Word Order in Main Clauses – The Verb Is Always in Position 2

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In most German main clauses, the conjugated verb is always the second element – no matter what comes first. This is one of the most important rules in German sentence structure.

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The subject often comes first, but not always. You can move other parts of the sentence (like time or place) into the first position to highlight them. No matter what, the verb stays second.

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Examples:
Ich gehe heute ins Kino. → I’m going to the cinema today.
Heute gehe ich ins Kino. → Today I’m going to the cinema.
Ins Kino gehe ich heute. → To the cinema I’m going today.

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In each sentence, gehe (the verb) stays in second position.

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Tip: Position 1 = focus point. Position 2 = verb. Position 3 = subject (if it wasn’t first).

The TMP Rule – Time, Manner, Place

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When you have several pieces of information in one sentence - for example: when, how, and where – German follows a preferred order:

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Time → Manner → Place

This is known as the TMP rule.

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– Time = when? (morgen, am Wochenende, jeden Tag)
– Manner = how? (mit dem Bus, langsam, leise)
– Place = where? (nach Hause, in der Stadt, im Park)

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Examples:
Ich fahre morgen mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit. → I’m going to work by bike tomorrow.
Wir lernen am Nachmittag gemeinsam in der Bibliothek. → We study together in the library in the afternoon.

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If you change the order, the sentence is not necessarily wrong – but it can sound unnatural or confusing.

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Tip: If a sentence “feels off,” try using the TMP structure to make it more natural.

Conjunctions – Coordinating and Subordinating

 

In A2, learners often begin to combine sentences. This is where conjunctions come in. They fall into two main categories:

Coordinating conjunctions: und, oder, aber, denn

These do not change the word order. The second sentence keeps the verb in position 2.

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Examples:
Ich lerne Deutsch, und mein Bruder lernt Spanisch. → I learn German, and my brother learns Spanish.
Sie geht ins Kino, aber er bleibt zu Hause. → She’s going to the cinema, but he’s staying at home.

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Subordinating conjunctions: weil, dass, obwohl, wenn, während, ob
These send the verb to the end of the clause. This is a very important shift.

Examples:
Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin. → I’m staying at home because I’m sick.
Er sagt, dass er keine Zeit hat. → He says that he has no time.
Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir drinnen. → If it rains, we’ll stay inside.

 

Tip: Coordinating conjunctions = verb stays where it is.
Subordinating conjunctions = verb goes to the end.

Subordinate Clauses – The Verb at the End

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Subordinate clauses are dependent clauses. They are introduced by subordinating conjunctions and often follow or interrupt a main clause. The key rule: the conjugated verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause.

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Examples:
Ich weiß, dass du müde bist. → I know that you’re tired.
Sie sagt, dass sie am Montag keine Zeit hat. → She says she has no time on Monday.
Wir fahren nicht, weil wir kein Auto haben. → We’re not going because we don’t have a car.

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If you begin the sentence with the subordinate clause, the main clause that follows starts with the verb, because the subordinate clause has taken position 1.

 

Example:
Weil wir kein Auto haben, fahren wir nicht. → Because we don’t have a car, we’re not going.

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Tip: When you use a subordinate clause first, watch the verb-subject switch in the main clause after it.

Modal and Auxiliary Verbs – Two Verbs in the Sentence​

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Modal verbs like können, müssen, dürfen, wollen, sollen, möchten are used with a second verb in the infinitive. In this case:

– The modal verb is conjugated and goes in position 2
– The main verb (infinitive) goes to the end

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Examples:
Ich kann heute nicht kommen. → I can’t come today.
Wir müssen morgen früh aufstehen. → We have to get up early tomorrow.
Darf ich Ihnen helfen? → May I help you?

With modal verbs in subordinate clauses, both verbs go to the end. The infinitive comes first, the modal second.

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Example:
Ich weiß, dass ich morgen früh aufstehen muss. → I know that I have to get up early tomorrow.

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Tip: When a sentence has more than one verb, all the verbs after the first one usually go to the end – in the correct order.

Indirect Questions – Questions Inside a Sentence

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An indirect question is a question inside a sentence. It’s not asked directly with a question mark. Instead, it’s used when reporting a question, expressing uncertainty, or being polite.

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Indirect questions often begin with:
– a question word (wie, wann, warum, wo, was, wer...)
– the word ob (if / whether)

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In German, indirect questions follow the rules of subordinate clauses. That means the verb goes to the end of the clause.

This is a big change from direct questions, where the verb comes first.

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Compare:

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Direct question:
Wann kommt der Bus? → When is the bus coming?

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Indirect question:
Ich weiß nicht, wann der Bus kommt. → I don’t know when the bus is coming.

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Notice:
– In the direct question, kommt is in position 1
– In the indirect question, kommt moves to the end

This is exactly how other subordinate clauses work – the verb goes to the end of the clause.

Common Verbs That Introduce Indirect Questions

Here are typical verbs that are followed by indirect questions:

– wissen (to know)
– fragen (to ask)
– sagen (to say)
– erzählen (to tell)
– erklären (to explain)
– denken (to think)
– verstehen (to understand)
– sich fragen (to wonder)
– hören (to hear)
– sehen (to see)

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Examples:
Ich weiß nicht, wie spät es ist. → I don’t know what time it is.
Sie fragt, ob du mitkommst. → She asks if you’re coming along.
Kannst du mir sagen, wo das Hotel ist? → Can you tell me where the hotel is?
Ich erinnere mich nicht, wann der Kurs beginnt. → I don’t remember when the course starts.
Er erklärt, warum er nicht da war. → He explains why he wasn’t there.

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Word Order Rules in Indirect Questions

– The conjugated verb always goes to the end of the clause
– W-words (wie, wann, warum…) keep their meaning
– ob is used when there is no question word (like “if” or “whether” in English)

 

Examples with W-words:
Ich weiß, wann sie kommt. → I know when she is coming.
Wir wissen nicht, warum er fehlt. → We don’t know why he’s absent.

 

Examples with ob:
Ich frage mich, ob das richtig ist. → I wonder if that’s right.
Weißt du, ob sie auch kommt? → Do you know if she’s coming too?

If the indirect question starts the sentence, the main clause verb comes second, as always.

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Example:
Ob er morgen mitkommt, weiß ich nicht. → Whether he’s coming tomorrow, I don’t know.

Indirect Questions with Modal Verbs or Perfect Tense

Even in indirect questions with modal verbs or the perfect tense, the verb still goes to the end – with both parts in the correct order.

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Examples:
Ich weiß nicht, wann er ankommen wird. → I don’t know when he will arrive.
Sie fragt, ob du ihr helfen kannst. → She asks if you can help her.
Kannst du mir sagen, wann er angekommen ist? → Can you tell me when he arrived?

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Tip for learners: Start by changing direct questions into indirect questions. This is great practice and helps you understand German word order. Always ask yourself: What is the main verb of the question – and where does it go?

Direct: Wo wohnt sie?
Indirect: Ich weiß nicht, wo sie wohnt.

Direct: Hat er das gesagt?
Indirect: Weißt du, ob er das gesagt hat?

Summary – what you should remember

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• Summary – what you should remember

• the conjugated verb in main clauses is always in position 2

• the first position can be the subject, time, place, or any other element

• the TMP rule = Time – Manner – Place is the natural order for extra information

• coordinating conjunctions (und, oder, aber, denn) do not change word order

• subordinating conjunctions (weil, dass, wenn) send the verb to the end

• modal verbs push the main verb to the end of the sentence

• in subordinate clauses and indirect questions, the verb also goes to the end

• if a subordinate clause comes first, the main clause starts with the verb

What’s next?

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Continue to: Verbs and Verb Form
Practise with: Word Order Quiz
Download: Word Order Cheat Sheet (PDF)
Book a grammar class at GermanMind