Wortstellung im Hauptsatz
Wortstellung — for English Speakers
Introduction
The most important German word order rule: the conjugated verb must be the second element in a main clause. English is flexible ('Today I go' or 'I go today'), but German is strict — if anything other than the subject starts the sentence, the subject and verb swap. 'Heute gehe ICH ins Kino' — the verb stays in position 2 no matter what.
German vs English
In German
Heute gehe ich ins Kino. (time first → verb 2nd → subject 3rd)
In English
Today I go to the cinema. (no inversion in English)
Key Difference
German inverts subject and verb when something else leads; English keeps subject before verb.
In German
Ich gehe heute ins Kino. (subject first = same as English)
In English
I go to the cinema today.
Key Difference
When the subject leads, German and English word order are identical.
Common Mistakes for English Speakers
Heute ich gehe ins Kino.
Keeping English SVO order after a time expression — German requires verb in second position.
Morgen wir haben frei.
Same error — when a time word leads, the verb MUST come second, pushing the subject to third.
Practice Examples
Am Montag arbeite ich.
On Monday I work.
Danach gehen wir essen.
After that we go eat.
Morgen habe ich frei.
Tomorrow I have a day off.
Memory Tip
The verb is a diva — it ALWAYS demands the second spotlight position on stage, no matter who enters first.
View Grammar Rule
Wortstellung im Hauptsatz
Wortstellung — A1
Practice Exercises
Wortstellung im Hauptsatz Übungen
8 exercises
Other Languages
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