Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the fundamental rules of verb placement in German sentences, including statement word order with the verb second, verb-first order in yes/no questions, and verb-second order after question words. This lesson explains how to form correct German sentences with practical examples like 'Ich komme aus Spanien' and 'Kommst du aus Spanien?'. Perfect for A1 learners aiming to understand and practice basic German sentence structure.
Satzart (Type of sentence)VerbstellungBeispiel (example)

Aussagesatz  (Declarative sentence )

Subjekt oder anderer Satzteil zuerst (Subject or other part of the sentence first)

An zweiter Stelle (In second position)

Ich komme aus Spanien. (I come from Spain.)

Heute komme ich nach Spanien. (Today come I to Spain.)

Ja/Nein-Frage (Yes/no question)An erster Stelle (In first position)Kommst du aus Spanien? (Do you come from Spain?)
W-Frage (W-question)An zweiter Stelle (In second position)Woher kommst du? (Where do you come from?)

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. ___ alt bist du?

(___ old are you?)

2. Ich ___ 25 Jahre alt.

(I ___ 25 years old.)

3. Mein Geburtstag ___ im Monat Mai.

(My birthday ___ in the month of May.)

4. Ich ___ morgen 30 Jahre alt.

(I ___ 30 years old tomorrow.)

5. Wir ___ eine Party zum Geburtstag.

(We ___ a birthday party.)

6. Herzlichen ___ zum Geburtstag!

(Happy ___!)

Understanding Verb Position in German Sentences

In German, the position of the verb within a sentence varies depending on the sentence type. This lesson focuses on the typical placement of verbs to help A1 learners build a solid foundation for constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.

Verb Placement in Main Sentences (Aussagesatz)

In declarative sentences, the verb usually occupies the second position, following either the subject or another sentence element. For example: Ich komme aus Spanien. or Heute komme ich nach Spanien. Here, you notice the verb "komme" is always second, regardless of the first element.

Questions With Yes/No Answers (Ja/Nein-Fragen)

In yes/no questions, the verb comes first, followed by the subject, like in: Kommst du aus Spanien? This inversion distinguishes questions from statements clearly.

Questions Starting With Question Words (W-Fragen)

When using question words like "woher" (where from), the question word is first, and the verb remains in the second position: Woher kommst du? This pattern helps learners identify and formulate proper German questions.

Key Points to Remember

  • Verb is second in statements and W-questions.
  • Verb is first in yes/no questions.
  • The subject’s position and other sentence elements can vary.

Comparing German and English Sentence Structures

Unlike English, where verb order is more fixed, German’s verb placement rules change with sentence type. English usually follows subject-verb-object order consistently, but German shifts verbs to highlight question forms and sentence emphasis. For example, English: "Do you come from Spain?" versus German: "Kommst du aus Spanien?" where the verb "kommst" moves to first position in questions.

Useful German phrases in this lesson include:

  • Kommen (to come)
  • Bin (am/is/are from "sein" – to be)
  • Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)
Mastering verb position ensures clearer communication and prepares you for more advanced German sentence structures.

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Sophie Schmidt

International Administration Management

Würzburger Dolmetscherschule

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Last Updated:

Monday, 14/07/2025 22:15