Main-clause word order
Keep the conjugated verb in the correct position.
The rule
In a statement, put the conjugated verb second. The first element can contain several words; if it is not the subject, put the subject after the verb.
Position 1 + VERB + subject + rest: Heute lerne ich Deutsch.
A sentence position is a functional unit, not a single word. Heute is one element, but Am Montag, Nach dem Deutschkurs, and In meiner neuen Wohnung are also one element each. The conjugated verb follows that complete opening unit.
When the subject occupies position one, the familiar order is subject + verb: Ich arbeite heute. When another element moves to position one, the verb stays second and the subject moves behind it: Heute arbeite ich.
Time and place phrases commonly appear first because they connect a sentence to its context. Objects can also appear first for contrast or emphasis: Das Buch lese ich heute; den Film sehe ich morgen.
The verb-second sentence frame
Position one can grow, shrink, or change type. The conjugated verb keeps its reserved second position.
| Position 1 | Position 2 | Subject | Remaining information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich | arbeite | — | heute zu Hause. |
| Heute | arbeite | ich | zu Hause. |
| Am Montag | arbeite | ich | zu Hause. |
| Nach dem Kurs | trinke | ich | einen Kaffee. |
| In Berlin | wohnt | meine Schwester | seit zwei Jahren. |
What can occupy position one?
| Opening type | Example | English | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| subject | Mara kocht heute. | Mara is cooking today. | who |
| time | Heute kocht Mara. | Today Mara is cooking. | when |
| place | Zu Hause kocht Mara. | Mara is cooking at home. | where |
| object | Die Suppe kocht Mara heute. | Mara is cooking the soup today. | what |
| adverb | Danach isst die Familie. | After that, the family eats. | connection |
The same anchor with more than one verb part
| Verb structure | Position two | End | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| simple verb | lerne | — | Heute lerne ich Deutsch. |
| separable verb | kaufe | ein | Heute kaufe ich ein. |
| modal + infinitive | muss | arbeiten | Heute muss ich arbeiten. |
| perfect tense | habe | gelernt | Heute habe ich viel gelernt. |
German examples with English meanings
Ich kaufe heute Brot.
I am buying bread today.
subject in position one
Heute kaufe ich Brot.
Today I am buying bread.
time in position one
Nach der Arbeit besucht Maria ihre Freundin.
After work Maria visits her friend.
multiword opening = one element
In Berlin wohnt mein Bruder.
My brother lives in Berlin.
place + verb + subject
Das Buch lese ich morgen.
I am reading the book tomorrow.
object emphasised in position one
Danach trinken wir einen Kaffee.
After that we have a coffee.
connecting adverb first
Heute kauft Tom im Supermarkt ein.
Tom is shopping at the supermarket today.
conjugated part second, prefix last
Am Montag muss ich lange arbeiten.
On Monday I have to work for a long time.
modal verb second, infinitive last
[Heute Morgen] lerne ich Deutsch.
[This morning] I am studying German.
[In meiner neuen Wohnung] arbeite ich gern.
[In my new apartment] I like working.
[Nach dem Essen] gehen wir spazieren.
[After the meal] we go for a walk.
Meine Schwester wohnt in Bonn.
My sister lives in Bonn.
In Bonn wohnt meine Schwester.
My sister lives in Bonn.
Morgen besuchen wir unsere Oma.
Tomorrow we are visiting our grandmother.
Am Morgen mache ich Kaffee. Danach lese ich die Nachrichten.
In the morning I make coffee. After that I read the news.
Im Park treffe ich Lea. Dort trinken wir einen Kaffee.
I meet Lea in the park. We have a coffee there.
Den Kaffee trinke ich schwarz. Tee trinke ich mit Milch.
I drink coffee black. I drink tea with milk.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Heute ich lerne Deutsch.
Correct: Heute lerne ich Deutsch.
The conjugated verb must be the second element.
Incorrect: Am Wochenende meine Freunde kommen.
Correct: Am Wochenende kommen meine Freunde.
The opening phrase occupies position one, so the verb follows it.
Incorrect: In Berlin mein Bruder wohnt.
Correct: In Berlin wohnt mein Bruder.
The place phrase is first, so the subject must follow the verb.
Incorrect: Nach dem Kurs ich trinke Kaffee.
Correct: Nach dem Kurs trinke ich Kaffee.
The full opening phrase counts as one element and the verb must be next.
Incorrect: Heute ich muss arbeiten.
Correct: Heute muss ich arbeiten.
The conjugated modal verb occupies position two; the infinitive remains at the end.
Details and useful distinctions
Only the conjugated part of the verb holds position two. With a separable verb, the prefix goes to the end: Nach der Arbeit kauft Tom ein. With a modal verb, the infinitive goes to the end: Heute muss ich arbeiten.
The verb-second rule applies to statements and main clauses. Direct yes/no questions use verb-first order, and subordinate clauses later in the course place the conjugated verb at the end.
Varying position one makes German sound connected and natural. It also lets you guide attention without changing the basic meaning: Ich lerne heute zu Hause; Heute lerne ich zu Hause; Zu Hause lerne ich heute.
Learners often count written words and incorrectly think the verb in Am Montag arbeite ich is third. Am Montag answers one question—when?—and functions as one time element, so arbeite is the second sentence element.
Use a bracket test: place brackets around everything that belongs to the opening phrase. [Nach dem langen Deutschkurs] trinke ich einen Kaffee. The verb begins immediately after the closing bracket.
When the subject leaves position one, it usually appears directly after the conjugated verb. This is sometimes called inversion, but the verb has not moved away from its rule: position two remains fixed while the subject changes position.
Compare Ich arbeite heute and Heute arbeite ich. English often keeps the subject before the verb after a time phrase, but German normally does not: Heute ich arbeite is incorrect.
Position one can connect each new sentence to the previous one. Time words such as dann, danach, später, and am Abend create a clear sequence. Place phrases can maintain a scene, while an object can repeat or contrast a topic.
In a short narrative, avoid beginning every sentence with ich. Keep the verb second while varying the opening: Am Morgen stehe ich auf. Danach mache ich Kaffee. Im Büro beantworte ich E-Mails.
Practise this grammar
Imagine the conjugated verb in a reserved chair marked 2. Put one complete idea in chair 1; if it is not the subject, the subject waits behind the verb.
Open Main-clause word order exercises →
For source references and editorial level notes, see the grammar reference. You can report a correction if an explanation or example seems wrong.