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One of the most common errors made by German language learners is to assume that German grammar works the same way as English grammar.
Sentence construction is one of the places where the differences are most noticeable, as it can appear somewhat strange to a natural English speaker when written in German.
The elements of a German sentence and the sequence in which they must be used are shown to you in this guide.
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The Basics of German Sentence Structure.
A SUBJECT NOUN and its conjugated VERB, or someone or something who/that is doing or being something, make up a full phrase at the most basic level.
A man consumes food. A piece of glass broke. The women are singing. Flowers wither.
All of these sentences are as simple as they can be: subject + verb.
It would be easy if this were all we ever had to deal with! Sentences are obviously longer and more complex than this (particularly in German!). and that’s when we require additional assistance.
On a meta-level, nouns are the most crucial terms in each sentence, whether it is written in German, English, or another language.
If you have read my instructions on the German case system, you are aware that I like to break down German sentence structure by grouping all nouns into what I refer to as “slots,” which also include other kinds of words that are grouped with nouns.
Knowing the proper sequence of SLOTS that each given phrase may employ is the first step towards comprehending German sentence structure (and eventually building your own sentences!).
Fortunately for us, both English and German really share a standard sentence structure (\– a default order to the “slots”)!
We need to make sure we understand why proper sentence structure is important in the first place before we discuss that ^^ (and the sentence structure patterns that deviate from the norm). Then, we’ll get excited about some of the fancy word ordering you’ll learn to do in German—it’s fun!).
Why is sentence structure important?
Sentence form is important because it affects the meaning you express.
Take a look at this sentence: The dog receives the bone from the man.
We are well aware of who is providing what and to whom.
However, the meaning of the sentence is also altered if we modify the sentence structure, that is, the word order (for example, “The dog gives the man the bone”).
As in “The bone gives the man the dog,” there are instances when we can rearrange the words so much that the meaning becomes illogical.
Naturally, these examples are in English (which is always the best place to start when learning German grammar!). … However, how does German sentence construction work?
English and German sentence structure, compared
English uses extremely rigorous sentence form to communicate meaning, as the aforementioned examples show. When it comes to expressing who is who and what is what in an English sentence, the work is done by the extremely specific and constrained word order options.
This is an important aspect of English to grasp since, as you will see in detail, German sentence structure can differ greatly from English.
Since different grammatical components are employed to make it obvious who is who and what is what in a sentence, German offers more alternatives for sentence structure (i.e., a more flexible word order) than English (for more information, read my guide on Declensions!).
For instance, in German, we can say The man gives the dog the bone in three different constellations all while the same meaning stays intact:
Der Mann gibt dem Hund den Knochen.
Dem Hund gibt der Mann den Knochen.
Den Knochen gibt der Mann dem Hund.
Once more, the second and third English versions of the original sentence either lose their meaning or stop making sense. However, it not only functions well in German, but it is also frequently employed.
You must learn the German sentence structure alternatives and when and how to utilize them since you may encounter many German phrases that are arranged “strangely” (from an English perspective).
The first step is to learn the STANDARD sentence structure that is utilized in both German and English.
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The Four Main Sentence Types in German
Let’s examine the four primary German sentence forms and their corresponding structures now that we have a firm grasp of the fundamentals.
1. Simple Sentences (Hauptsätze)
A subject, a verb, plus any required objects or extra information make up simple sentences, sometimes referred to as main clauses. The remaining components of the phrase are free to be adjusted, but the verb always takes the second place.
Example: Er liest ein Buch. (He reads a book.)
2. Compound Sentences (Satzverbindungen)
Two or more basic sentences joined by coordinating conjunctions like und (and),oder (or), aber (but), and denn (for) make up a compound sentence. Every simple statement has the same word arrangement.
Example: Sie geht ins Kino, und er bleibt zu Hause. (She goes to the cinema, and he stays at home.)
3. Complex Sentences (Nebensätze)
A main phrase and one or more dependent clauses—which are introduced by subordinating conjunctions like weil (because), das (that), or ob (whether)—combine to construct complex sentences. The dependent clause’s verb is positioned at its conclusion.
Example: Ich weiß, dass sie morgen kommt. (I know that she is coming tomorrow.)
4. Passive Sentences (Passivsätze)
When the activity itself, rather than the subject carrying it out, is the main focus, passive sentences are employed. The past participle of the primary verb is combined with a form of werden (to become) to generate the verb in passive phrases. The agent of the action can be introduced with von or durch.
Example: Das Buch wurde von ihm geschrieben. (The book was written by him.)
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FOUR German sentence structure patterns
These are the FOUR German sentences patterns:
- standard
- inverted
- transposed
- subordinated
Standard sentence structure pattern
The basic sentence construction pattern — so, the default pattern employed in both English and German — can be most simplified to SUBJECT NOUN + VERB + EVERYTHING ELSE.
There are several subcategories of “everything else,” such as direct and indirect objects, prepositional phrases, adverbs, particles, and verbs, but we want to keep our attention on NOUNS:
SUBJECT + VERB + MORE NOUNS.
Examples:
John buys a present.
John buys Sally a present.
John buys Sally a coffee every September.
John buys Sally a coffee every September for her birthday.
The main lesson here is that any given sentence might contain MULTIPLE slots that belong to the “MORE NOUNS” section! When we discuss the TRANSPOSED sentence construction pattern below, this will become particularly pertinent.
Learn German word order easier
The standard sentence form is based on TWO concepts.
Knowing what they are is helpful since it makes it obvious how the remaining patterns #s 2-4 deviate from the rules.
As usual, the first step in learning HOW to utilize German grammar correctly is comprehend WHY it is what it is.
PRINCIPLE 1: The verb MUST be followed by the subject noun (nominative case).
PRINCIPLE 2: The second principle states that the verb must be the second element, or in the second place.
Do you notice how our streamlined standard sentence structure properly reflects these two principles?
SUBJECT + VERB + MORE NOUNS
It’s time to examine some examples and discuss HOW to determine WHEN to employ WHICH style of German sentence structure!
When & how to use German word order
In summary, unless you fulfill certain requirements that compel you to employ pattern 2, 3, or 4 (all of which can be classified as “exceptional” or “deviant” patterns), you will automatically fall back on the STANDARD sentence structure.
PATTERN 2: This is mainly utilized when posing a yes-or-no query.
PATTERN 3: When you wish to highlight a certain aspect of the statement, you utilize PATTERN 3.
PATTERN 4: A dependent clause, also known as a subordinating clause, uses PATTERN 4.
After that, we’ll examine some specifics of patterns two and three here (reserve #4 for this guide).
Sentence Structure Pattern 2: inverted
Before using it as a foundation for the other patterns, let’s go over our regular pattern again and slightly enlarge it:
SUBJECT + VERB + MORE NOUNS + MORE VERBS is the standard sentence construction in German.
When posing a YES/NO inquiry, the second pattern (inverted) only switches the SUBJECT and VERB:
VERB + SUBJECT + MORE NOUNS + MORE VERBS.
Examples:
Spielst du Klavier?
Möchtest du mitfahren?
Hättest du deine Oma vom Flughafen anrufen?
Observe that the “more nouns” and “more verbs” in these examples are optional (keep in mind that a sentence can consist of just subject and verb!). and one might exist independently of the other.
Sentence Structure Pattern 3: transposed
Thus, this pattern alternates the SUBJECT and MORE NOUNS:
SUBJECT + VERB + MORE NOUNS + MORE VERBS is the standard sentence construction in German. More nouns plus verbs plus subject plus more verbs is the transposed German sentence construction.
In German, this pattern is frequently employed to emphasize a “MORE NOUNS” element (more on that below), while it is less common and more restricted in English.
Take another look at this previous example of a common sentence pattern:
Ich hätte meine Oma vom Flughafen angerufen, aber …
(I would have called my grandmother from the airport, but …)
Now look at it with a TRANSPOSED structure:
- Meine Oma hätte ich vom Flughafen angerufen, aber …
- Vom Flughafen hätte ich meine Oma angerufen, aber …
Because we can transfer EACH of the “MORE NOUNS” individual elements—always just ONE at a time—to the FRONT of the sentence to emphasize that element, we have TWO alternatives in German.
We would have phoned our grandmother, not someone else, as sentence 1 makes clear.
Sentence 2 highlights that, rather than calling from another location, we would have done it from the airport.
NOTE: To achieve these similar goals in English, we could simply alter our voice inflections to highlight the “MORE NOUNS” portion while maintaining the usual sentence structure.
Moreover, take note of how the inflection remains neutral because German uses this inverted sentence pattern!
We can use the transposed sentence structure with yes/no questions, too, which generally expresses incredulity:
Klavier spielst du?! (not some other instrument)
Deine Oma hättest du vom Flughafen angerufen?! (not someone else)
Vom Flughafen hättest du deine Oma angerufen?! (not from somewhere else)
There is a typical error that English speakers make while using the transposed sentence construction, which is utilized commonly in German.
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What are ‘more nouns’ & ‘more verbs’?
Let’s quickly clarify what might be included under the headings “more nouns” and “more verbs” before we examine examples:
- “More nouns” can refer to nouns that are part of prepositional phrases in either the accusative or dative case, as well as direct object nouns (accusative case) and indirect object nouns (dative case).
- Infinitives, past participles, and (in German) separable prefixes are examples of “more verbs.”
Alright, this is a little heady and dry, so let’s see an example to help put it into perspective!
The man wants to eat cake.
Der Mann will Kuchen essen.
English & German Sentence Structure Nuances
Thus, take note of the same sentence pattern that is employed above in both German and English, but note one significant distinction: The order of “more nouns” and “more verbs” is switched between German and English.
English Standard Sentence Structure: SUBJECT + VERB + MORE VERBS + MORE NOUNS.
German Standard Sentence Structure: SUBJECT + VERB + MORE NOUNS+ MORE VERBS.
Tips for Mastering German Sentence Structure
The word order in a variety of German sentence types has been studied. It’s time to have fun and be creative now. To expose yourself to a large number of German sentences, follow these steps:
- Pay close attention: Develop the habit of listening to German music, radio programs, and podcasts. Try watching movies, TV series, and videos in German.
- Read widely: Read as much as you can in German from a variety of sources, including novels, periodicals, and news reports.
- Learn via telling stories: Stories are very good at teaching German sentence form. They are entertaining in addition to having conversation, plot, and questions. Reading stories keeps you emotionally involved, which improves your ability to comprehend and remember what you read.
- Create your own sentences: Try interactive exercises to help you get started when you’re ready to practice creating your own German sentences.
- Locate discussion partners: Listen to and receive comments from a community of fluent speakers or language exchange partners about the many types of German sentences.
- Try a tutor: If you want to learn German word order, think about working with a tutor to help you with the most challenging parts. You can discover a German tutor through Preply who will work with you one-on-one at your convenience. You can easily and conveniently learn German online with personalized sessions that cover all of your queries regarding German sentence structure.
Sentence structure in German can be difficult. You can become proficient in German word order and develop clear communication skills by reading and listening to German on a regular basis, as well as by practicing speaking and writing. Ultimately, practice makes perfect—Übung macht den Meister!
