German Word Order: The Verb Goes Second (V2 Rule)
In a German statement the conjugated verb is always the second element, no matter what starts the sentence.
German main clauses follow one iron rule: the conjugated verb sits in position 2. Exactly one element comes before it — that can be the subject, a time word, an object, or a place — and the verb comes right after.
Count the slots, not the words. A three-word phrase like jeden Tag still fills only one slot.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (verb) | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | trinke | heute Kaffee |
| Heute | trinke | ich Kaffee |
| Kaffee | trinke | ich heute |
Notice that when something other than the subject starts the sentence, the subject jumps to right after the verb (Heute trinke ich...). This flip is called inversion.
Contrast for English speakers: English keeps subject–verb glued together (Today I drink coffee). German does not — the verb defends its second-place seat, and the subject moves out of the way. Never say Heute ich trinke.
Examples
Ich trinke heute Kaffee.
I drink coffee today. (subject first, verb second)
Heute trinke ich Kaffee.
Today I drink coffee. (time first — subject jumps behind the verb)
Der Hund schläft im Haus.
The dog sleeps in the house. (subject first, verb second)
Am Tag schläft der Hund.
During the day the dog sleeps. (time phrase first, verb still second)
Common mistakes
When a time word starts the sentence, the verb must still be second — so the subject 'ich' moves after the verb, not before it.
Only ONE element may sit before the verb. 'Der Hund im Haus' is two ideas crammed in front, pushing the verb to third place.
Related topics
- Word order in subordinate clauses: the verb goes last
- German Word Order: Verb Second After a Time or Place
- German W-Questions: wer, was, wo, wann, wie, warum + Word Order
- und, oder, aber, denn, sondern — German Coordinating Conjunctions (Word Order Stays)
- German Subordinate Clauses with weil and dass: The Verb Goes to the End
Practice
Heute ___ ich Kaffee.
Am Wochenende ___ meine Familie im Garten.
___ spielt der Junge Fußball.