Sentence Structure
- Simple, declarative sentences are identical in German and English: Subject, verb, other.
- The verb is always the second element in a German sentence.
- With compound verbs, the second part of the verb goes last, but the conjugated part is still second.
- German sentences are usually " time , manner, place."
- After a subordinate clause / conjunction, the verb goes last.
What is the sentence structure in German?
Sentence Structure . Simple, declarative sentences are identical in German and English: Subject, verb, other. The verbis always the second element in a German sentence. With compound verbs, the second part of the verb goes last, but the conjugated part is still second. German sentences are usually "time, manner, place.".
What is the correct way to start a German sentence?
However, German often prefers to begin a sentence with something other than the subject, usually for emphasis or for stylistic reasons. Only one element can precede the verb, but it may consist of more than one word (e.g., "vor zwei Tagen" below). In such cases, the verb remains second and the subject must immediately follow the verb:
What is a simple declarative sentence in German?
Simple, declarative sentences are identical in German and English: Subject, verb, other. The verb is always the second element in a German sentence. With compound verbs, the second part of the verb goes last, but the conjugated part is still second. German sentences are usually " time , manner, place."
What is the subject of a sentence in German?
The subject is the word that’s doing the action in the sentence. It’s often a personal pronoun, like ich (I), du (you [singular informal]), er (he), or wir (we). In German, the subject is always in the Nominative case. The verb, of course, is the “action word” — even if it’s something more passive, like sein (to be) or mögen (to like).
How does German sentence structure work?
Sentence Structure Simple, declarative sentences are identical in German and English: Subject, verb, other. The verb is always the second element in a German sentence. With compound verbs, the second part of the verb goes last, but the conjugated part is still second. German sentences are usually "time, manner, place."
Is German sentence structure the same as English?
German Has the Same Sentence Structure as English Since you already know English, mastering German sentence structure will be much easier. English and basic German sentences both follow the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure. This means that simple sentences will look something like this: The dog plays with the ball.
What are two most important rules for German sentence structure?
As always, understanding WHY German grammar is what it is is the first step to understanding HOW to correctly use German grammar! PRINCIPLE #1: The subject noun (nominative case) MUST be next to the verb. PRINCIPLE #2: The verb MUST be the 2nd element (a.k.a. in the 2nd position).
How do you form a complex sentence in German?
The key element to complex sentence structure in German is the conjunction. Conjunctions are the words we use to connect clauses to give us longer, more complex sentences....Ich will einen Hund, aber er will nicht. ... Ich gehe ins Bett, denn ich bin müde.More items...
Is German harder than English?
Some parts of German grammar are particularly tricky for English speakers to get to grips with, but German grammar is actually arguably easier to learn than English grammar because it follows set rules that are laid down by the three regional authorities, in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (with small differences ...
Is German the most difficult language to learn?
While German might not make the list of the easiest languages to learn, it isn't one of the top ten most difficult ones either. If you're looking for a quick answer to whether learning German really is as hard as you've heard – the answer is yes and no.
What are the basic words in German?
Basic German WordsGuten Tag = Good day.Hallo = Hello.Auf Wiedersehen = Goodbye.Bitte = Please.Danke = Thanks, Thank you.Entschuldigung = Sorry.Gesundheit = Bless you (after someone sneezes)Ja = Yes.More items...
How do you memorize German verbs?
It gets easier to remember such verbs by categorizing them even further into three main groups: Stem change e to ie. Eg: lesen (to read): ich lese, du liest, er/sie/es liest, ihr lest, wir/Sie/sie lesen....Regular VerbsIch (I): -e.Du (informal you): -st.Ihr (you all) and er, sie, es (he, she, it): -t.
How do you form words in German?
When composing long German words, you need to sometimes insert a letter or letters.In noun + noun compounds you add: -e- When the plural of the first noun adds an –e-. Die Hundehütte (der Hund -> die Hunde)- er- ... In verbstem + noun compositions, you add: -e- After many verbs that have a stem ending b, d, g, and t.
Is German grammar different from English?
Although some features of German grammar, such as the formation of some of the verb forms, resemble those of English, German grammar differs from that of English in that it has, among other things, cases and gender in nouns and a strict verb-second word order in main clauses.
Does word order matter in German?
In German, there is a clear structure to a sentence, so word order really matters. In German, the verb is always the second idea in a sentence.
Is German an SVO language?
German and Dutch are considered SVO in conventional typology and SOV in generative grammar. They can be considered SOV but with V2 word order as an overriding rule for the finite verb in main clauses, which results in SVO in some cases and SOV in others.
Do English and German have the same grammar?
This is why English and German share a great deal of vocabulary. All of this overlap in pronunciation and meaning means that despite German's complicated grammar, English and German are still considered 60% lexically similar.
Is German grammar different from English?
Although some features of German grammar, such as the formation of some of the verb forms, resemble those of English, German grammar differs from that of English in that it has, among other things, cases and gender in nouns and a strict verb-second word order in main clauses.
Which language has the same sentence structure as English?
The Easiest Languages To Learn: Norwegian The most convenient aspect of learning Norwegian, though, is that the sentence structure is exactly the same as in English.
Is German SVO or SOV?
German and Dutch are considered SVO in conventional typology and SOV in generative grammar. They can be considered SOV but with V2 word order as an overriding rule for the finite verb in main clauses, which results in SVO in some cases and SOV in others.
What is a simple sentence?
In English a simple sentence is structured with the subject of the sentence coming first and is then followed immediately by the verb phrase. For example:
Which element must always be the second element in a sentence?
The verb must always be the second element in the sentence.
Is "kommen" a third word?
In this sentence mein Bruder (my brother) is the subject and it is made up of two words so the verb kommen is the third word in the sentence, but is still classed as the second element.
Can a verb be the second word in a sentence?
Remember sometimes the first element might be made up of more than one word so the verb won't necessarily be the second word in the sentence, it just has to be the second grammatical idea.
Does the subject precede the verb in a German sentence?
The reason for this is that in a basic German sentence the main verb must always be the second element of the sentence. If the subject does not precede the verb it must follow it immediately. Here's a few examples to help highlight this.
Is "tonight" first or second in German?
So now 'tonight' comes first, followed by the subject 'we' followed, by the verb phrase 'are going.' In German we can move the time phrase to the front too, but after that the structure has to change. Here's the same sentence in German, starting with the time phrase 'tonight.'
Can you use "Heute Abend" in a sentence?
In German you can create a basic sentence much like an English one, where the subject proceeds the verb. heute Abend ins Kino. However, if you want to highlight something, such as the time phrase in a sentence, this can go first, but then the verb must be second element, and the subject must be third. zu Schule.
What order should sentences be in German?
For starters, the structure of the most basic sentences in German follows the example of English with an SVO order: subject first, verb second, object last. This means you can literally translate simple English statements into German:
What are the rules of German sentence structure?
If you want to drill the rules into your head, here are a few prescriptions for forming basic German sentences: The basic order is SVO: subject, verb, object. The verb, the main verb or the conjugated part of the verb is always the second element of the sentence. If the subject does not precede the verb, ...
What is a modal verb in German?
Modal verbs form a predicate together with the infinitive of a full verb to specify or characterise a relationship between subject and verb in a sentence. In terms of sentence structure, they work in the same way as auxiliary verbs.
Which element of a sentence is always the second element?
The verb, the main verb or the conjugated part of the verb is always the second element of the sentence.
What is a conjunction in German?
A conjunction connects two sentences or two parts of a sentence. One part can depend on the other, forming a relative clause. The sentence structure for relative clauses in German differs from English. A dependent part of a sentence or sentences with certain conjunctions use a different word order. They follow the structure CSOV: conjunction, ...
What is the sentence structure for "fahre heute mit dem Rad zur Schule"?
The German sentence structure would be “Ich fahre heute mit dem Rad zur Schule.” Time (“heute) comes first, followed by manner (“mit dem Rad”) and place (“zur Schule”).
Where does the infinitive go in a sentence?
The conjugated part of the verb, the auxiliary verb or modal verb, appears first in the sentence in its usual position, but the infinitive goes at the very end. This can be confusing for learners, because the infinitive expresses what is going on and therefore has some importance; however, you need to pay attention to properly conjugate the first verb.
What is a German sentence?
German sentences are usually " time , manner, place.". After a subordinate clause / conjunction, the verb goes last. Throughout this article, note that verb refers to the conjugated or finite verb, i.e., the verb that has an ending that agrees with the subject (er geht, wir geh en, du gehst, etc.). Also, "in second position" or "second place," ...
What is the sentence structure in German?
Sentence Structure. Simple, declarative sentences are identical in German and English: Subject, verb, other. The verb is always the second element in a German sentence. With compound verbs, the second part of the verb goes last, but the conjugated part is still second. German sentences are usually " time , manner, place.".
What does "second place" mean in a sentence?
Also, "in second position" or "second place," means the second element, not necessarily the second word. For example, in the following sentence, the subject (Der alte Mann) consists of three words and the verb (kommt) comes second, but it is the fourth word: "Der alte Mann kommt heute nach Hause.".
What is a subordinate clause in German?
German Subordinate (or Dependent) Clauses. Subordinate clauses, those parts of a sentence that cannot stand alone and are dependent on another part of the sentence, introduce more complicated word order rules. A subordinate clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction ( dass, ob, weil, wenn ) or in the case of relative clauses, ...
Where is the conjugated verb placed in a subordinate clause?
The conjugated verb is placed at the end of a subordinate clause (“post position”). Here are some examples of subordinate clauses in German and English. Notice that each German subordinate clause (in bold type) is set off by a comma. Also, notice that the German word order is different from that of the English and that a subordinate clause may come ...
Is German word order more flexible than English?
While there are cases in which German and English word order are identical, German word order (die Wortstellung) is generally more variable and flexible than English. A "normal" word order places the subject first, the verb second, and any other elements third, for example: "Ich sehe dich.". ("I see you.") or "Er arbeitet zu Hause.".
Do relative clauses have the same word order?
Both relative clauses and subordinate clauses with a conjunction have the same word order. The last example in the sentence pairs above is actually a relative clause. A relative clause explains or further identifies a person or thing in the main clause.
How many patterns of sentences are there in German?
These are the FOUR patterns German sentences use:
What is the sentence structure pattern in German?
The basic sentence structure pattern — so, the default pattern used in both English and German — can be most simplified to SUBJECT NOUN + VERB + EVERYTHING ELSE.
What are the most important words in a sentence?
On a meta-level, the most important words in any sentence (in English or German or otherwise) are NOUNS .
What is standard sentence structure?
The short of the story is that the STANDARD sentence structure is what you default to unless you meet specific criteria that REQUIRE you to use pattern 2, 3, or 4 (<– all can be categorized as ‘exception’ or ‘deviant’ patterns).
How many principles are there in the standard sentence structure?
There are TWO principles at play in the standard sentence structure.
What is a complete sentence?
At the most rudimentary level, a complete sentence is comprised of a SUBJECT NOUN and a VERB — in other words, someone or something who/that is doing or being something.
Why is it important to structure a sentence?
How you structure a sentence is vital because it impacts the MEANING you convey.
What is the sentence structure of a question in German?
When you’re asking a question in German, the sentence structure is again very similar to English. Again, if you have two verbs, the first one’s conjugated while the second one goes to the end of the question. But, just like in English, German has question words. These are often called W-Wörter in German, because they all being with a “w”.
How to form a question in German?
There are two ways to form a question in German. You either use a question word, or you can invert the word order. These examples below show either option.
What is the SVO structure in German?
English and basic German sentences both follow the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure. This means that simple sentences will look something like this: The dog plays with the ball. – Der Hund spielt mit dem Ball. The subject is “the dog” (der Hund), the verb is “plays” (spielt), and the object is “the ball” (dem Ball).
What is the dominant verb in German?
In German, the dominant verb comes first. And this is the one you conjugate. The secondary verb either remains in the infinitive form or conjugated according to the rules of the past tense. Then, you’ll have to place the second verb to the end of the sentence.
How to learn word order rules?
So, the best way to learn the word order rules is by seeing them in their natural habitat. Everyday phrases and expressions all include the grammar rules you just learned. And to find the list of the most useful German phrases, all you need to do is download OptiLingo. OptiLingo has the only vocabulary list you’ll need to reach fluency.
What is the meaning of conjunctions in German?
The German Sentence Structure With Conjunctions. Conjunctions are words that you use to connect two parts of the sentence. Sometimes these two halves are equal, then you use conjunctions such as “und” (and). Other times, one of the sentence halves is dependent of the other.
How to speak fluent German?
The only way to reach German fluency is by mastering the sentence structure. Know which rules to create your sentences by makes a big difference. So, we compiled every rule on German sentence structure that you need to succeed. Never question German word order again, just speak fluently with ease.
Which verb comes first in an imperative statement?
In an imperative statement (a direct order), the conjugated verb comes first, just like in English:
Can German main clauses be written in the same order as English?
A simple main clause in German can be written with the same word order as English:
Is a compound verb a helping verb?
With a compound verb (consisting of a main verb and a helping verb), English usually keeps the two parts together. In German the conjugated verb must be in the second position, while the other verb almost always goes at the end of the phrase:
How to write January 12 2019 in German?
For example, if you wanted to write the date January 12, 2019 numerically in German, you would write "12.01.2019".
How to read the month in German?
Use an ordinal to read the number of the month. If the name of the month is written out, you would just say the name of the month. However, if you're reading a date in German that's written using only numbers, you read the month as an ordinal number rather than saying the name of that month.
What does "am fünften Oktober zweitausendelf" mean?
If a preposition precedes the date, the ordinal ends in -en. For example, you would say am fünften Oktober zweitausendelf to mean "on [the] 5th [of] Oktober 2011."
What are the months of the year in German?
The months of the year in German are: Januar (January), Februar (February), März (March), April (April), Mai (May), Juni (June), Juli (July), August (August), September (September), Oktober (October), November (November), and Dezember (December). They're fairly easy to recognize and remember if you already know the months of the year in English.
What are the days of the week in German?
In German, the days of the week are Montag (Monday), Dienstag (Tuesday), Mittwoch (Wednesday), Donnerstag (Thursday), Freitag (Friday), Samstag (Saturday), and Sonntag (Sunday). Tip: In German, the days of the week are capitalized just as they are in English.
How to separate the dates in a sentence?
Separate the parts of the date with periods. Use a period or full-stop after the numeral representing the day and the month. Do not include a space after the period. There's no need for a period after the year unless the date happens to fall at the end of a sentence.
How to write a month in a letter?
Add the name of the month and the numerals for the year. After the day of the year, write out the name of the month. Type a space, then close your date with the numerals of the year. There's no punctuation between the month and the year.
