?

Word order in German defines how sentences are structured. Unlike English, meaning is often defined by cases, while word order follows strict structural rules.

Modal Verb Sentence Structure

With modal verbs, the main verb stays in infinitive at the end.

When using words like 'weil', 'dass', 'wenn', 'ob', the conjugated verb goes to the end.

Example Sentences

Heute gehe ich ins Kino.Today I go to the cinema.

Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnet.I stay at home because it is raining.

Morgen muss ich früh aufstehen.Tomorrow I must get up early.

Er ruft mich jeden Tag an.He calls me every day.

Wenn ich Zeit habe, komme ich.If I have time, I will come.

Common Sentence Patterns

Heute sehe ich den Film.Today I watch the movie.V2: Time + Verb + Subject + Object

Weil ich müde bin, gehe ich schlafen.Because I am tired, I go to sleep.Subordinate + Main clause

Ich will das Buch lesen.I want to read the book.Modal + Infinitive at end

Heute esse ich Pizza.Today I eat pizza.

Im Park spielt der Junge.In the park the boy plays.

Jetzt kommt der Bus.Now the bus is coming.

Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf.I get up at 7.

Er ruft mich an.He calls me.

Wir machen die Tür auf.We open the door.

Verb Placement Overview

German verb position changes depending on clause type.

Clause Type	Verb Position	Example
Main clause	Position 2	Ich gehe heute.
Yes/No question	Position 1	Gehst du heute?
Subordinate clause	End	weil ich gehe

Separable Verbs in Word Order

Separable prefixes move to the end of the clause in main sentences.

Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.I stay at home because I am sick.

Er sagt, dass er müde ist.He says that he is tired.

Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich drin.If it rains, I stay inside.

Time – Manner – Place Rule (TMP)

German often orders sentence elements in this sequence when multiple adverbials are used.

Subordinate Clauses (Verb Final)

In subordinate clauses, the verb moves to the very end of the sentence.