German grammar explained
German Word Order Explained
Learn German word order with simple rules for verb position, the V2 rule, questions, negation, subordinate clauses and free practice exercises.
What is German word order?
German word order is the set of rules that controls where the verb, subject, object and extra information appear in a sentence. The most important beginner rule is the V2 rule: in many main clauses, the conjugated verb is in the second position.
German word order explained simply
German word order can feel strict, but it is more predictable than it looks. The key is to find the conjugated verb first.
In a normal statement, German often puts the verb in second position: Ich lerne Deutsch. If another phrase comes first, the verb still stays second: Heute lerne ich Deutsch.
The German V2 rule
German word order in questions
In yes/no questions, the verb usually comes first.
With question words, the question word comes first and the verb comes second.
German word order with nicht
Nicht often comes after the verb and after the direct object, but before many extra phrases or adjectives.
Word order with weil and subordinate clauses
After subordinating conjunctions such as weil, the conjugated verb often moves to the end of the clause.
Common German word order mistakes
Do not forget the V2 rule. Say Heute gehe ich, not Heute ich gehe.
After weil, remember that the verb often goes to the end: weil ich müde bin.
German word order cheat sheet
Fronted phrase: Heute gehe ich.
Yes/no question: Gehst du heute?
Question word: Wann gehst du?
Weil-clause: weil ich heute gehe.
Practice what you just learned
Practice German word order with sentence-building exercises, then use reading and listening practice to notice natural German sentence patterns.
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