We're launching a new series of articles on key German grammar topics. Rather than tackling entire complex subjects at once, we'll break them down into smaller, manageable parts that you can use to refresh your knowledge or learn step by step at your own pace.
Today we're talking about the word order in German sentences, and specifically about the position of the verb. The position of the verb within a sentence follows specific rules depending on the sentence type and clause structure. In main clauses, the conjugated verb typically appears in the second position, meaning it follows the first syntactic unit, which may be a subject, an adverbial, or another element. This does not refer to the second word but rather to the second major constituent. For example:
Ich gehe heute ins Kino. (I am going to the cinema today.)
Here, gehe is in the second position, following the subject Ich.
If another element appears at the beginning of the sentence, the verb still remains in the second position:
Heute gehe ich ins Kino. (Today, I am going to the cinema.)
Now, the adverb heute is the first element, but gehe still follows immediately, with the subject ich placed afterward.
In yes/no questions and imperative sentences, the verb moves to the first position:
Gehst du heute ins Kino? (Are you going to the cinema today?)
Geh ins Kino! (Go to the cinema!)
Subordinate clauses follow a different structure, placing the finite verb at the end of the clause. This applies when the sentence is introduced by a subordinating conjunction like weil (because), dass (that), or ob (whether):
Ich gehe nicht ins Kino, weil ich müde bin. (I am not going to the cinema because I am tired.)
Here, the finite verb bin appears at the end of the subordinate clause.
With compound verb forms, such as those involving auxiliaries or modal verbs, the finite (conjugated) verb follows the same position rules as in simple clauses, while the non-finite part (past participle or infinitive) appears at the end:
Ich habe einen Film gesehen. (I have seen a movie.)
The auxiliary habe remains in second position, while gesehen moves to the end.
In subordinate clauses with compound tenses, both verbs shift to the end, with the finite verb in final position:
Er sagt, dass er einen Film gesehen hat. (He says that he has seen a movie.)
The auxiliary hat comes after the past participle gesehen, maintaining the verb-final structure.
Infinitive constructions with zu also follow this pattern, with the infinitive placed at the end:
Er versucht, den Film zu sehen. (He tries to watch the movie.)
Here, zu sehen is positioned at the end of the subordinate clause.
There are some variations in poetic or archaic styles, but in standard usage, these rules remain consistent. Certain elements, such as inserted parenthetical expressions, may temporarily disrupt the expected structure, but the main pattern is maintained:
Er hat, wie ich erwartet habe, den Film gesehen. (He has, as I expected, seen the movie.)
The auxiliary hat stays in second position, while the participle gesehen remains at the end despite the inserted phrase.
Word order in German allows flexibility for emphasis, but the placement of the verb follows predictable patterns that are essential for constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.
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