German sentence structure rules are one of the areas where German learners make the most mistakes. Unlike Turkish, the order of words in a sentence is quite strict in German, and the position of the verb is especially important. This article will discuss German sentence structure rules in detail and simply.

If German sentence structure rules are not learned correctly, they can completely distort the meaning of the sentence. Therefore, knowing the order of words when speaking or writing in German is one of the basic requirements of grammar.

Verb Position in a German Sentence

The most basic rule in German is:

👉 The verb always comes in the second position.

Example:

Ich lerne Deutsch.

Heute gehe ich zur Schule.

As seen here, even if a time adverb comes at the beginning of the sentence, the verb still comes in the second position. This rule is the cornerstone of German sentence structure rules.

German Simple Sentence Structure

The structure of simple and straightforward sentences is as follows:

Subject + Verb + Object / Other Elements

Example:

Ich trinke Kaffee.

Wir lernen Deutsch.

This structure is the most frequently used sentence type, especially for German A1 level, and should definitely be practiced with this structure from the beginning.

Structure with Time and Place Adverbs

When using time and place adverbs in German, the ONLY RULE applies:

Time – Place – Verb (verb always 2nd)

Example:

Heute lerne ich Deutsch.

Zu Hause arbeite ich viel.

This structure increases fluency when speaking German and prevents incorrect sentence structure errors.

German Subordinate Clause Structure Rules

Subordinate clauses are formed with conjunctions such as weil, dass, wenn, obwohl. The most important rule in these sentences is:

The verb goes at the end of the sentence.

Example:

Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland leben möchte.

Er sagt, dass er heute nicht kommen kann.

This rule is one of the most confusing aspects of German sentence structure.

Sentence Structure with Modal Verbs

When modal verbs (können, müssen, wollen, sollen…) are used, there are two verbs in the sentence:

Modal verb → 2nd position

Main verb → in infinitive form at the end of the sentence

Example:

Ich möchte Deutsch lernen.

Wir müssen früh aufstehen.

This structure is used quite frequently in everyday German conversation.

German Sentence Structure in Question Sentences

In question sentences, the verb usually comes first:

Example:

Kommst du heute?

Lernst du Deutsch?

If there is a question word, the verb is usually second:

Wann kommst du?

Warum lernst du Deutsch?

Errors in German Sentence Structure

The most common errors are:

Putting the verb in the wrong order

Leaving the verb in the middle of a subordinate clause

Transferring the Turkish word order directly into German

Forgetting the infinitive verb in modal verbs

These errors make the sentence difficult to understand.

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