What are German sentence structure
order?
German sentence structure can seem tricky at first, but it follows consistent rules. Here’s a
breakdown of the main sentence structures you’ll see in German:
1. Main Clause – Standard Word Order (SVO)
➡️
Subject – Verb – Object
Same as English, but with some quirks.
Example:
● Ich liebe Deutsch. → I love German.
2. Verb Always in Second Position
This is key. In main clauses, the conjugated verb is always the 2nd element, even if
something else comes first (like a time or place).
Examples:
● Heute gehe ich ins Kino. → Today, I’m going to the cinema.
● Morgen kommt mein Freund. → Tomorrow, my friend is coming.
⚠️ "2nd position" means 2nd element, not necessarily 2nd word.
3. Time – Manner – Place (TMP)
In descriptions, use this order:
When – How – Where
Example:
● Ich arbeite jeden Tag (when) mit Freude (manner) im Büro (place).
→ I work every day with joy in the office.
4. Yes/No Questions – Verb Comes First (VSO)
Verb – Subject – Object
Example:
● Hast du Zeit? → Do you have time?
● Magst du Kaffee? → Do you like coffee?
5. Subordinate Clauses – Verb Goes to the End
When using conjunctions like weil (because), dass (that), obwohl (although), move the
conjugated verb to the end.
Examples:
● Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
→ I’m staying home because I am sick.
● Ich weiß, dass du müde bist.
→ I know that you are tired.
6. Modal Verbs / Two-Verb Constructions
The modal or auxiliary verb goes second, and the main verb goes to the end (in infinitive
form).
Example:
● Ich will Deutsch lernen. → I want to learn German.
● Er muss heute arbeiten. → He has to work today.
7. Separable Verbs
The prefix gets moved to the end in main clauses.
Example:
● Ich stehe jeden Tag um 7 Uhr auf.
→ I get up every day at 7 AM.
In subordinate clauses, it stays together at the end:
…, weil ich um 7 Uhr aufstehe.
Would you like a printable cheat sheet or exercises for practice?
You said:
2nd position" means 2nd **element**, not necessarily 2nd word.
elaborate this and also tell what are conjugated verbs
ChatGPT said:
Great! Let’s break this down in detail so you fully understand how German sentence
structure works — especially what is meant by "the verb must be in the 2nd position," and
what conjugated verbs are.
✅ What is a Conjugated Verb?
A conjugated verb is a verb that changes form based on the subject of the sentence (who is
doing the action). It shows tense (present, past, etc.), person (I, you, he...), and number
(singular/plural).
Example (verb: haben – to have):
Subject Verb form (conjugated) English
Ich habe I have
Du hast You have
Er/Sie hat He/She has
Wir haben We have
Ihr habt You all have
Sie haben They/You (formal) have
➡️ In every normal German sentence, one verb must be conjugated, and that verb must be
in the 2nd position in a main clause.
🔁 What Does “2nd Position” Mean in German?
In German main clauses, the conjugated verb always comes second, but the first position
doesn’t have to be the subject.
Let’s compare:
🟢 Basic SVO (Subject – Verb – Object):
● Ich sehe den Hund.
→ I see the dog.
➡️ “Ich” is the subject (1st element), and “sehe” is the conjugated verb (2nd element).
🟡 Start with time, place, or object (verb is still 2nd!):
● Heute sehe ich den Hund.
→ Today, I see the dog.
➡️ “Heute” (Today) is now the 1st element,
“sehe” (see) is still 2nd,
“ich” (I) is 3rd.
More Examples:
● Am Wochenende geht er ins Kino.
→ On the weekend, he goes to the cinema.
● Morgen mache ich meine Hausaufgaben.
→ Tomorrow, I’ll do my homework.
🔎 Summary of Sentence Structure Rules:
✅ Main Clause
● Position 1: Anything (Subject, time, place, object)
● Position 2: Conjugated verb
● Position 3+: Remaining sentence elements (subject, objects, adverbs...)
🧠 Helpful Tip:
Think in "sentence elements" not "individual words."
For example:
● “In der Schule” → is one element (a prepositional phrase)
● “Am Montag” → is also one element
● Even “Heute Morgen um 8 Uhr” counts as one element
So:
● Heute Morgen um 8 Uhr (1st element)
● fahre (2nd element = conjugated verb)
● ich (subject)
● zur Arbeit (place)
→ Heute Morgen um 8 Uhr fahre ich zur Arbeit.
= This morning at 8, I go to work.
Would you like a worksheet or practice sentences where you put the verb in the right spot?
You said:
### **Time – Manner – Place (TMP)** In descriptions, use this order: **When – How – Where**
**Example:** * _Ich arbeite jeden Tag (when) mit Freude (manner) im Büro (place)._ → I work
every day with joy in the office.
elborate and simpliofy this point
ChatGPT said:
Sure! Let’s simplify and explain the Time – Manner – Place (TMP) rule in German sentence
structure.
📚 What is TMP?
In German, when you describe when, how, and where something happens, there's a preferred
word order:
👉 Time – Manner – Place
That means:
1. When does it happen? (Time)
2. How does it happen? (Manner)
3. Where does it happen? (Place)
🔤 Example in English:
I work every day (when) with joy (how) in the office (where).
This is how Germans prefer to build the sentence too — in that same order.
🇩🇪 Same sentence in German:
Ich arbeite jeden Tag mit Freude im Büro.
(I work every day with joy in the office.)
● jeden Tag = when
● mit Freude = how
● im Büro = where
🧠 Why is this helpful?
German learners often mix up the order, like saying:
Ich arbeite im Büro mit Freude jeden Tag. ❌
(which sounds unnatural in German)
✨ TMP Made Easy:
Element Ask yourself… Example
Time When? heute, jeden Tag
Manner How? mit Freude, schnell
Place Where? im Büro, zu Hause
🔧 A Formula You Can Use:
Subject + Verb + Time + Manner + Place + Rest
Ich (subject) arbeite (verb) morgen (when) mit Ruhe (how) zu Hause (where).
Let me know if you want a few fill-in-the-blank exercises to practice TMP!
You said:
### **Modal Verbs / Two-Verb Constructions** The **modal or auxiliary** verb goes second,
and the **main verb goes to the end** (in infinitive form). **Example:** * _Ich will Deutsch
lernen._ → I want to learn German. * _Er muss heute arbeiten._ → He has to work today.
give a list of all modal verbs
ChatGPT said:
Absolutely! Here's a list of all the main German modal verbs along with their meanings and
examples using the two-verb construction (modal verb in second position, main verb at the
end):
✅ List of German Modal Verbs
German English Meaning Example Sentence Translation
dürfen to be allowed to / Ich darf heute länger I may stay longer today.
may bleiben.
können to be able to / can Wir können gut kochen. We can cook well.
mögen to like (to) Ich mag Pizza essen. I like to eat pizza.
müssen to have to / must Du musst jetzt gehen. You must go now.
sollen should / supposed to Er soll mehr Wasser He should drink more
trinken. water.
wollen to want (to) Sie will heute Abend tanzen. She wants to dance
tonight.
📌 Reminder: Word Order Rule
When using modal verbs:
● The modal verb goes to the 2nd position.
● The main verb goes to the end in the infinitive form.
Example:
Ich will Deutsch lernen.
(I want to learn German.)
Yes! In addition to TMP (Time – Manner – Place) and modal verb rules, German sentence
structure has several other important rules you should know. Here's a clear breakdown:
✅ 1. Verb Always in Second Position (V2 Rule)
In main clauses, the conjugated verb must be in the second position.
● ✅ Ich gehe morgen ins Kino.
(I am going to the cinema tomorrow.)
● ✅ Morgen gehe ich ins Kino.
(Tomorrow I am going to the cinema.)
Even if the sentence starts with another element (like “morgen”), the verb stays
second.
✅ 2. Verb at the End in Subordinate Clauses
In subordinate (dependent) clauses, the conjugated verb goes to the end.
● ✅ Ich weiß, dass du heute arbeitest.
(I know that you’re working today.)
Common subordinating conjunctions (that push the verb to the end):
● dass (that)
● weil (because)
● wenn (if/when)
● obwohl (although)
● während (while)
● bevor (before)
● nachdem (after)
✅ 3. Two-Verb Rule
When a sentence has two verbs (e.g., modal verbs, future tense, perfect tense), the conjugated
verb is second, and the infinitive or participle is at the end.
● Ich will Deutsch lernen.
(I want to learn German.)
● Ich habe Deutsch gelernt.
(I have learned German.)
✅ 4. Negation with “nicht”
The word "nicht" (not) comes:
● after the subject, verb, and direct object, but
● before prepositions or time/place expressions if those are being negated.
Examples:
● Ich sehe den Film nicht. (I'm not watching the movie.)
● Ich gehe nicht ins Kino. (I'm not going to the cinema.)
● Ich arbeite nicht heute, sondern morgen. (Not today, but tomorrow.)
✅ 5. Question Word Order
● Yes/No questions start with the verb:
Hast du Hunger?
(Are you hungry?)
● W-questions (who, what, where, when) follow this order:
W-word + verb + subject
Was machst du heute?
(What are you doing today?)
✅ 6. Imperative (Commands)
The verb comes first.
● Geh nach Hause! (Go home!)
● Seid ruhig! (Be quiet!)
✅ 7. Separable Verbs
The prefix is placed at the end of the sentence in present tense.
● Ich stehe jeden Tag früh auf.
(I get up early every day.)
