Sentence structure
German word order follows specific rules that differ from English. Understanding these rules is essential because incorrect word order will mark you as a non-native speaker even if your vocabulary and grammar are otherwise perfect. The good news: German word order is logical and consistent. Once you internalise the patterns, you'll construct sentences correctly without thinking.
The verb-second rule
The verb-second (V2) rule is the foundation of German sentence structure. In main clauses (statements), the conjugated verb must occupy the second position — not the second word, but the second grammatical element. This is rigid and applies regardless of what fills position one. Whatever comes first (subject, time expression, object for emphasis), the verb anchors in position two, and everything else arranges around it:
| Position 1 | Position 2 (Verb) | Rest of sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | lese | ein Buch. |
| Das Buch | lese | ich. |
| Morgen | lese | ich ein Buch. |
| Jeden Tag | gehe | ich zur Arbeit. |
Notice how the verb "anchors" in position 2 regardless of what comes first. If you start with something other than the subject, the subject moves after the verb.
Standard word order
The default, unmarked word order in German is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), the same as English. Start with this pattern for simple, clear sentences. When you have both direct and indirect objects, German has specific rules about their order depending on whether they're nouns or pronouns:
- Ich kaufe einen Apfel. — I buy an apple.
- Der Mann liest die Zeitung. — The man reads the newspaper.
When there are indirect and direct objects, the pattern depends on whether you use nouns or pronouns:
Two nouns: Dative before Accusative
- Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. — I give the man the book.
Pronoun + Noun: Pronoun first
- Ich gebe es dem Mann. — I give it to the man.
- Ich gebe ihm das Buch. — I give him the book.
Two pronouns: Accusative before Dative
- Ich gebe es ihm. — I give it to him.
Time – Manner – Place
When adding details about when, how, and where something happens, German follows a specific sequence: Time first, then Manner (how), then Place. German speakers remember this as "TeKaMoLo" (Temporal-Kausal-Modal-Lokal). This order feels natural to Germans but differs from English, which often puts place before manner:
- Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug nach Berlin.
- (I travel tomorrow by train to Berlin.)
| Element | Type |
|---|---|
| morgen | Time (when) |
| mit dem Zug | Manner (how) |
| nach Berlin | Place (where) |
Questions
Yes/No questions
Move the verb to position 1:
- Statement: Du sprichst Deutsch. — You speak German.
- Question: Sprichst du Deutsch? — Do you speak German?
More examples:
- Haben Sie Zeit? — Do you have time?
- Ist das richtig? — Is that correct?
- Kommst du mit? — Are you coming along?
W-questions (question words)
The question word comes first, then the verb in position 2:
| Question word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wer? | Who? | Wer ist das? (Who is that?) |
| Was? | What? | Was machst du? (What are you doing?) |
| Wo? | Where? | Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?) |
| Wohin? | Where to? | Wohin gehst du? (Where are you going?) |
| Woher? | Where from? | Woher kommst du? (Where do you come from?) |
| Wann? | When? | Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?) |
| Warum? | Why? | Warum fragst du? (Why do you ask?) |
| Wie? | How? | Wie heißt du? (What's your name?) |
| Wie viel? | How much? | Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?) |
| Wie viele? | How many? | Wie viele Kinder hast du? (How many children do you have?) |
| Welcher/e/es? | Which? | Welches Buch meinst du? (Which book do you mean?) |
Commands (Imperative)
Imperative sentences (commands, requests, instructions) place the verb first. German has three imperative forms depending on who you're addressing: informal singular (du), informal plural (ihr), and formal (Sie). The formal imperative always includes "Sie" after the verb; informal forms drop the pronoun:
| Addressee | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| du (informal) | Verb stem (no pronoun) | Komm! (Come!) |
| ihr (informal plural) | Verb + -t (no pronoun) | Kommt! (Come!) |
| Sie (formal) | Verb + Sie | Kommen Sie! (Come!) |
More examples:
| du | ihr | Sie | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geh! | Geht! | Gehen Sie! | Go! |
| Lies! | Lest! | Lesen Sie! | Read! |
| Sei ruhig! | Seid ruhig! | Seien Sie ruhig! | Be quiet! |
| Hab Geduld! | Habt Geduld! | Haben Sie Geduld! | Have patience! |
Negation
German uses two main words for negation: "nicht" (not) and "kein" (no/not a). Knowing when to use each and where to place them is essential for expressing negative statements correctly.
nicht (not)
"Nicht" negates verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns with definite articles. Its position in the sentence is flexible but follows rules. For general negation of the entire action, "nicht" typically goes at the end. For specific negation (negating one particular element), "nicht" goes directly before that element:
End of sentence (general negation):
- Ich verstehe nicht. — I don't understand.
- Er kommt heute nicht. — He isn't coming today.
Before what you're negating (specific negation):
- Ich fahre nicht morgen, sondern heute. — I'm not travelling tomorrow, but today.
- Das ist nicht richtig. — That is not correct.
kein (no/not a)
"Kein" negates nouns that would have indefinite articles (ein/eine) or no article. Where English says "I don't have a car" or "I have no car", German uses "Ich habe kein Auto". "Kein" declines like "ein", changing form based on gender and case:
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| Ich habe einen Hund. | Ich habe keinen Hund. |
| (I have a dog.) | (I have no dog.) |
| Er hat Zeit. | Er hat keine Zeit. |
| (He has time.) | (He has no time.) |
Kein follows the same pattern as ein:
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | kein | keine | kein | keine |
| Accusative | keinen | keine | kein | keine |
| Dative | keinem | keiner | keinem | keinen |
Subordinate clauses
Subordinate (dependent) clauses are introduced by subordinating conjunctions and cannot stand alone. The key grammatical change: the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause. This verb-final position is the signature of subordinate clauses and applies consistently across all types (that-clauses, because-clauses, if-clauses, etc.):
| Main clause | Subordinate clause |
|---|---|
| Ich weiß, | dass er kommt. |
| (I know) | (that he is coming.) |
| Conjunction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| dass | that | Ich glaube, dass er Recht hat. |
| weil | because | Ich bleibe, weil es regnet. |
| wenn | if/when | Wenn du kommst, rufe ich an. |
| ob | whether | Ich frage, ob er Zeit hat. |
| obwohl | although | Obwohl er müde ist, arbeitet er. |
| als | when (past) | Als ich jung war, spielte ich Fußball. |
| während | while | Während sie kocht, lese ich. |
| bevor | before | Bevor ich gehe, esse ich. |
| nachdem | after | Nachdem er gegessen hat, geht er. |
Coordinating conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions connect two main clauses (or words/phrases of equal rank) without affecting word order. Both clauses keep their verb in position two. The five main coordinating conjunctions are "und" (and), "oder" (or), "aber" (but), "denn" (because), and "sondern" (but rather):
| Conjunction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| und | and | Er liest und sie schreibt. |
| oder | or | Kommst du oder bleibst du? |
| aber | but | Ich will, aber ich kann nicht. |
| denn | because | Ich gehe, denn ich bin müde. |
| sondern | but rather | Nicht heute, sondern morgen. |
Relative clauses
Relative clauses add information about a noun, similar to English "who", "which", or "that" clauses. German relative pronouns must match the gender and number of the noun they refer to, and their case depends on their function within the relative clause. Like other subordinate clauses, the verb goes to the end:
Der Mann, der dort steht, ist mein Bruder.
(The man who is standing there is my brother.)
Das Buch, das ich lese, ist interessant.
(The book that I'm reading is interesting.)
Infinitive clauses
Infinitive clauses use "zu" + infinitive, similar to English "to" + verb. The infinitive goes to the end of its clause. These constructions are common after verbs like "versuchen" (to try), "hoffen" (to hope), and "beginnen" (to begin), as well as in expressions like "es ist schwer, zu..." (it is hard to...):
- Ich versuche, Deutsch zu lernen. — I try to learn German.
- Es ist schwer, das zu verstehen. — It is hard to understand that.
With separable verbs, zu goes between the prefix and verb:
- Ich versuche, früh aufzustehen. — I try to get up early.