German word order is rule-bound, not free
German feels like it scatters words, but it is actually strict. The conjugated verb lives in second position in a normal main clause, no matter what comes first. Everything else arranges around that anchor. Once you trust the verb-second rule, German stops feeling random.
Three more rules complete the picture: subordinate clauses push the verb to the very end, separable verbs split apart, and the middle of the sentence follows a set order called TeKaMoLo.
Rule 1: the verb comes second
In a main clause, the conjugated verb is the second element, not necessarily the second word. Whatever you put first, the verb still comes next, and the subject moves after it. This is called inversion.
| Ich gehe heute ins Kino. | I am going to the cinema today. Subject first, verb second |
| Heute gehe ich ins Kino. | Today I am going to the cinema. Time first, but verb still second |
| Ins Kino gehe ich heute. | To the cinema I am going today. Verb stays in position two |
Rule 2: subordinate clauses send the verb to the end
After subordinating conjunctions like weil (because), dass (that), wenn (if/when), and obwohl (although), the conjugated verb jumps to the final position. A comma separates the clauses.
| Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich müde bin. | I am staying home because I am tired. weil → bin at the end |
| Er sagt, dass er kommt. | He says that he is coming. dass → kommt at the end |
| Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir hier. | If it rains, we will stay here. Subordinate first, then verb-second main clause |
Rule 3: separable verbs split apart
Many German verbs have a prefix that detaches in a main clause and flies to the end. Aufstehen (to get up) becomes ich stehe ... auf. The prefix waits at the end of the clause.
| Ich stehe um sieben Uhr auf. | I get up at seven o'clock. aufstehen → stehe ... auf |
| Sie ruft mich morgen an. | She is calling me tomorrow. anrufen → ruft ... an |
| Wir kaufen am Samstag ein. | We go shopping on Saturday. einkaufen → kaufen ... ein |
Rule 4: TeKaMoLo orders the middle
When several details sit in the middle of a sentence, German prefers a set order: Temporal (when), Kausal (why), Modal (how), Lokal (where). Remember it as TeKaMoLo. You will not always use all four, but their relative order stays the same.
| Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus zur Arbeit. | I am going to work by bus tomorrow. morgen (Te) · mit dem Bus (Mo) · zur Arbeit (Lo) |
| Sie geht heute wegen der Prüfung früh ins Bett. | She is going to bed early today because of the exam. heute (Te) · wegen der Prüfung (Ka) · früh (Mo) · ins Bett (Lo) |
Pronunciation: the verb-final landing
Because key verbs and prefixes land at the end, German sentences carry meaning right to the final word. Keep your voice energetic through to that last syllable.
- auf — IPA /aʊf/ — 'owf', the separable prefix; do not swallow it at the end of a clause.
- weil — IPA /vaɪl/ — 'vile', with a German w pronounced like an English v.
- müde — IPA /ˈmyː.də/ — 'MUE-duh', the ü is 'ee' said with rounded lips, ending on a soft 'uh'.
- Special note: in speech, listeners wait for the final verb in a weil clause, so finish the sentence clearly. Trailing off loses the grammar.
Mini-drill: put the words in order
Arrange each set into a correct sentence, then check the key.
- 1. ins Kino / heute / ich / gehe
- 2. müde / bin / ich / weil / , / ich bleibe zu Hause
- 3. auf / um sechs Uhr / stehe / ich
- 4. zur Schule / mit dem Rad / morgen / ich / fahre
- 5. dass / er / kommt / sie sagt / ,
Answer key
- 1. Heute gehe ich ins Kino. (or Ich gehe heute ins Kino.) Verb second either way.
- 2. Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich müde bin. (weil → verb to the end)
- 3. Ich stehe um sechs Uhr auf. (separable: stehe ... auf)
- 4. Ich fahre morgen mit dem Rad zur Schule. (TeKaMoLo: morgen, mit dem Rad, zur Schule)
- 5. Sie sagt, dass er kommt. (dass → verb to the end)
Frequently asked questions
What is the verb-second rule in German?
In a normal main clause, the conjugated verb is always the second element. Whatever you place first, whether the subject, a time expression, or a place, the verb comes next and the subject follows it. Heute gehe ich and Ich gehe heute are both correct because the verb stays in position two.
Why does the verb go to the end in some German sentences?
Subordinating conjunctions such as weil, dass, wenn, and obwohl send the conjugated verb to the very end of their clause. So Ich bin müde becomes ..., weil ich müde bin. The clause is set off by a comma, and the verb is the last word.
What does TeKaMoLo mean?
It is a memory aid for the order of details in the middle of a German sentence: Temporal (when), Kausal (why), Modal (how), Lokal (where). When you have several such phrases, German prefers them in that sequence, as in Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus zur Arbeit.
How do separable verbs affect word order?
Separable verbs split in a main clause: the prefix detaches and moves to the end. Aufstehen becomes ich stehe ... auf, and anrufen becomes sie ruft ... an. The prefix waits at the end of the clause, so the sentence is only complete once you reach it.