Verb an Position 2
Example
- Ich fahre morgen nach Basel.I am going to Basel tomorrow.neutral
Rule
Practise
The basic rule
Do not count words, count sentence elements. Position 1 is a single element: ich, heute, am nächsten Montag — each of these counts as one. The verb comes directly after.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (Verb) | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | gehe | heute einkaufen. |
| Heute | gehe | ich einkaufen. |
| Am Samstag | gehe | ich mit Ali einkaufen. |
| Mit Ali | gehe | ich am Samstag einkaufen. |
Why you change the beginning
What is in position 1 is the topic of the sentence. If you put the time expression first, you emphasise the point in time. The subject then moves behind the verb — this is called inversion.
- Ich fahre morgen nach Basel.I am going to Basel tomorrow.neutral
- Morgen fahre ich nach Basel.Tomorrow I am going to Basel.Zeit betont
- Nach Basel fahre ich morgen.To Basel I am going tomorrow.Ziel betont
Only the conjugated verb counts
If there are two verb parts — modal verb + infinitive, separable verb, perfect tense — only the conjugated part is in position 2. The second part moves to the end of the sentence. This bracketing is called the Satzklammer (sentence bracket).
- Ich muss heute früh aufstehen.I have to get up early today.muss … aufstehen
- Ich stehe heute früh auf.I am getting up early today.stehe … auf
- Ich habe gestern lange gearbeitet.I worked for a long time yesterday.habe … gearbeitet
Common mistakes
heute, the verb comes immediately, and only then the subject.Quick check · 3 questions
Got the rule? Try three questions; the full test is below.
Where you stand on this topic
- Studied
- Succeeding
- Sticking
Your turn: write a sentence with this topic
The assistant corrects it and explains why. It’s a suggestion; if unsure, check the rule above.
Done with this step?
Done! 🎉 Unit 3 · 1/9
Next step 🗂️ Zuhause & Alltag →