German Grammar A–Z
Look up German grammar topics A–Z, organized by category and level — with clear explanations and examples.
Verb Position in the Sentence
In any language, a complete sentence is made up of several components, and the verb is always regarded as the key component for forming a sentence. In today's lesson we will look at the position of the verb in a German sentence. Let's get started!!!
The verb in position 2
In statements (Aussagesatz) and in questions with a question word (W_Fragen), the verb is always in position 2:
Position 1 | Position 2 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Statement | Ich | heiße | Maria. | |
Question with a question word | Wann | beginnt | das Konzert? |
For separable verbs, the base verb is in position 2 and the prefix goes at the end of the sentence:
Position 1 | Position 2 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Statement | Sie | leitet | wichtige E-Mails an die Chefin | weiter. |
Question with a question word | Wann | kommt | der Zug | an? |
If the sentence contains a modal verb (Modalverben), the modal verb is in position 2, and the other verb, kept in the infinitive, goes at the end:
Position 1 | Position 2 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Statement | Henry | kann | gut | schwimmen. |
Question with a question word | Was | können | wir im Supermarkt | kaufen? |
If the sentence contains an auxiliary verb (present perfect, future tense, passive), the auxiliary verb is in position 2 and the main verb goes at the end of the sentence:
Position 1 | Position 2 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Statement in the present perfect Perfekt | Sie | hat | ein Gedicht | geschrieben. |
Question with a question word in the future tense | Wann | wirst | du dein Zimmer | aufräumen? |
Statement in the passive | Seit 3 Monaten | werden | in Vietnam weniger Autos | verkauft. |
The verb in position 1
In German, the verb is in first position only in imperative sentences (Imperativsatz) and in yes/no questions (Ja/Nein_Fragen):
Position 1 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Imperative | Setzen | Sie sich. | |
Yes/No question | Beginnt | das Konzert um 18 Uhr? |
For separable verbs, the base verb is in position 1 and the prefix goes at the end of the sentence in imperatives and yes/no questions:
Position 1 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Imperative | Rufen | Sie mich bitte morgen | an! |
Yes/No question | Kommt | der Zug um 19 Uhr | an? |
Likewise, the modal verb and the auxiliary verb go in position 1, and the other verb goes at the end of the sentence in yes/no questions (Ja/Nein_Fragen):
Position 1 | Mittelfeld | Satzende | |
Yes/No question with a modal verb | Kannst | du gut | schwimmen? |
Yes/No question in the present perfect | Hast | du mit Maria | telefoniert? |
Yes/No question in the future tense | Werden | die Thunfische bald | aussterben? |
Yes/No question in the passive | Wird | dieses Haus | repariert? |
