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Word order in standard constructions

Verb position

Every regular declaratory sentence has the verb in second position. If the verb consists of several parts (e.g. modal verb and infinitive; auxiliary verb and perfect participle; or separable-prefix verb and prefix) the rest of the verb is in the last position. Examples:

  • Er geht heute in die Schule. (He is going to school today.)
  • Heute geht er in die Schule. (Today he is going to school.)
  • Gestern ist er nicht in die Schule gegangen. (Yesterday he didn't go to school.)
  • Morgen muss er einen Test schreiben. (Tomorrow he has to write a test.)
  • Heute fängt sein Unterricht um acht Uhr an. (Today his classes begin at eight o'clock.)
  • Heute morgen ist er um sieben Uhr aufgestanden. (This morning, he got up at seven o'clock.)

Sentence element in first position

Usually, sentences begin with the subject. But they can also begin with adverbs, adverbial phrases, or objects. These first elements are always followed by the conjugated part of the verb. Example sentences:

  • Sie kauft heute Sommersachen. (She is buying summer clothes today)
  • Heute kauft sie Sommersachen. (She is buying summer clothes today)
  • Sommersachen kauft sie heute. (She is buying summer clothes today)
  • Sie fängt in einigen Tagen ihre neue Arbeit an. (She will be starting her new job in a few days.)
  • In einigen Tagen fängt sie ihre neue Arbeit an. (She will be starting her new job in a few days.)
  • Ihre neue Arbeit fängt sie in einigen Tagen an. (She will be starting her new job in a few days.)

Position Zero

The coordinating conjunctions (words that connect two or more sentences) und, aber, oder, sondern,denn take the so-called position zero in a sentence. This means that they have no influence on the word order.

  • Susanne malt und Christian schreibt. (Susanne paints and Christian writes.)
  • Susanne malt, aber Christian malt nicht. (Susanne paints, but Christian doesn't paint.)
  • Christian schreibt oder er geht spazieren. (Christian writes or he goes for walks.)
  • Christian malt nicht, sondern er schreibt. (Christian does not paint, but he writes.)
  • Christian malt nicht, denn er kann nicht malen. (Christian does not paint, for [because] he cannot paint.)

Word order in questions and imperatives

The word order in questions is similar to the word order in questions in English. If the question starts with a question word, the question word is followed by the verb. Example sentences:

  • Woher kommen Sie? (Where do you come from?).
  • Was machen Sie? (What do you do?).
  • Wie lange bleiben Sie? (How long are you staying?).

If the question can be answered with either yes or no, it starts with the verb:

  • Kommen Sie aus Amerika? (Are you from America?).
  • Sind Sie Geschäftsleute? (Are you business people?).
  • Bleiben Sie lang? (Are you staying long?).

See also: