In a German statement the conjugated verb is always the second element. Everything else can move around it, which is why German word order feels flexible and strict at the same time.
Think of a German main clause as a row of boxes. The conjugated verb – the verb with the personal ending – always sits in box 2. Box 1 can be filled by the subject, but also by a time phrase, a place, an object or even a whole clause. When something other than the subject comes first, the subject simply moves to the place directly after the verb.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (verb) | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | arbeite | heute im Homeoffice. |
| Heute | arbeite | ich im Homeoffice. |
| Im Homeoffice | arbeite | ich heute. |
| Am Montag um neun | beginnt | der Deutschkurs. |
| Den Film | kenne | ich schon. |
All five sentences are correct. The meaning hardly changes; what comes first is simply what you want to stress or what links to the previous sentence.
Position 1 is not the same as the first word. It is the first unit, and it can contain several words: Jeden Samstag | spiele | ich Cricket. Mein Kollege aus Chennai | wohnt | in Leipzig. Nach dem Essen | trinken | wir Chai.
This is where English speakers go wrong most often. English allows Tomorrow I fly to Delhi, with two elements before the verb. German does not: it must be Morgen fliege ich nach Delhi. If you hear Morgen ich fliege …, the verb is in position 3, and that sounds clearly foreign.
When the verb has two parts, only the conjugated part stays in position 2. The other part – an infinitive, a participle or a separable prefix – goes to the very end. Germans call this the Satzklammer (sentence bracket).
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Modal verb | Ich muss heute lange arbeiten. |
| Separable verb | Der Zug kommt um 8 Uhr an. |
| Perfect tense | Wir haben gestern Dosa gegessen. |
| möchten | Am Wochenende möchte ich ins Kino gehen. |
Some words stand in front of position 1 and do not count as a position. The most important are und, aber, oder, denn and sondern: Ich koche, und mein Mann spült. Es ist spät, aber wir haben noch Hunger. Short words like ja and nein and names in direct address are also outside the count: Ja, ich komme. Anil, du bist dran.
In questions with a question word the verb is also second: Wo wohnst du? Only yes/no questions and commands put the verb first. Later you will learn subordinate clauses with weil and dass, where the verb goes to the end.
Tips: When you write, underline the conjugated verb and count what is in front of it – there must be exactly one unit. Starting with a time word such as heute, dann, danach or am Wochenende is a great way to practise inversion and makes your German sound more natural.
| Not quite | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Heute ich gehe ins Fitnessstudio. | Heute gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio. | After a time word in position 1, the verb comes next and the subject follows it. |
| Am Montag ich habe einen Termin. | Am Montag habe ich einen Termin. | Only one unit may stand before the conjugated verb. |
| Ich muss arbeiten heute. | Ich muss heute arbeiten. | With a modal verb the infinitive goes to the very end. |
| Ich habe Hunger, aber habe ich kein Geld. | Ich habe Hunger, aber ich habe kein Geld. | aber does not count as a position, so ich is position 1 and the verb habe comes second. |
1. Am Wochenende ___ wir Freunde.
2. Welche Reihenfolge ist richtig?
3. Um sieben Uhr ___ der Unterricht.
4. Welcher Satz ist richtig?
5. Ich bin müde, aber ich ___ noch.
6. Welcher Satz ist richtig?
7. Nach der Arbeit ___ ich oft ins Café.
8. Welcher Satz ist richtig?
Related grammar: W-questions, Yes/no questions, Modal verbs, und, aber, oder, denn, sondern.
Back to the grammar reference or to the A1 lessons.
Original practice questions written by the Desi European Tales editorial team; they are not the official exam questions. Checked 1 November 2026.
Related: German grammar reference · German A1 lessons · W-questions
