German word order
Build German sentences with interactive word-order exercises. Practice verb-second statements, questions, subordinate clauses and separable verbs.
Choose a sentence pattern and read the intended meaning.
Tap or keyboard-select chunks in order.
Check verb position, read the explanation and retry missed sentences.
Today I am learning German. Begin with Heute.
Choose the chunks in order. Select a chosen chunk to remove it, or use Undo. Keep the supplied punctuation.
Make sense of what you’re practicing
Verb second means the second element
A German main statement normally puts the finite verb in the second position. The first position can contain several words: Am Morgen trinkt Anna Kaffee. Am Morgen is one phrase; trinkt is the second element. Starting with a time phrase does not move the verb behind the subject.
Questions and subordinate clauses
A yes/no question starts with the verb: Lernst du Deutsch? A question word usually comes before it: Wann kommt der Zug? Subordinators such as weil, dass, wenn and ob send the finite verb to the end of their clause. When a subordinate clause comes first, the main-clause verb follows the comma: Wenn es regnet, bleiben wir zu Hause.
The German verbal bracket
Auxiliaries, modals and separable verbs often frame a clause. Ich habe Deutsch gelernt puts habe second and gelernt last. Ich muss arbeiten ends with the infinitive. Ich stehe früh auf separates aufstehen. In a subordinate clause, the separable verb joins again: weil ich früh aufstehe.
More than one word order can be grammatical
German can move phrases to emphasize known or new information. These exercises give an intended opening and meaning, and accept listed alternatives. A mismatch means the arrangement differs from the exercise pattern; it does not claim that every other emphasis is impossible.