German grammar · Beginner (A1)
Word order
Where the verb goes in a German sentence: second in statements, split in two, or at the very end after weil and dass.
The verb comes second
In a German statement, the conjugated verb (the verb with the ending) is always the second element. The first element can be the subject, but also a time, a place or an object. If something else comes first, the subject moves to just after the verb.
| Position 1 | Verb | Rest |
|---|---|---|
- Ich trinke morgens einen Kaffee.I have a coffee in the morning.
- Heute habe ich keine Zeit.I don't have time today.
The verb in two parts
Many sentences have two verb parts. The conjugated part stays in position 2 and the other part goes to the end. English speakers often call this the “verb bracket”.
This happens with modal verbs (, …), with the Perfekt, and with separable verbs such as (to get up) or (to call), whose prefix goes to the end.
- Ich kann heute nicht kommen.I can't come today.
- Wir haben gestern Pizza gegessen.We had pizza yesterday.
- Ich stehe jeden Tag um sieben Uhr auf.I get up at seven every day.
- Der Zug fährt um 8.15 Uhr ab.The train leaves at 8:15.
The verb at the end: weil, dass, wenn, ob
After (because), (that), (if, when) and (whether), the conjugated verb goes to the end of that part of the sentence. Separable verbs join back together: …,
These clauses are always separated by a comma. If the clause comes first, the main sentence starts with its verb:
- Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.I'm staying at home because I'm ill.
- Ich glaube, dass sie recht hat.I think she's right.
- Er sagt, dass er nicht kommen kann.He says he can't come.
- Wenn ich Zeit habe, komme ich.If I have time, I'll come.
Und, aber, oder: no change
The linking words (and), (but), (or) and (because) don't count as a position and don't change the word order.
A useful habit for the middle of the sentence: time before place. , not nach Berlin morgen.
- Ich bin müde, aber ich gehe noch nicht ins Bett.I'm tired, but I'm not going to bed yet.
- Wir fahren morgen mit dem Zug nach Hamburg.We're going to Hamburg by train tomorrow.