CEFR A1 • Verben

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Position der Verben

Q: Where does the verb go in a German statement?

In German statements ( Aussagesätze ), the conjugated verb always occupies Position 2 – the second slot. The first slot can be the subject, a time expression, or any other element. For example: Heute koche ich Suppe – heute is Position 1, koche is Position 2, and the subject ich follows directly after the verb.

Q: What is the Satzklammer and how does it work?

The Satzklammer (sentence bracket) is a structure where two verbal elements frame the middle of the sentence. The conjugated verb sits at Position 2, and the second verbal element (an infinitive, past participle, or separable prefix) moves to the very end. Example: Anna ruft ihre Freundin an . – ruft is at Position 2 and an is at the sentence end.

Q: When does the verb go to Position 1 in German?

The conjugated verb goes to Position 1 in two sentence types: yes/no questions ( Fragesätze ohne Fragewort ) and imperative sentences ( Aufforderungssätze ). Example: Lernst du heute? (yes/no question) or Öffne bitte das Fenster! (imperative). These sentences have no question word or other element filling the first slot, so the verb takes it directly.

At CEFR level A1, understanding where the verb goes in a German sentence is the single most important skill for building correct sentences and communicating clearly from day one.

Kernregel: The conjugated verb always occupies a fixed position – Position 2 in statements and wh-questions, Position 1 in yes/no questions and imperatives. Example: Heute koche ich Suppe.

One of German’s most distinctive features is its strict rules for verb placement. Unlike English, where the verb nearly always follows the subject, German allows different elements to open a sentence — but the verb’s slot is always fixed and predictable, regardless of what comes before it.

Grundregel: The conjugated verb always occupies a fixed position. In statements and wh-questions it is Position 2. In yes/no questions and imperative sentences it is Position 1.

A. Das konjugierte Verb an Position 2 – The Verb in Second Position

In statements (Aussagesätze) and wh-questions (Fragesätze mit Fragewort), the conjugated verb always takes the second slot. The first slot can be the subject, a time expression, a place phrase, or another element — the verb immediately follows it, no exceptions.

When something other than the subject opens the sentence, the subject shifts to directly after the verb. This swap is called Inversion.

Satztyp	Position 1	Position 2	Mittelfeld	Satzende
Aussagesatz	Mia	wohnt	in Hamburg.	—
Inversion	Heute	koche	ich Suppe.	—
Trennbares Verb	Anna	ruft	ihre Freundin	an.
Modalverb	Wir	müssen	jetzt	gehen.
Perfekt	Jonas	hat	Fußball	gespielt.
Fragesatz mit Fragewort	Wann	beginnt	die Vorlesung?	—

Merke:

The conjugated verb is always at Position 2, even when the first element is not the subject.
When a time or place expression opens the sentence, the subject must follow the verb immediately (Inversion).

Die Satzklammer – The Sentence Bracket

Many German verb phrases consist of two parts: a conjugated form and a second verbal element such as an infinitive, a past participle, or a separable prefix. These two parts form a bracket around the middle of the sentence — the conjugated verb stays at Position 2 while the second element moves to the very end. This structure is called the Satzklammer.

Trennbare Verben

The conjugated stem verb stays at Position 2. The detached prefix travels to the end of the sentence.

Er kauft heute viel ein.

Sie räumt ihr Zimmer auf. — She tidies her room.
Das Geschäft macht um acht Uhr zu. — The shop closes at eight.

Modalverben + Infinitiv

The modal verb is conjugated at Position 2. The dependent infinitive moves to the very end.

Lukas will ein Buch lesen.

Du sollst das Formular ausfüllen. — You should fill in the form.
Ihr dürft hier nicht parken. — You are not allowed to park here.

Perfekt

The auxiliary haben or sein takes Position 2. The past participle goes to the end.

Elena hat den Kuchen gebacken.

Sie ist früh nach Hause gegangen. — She went home early.
Wir haben den Film gestern gesehen. — We saw the film yesterday.

B. Das konjugierte Verb an Position 1 – The Verb in First Position

Two sentence types place the conjugated verb at the very beginning — Position 1. These are yes/no questions (Fragesätze ohne Fragewort) and imperative sentences (Aufforderungssätze). Because no question word or other element fills the first slot, the verb takes it directly.

Satztyp	Position 1	Mittelfeld	Satzende
Fragesatz ohne Fragewort	Lernst	du heute?	—
Fragesatz + Satzklammer	Hast	du die Hausaufgaben	gemacht?
Aufforderungssatz	Öffne	bitte das Fenster!	—
Aufforderung + Satzklammer	Komm	bitte sofort	herein!

Regeln:

Yes/no questions start with the verb and can be answered with Ja or Nein.
Imperative sentences also start with the verb. For formal commands, the subject pronoun Sie follows immediately after the verb.
The Satzklammer still applies: when there is a two-part verb phrase, the second verbal element goes to the end of the sentence.

Schnelltest: Not sure which pattern to use? Ask yourself: does the sentence start with a wh-question word (wer, was, wo, wann, warum, wie)? If yes, the verb belongs at Position 2. Is it a yes/no question or a command? Then the verb goes to Position 1.

Zusammenfassung – Quick Reference

In Aussagesätzen and Fragesätzen mit Fragewort, the conjugated verb is always at Position 2.
In Fragesätzen ohne Fragewort and Aufforderungssätzen, the conjugated verb is at Position 1.
When a non-subject element opens the sentence, the subject moves directly after the verb — this is called Inversion.
Two-part verbal phrases always form a Satzklammer: the conjugated part sits at Position 1 or 2, and the second verbal element (infinitive, past participle, or separable prefix) moves to the end of the sentence.

Häufig gestellte Fragen – FAQ

Where does the verb go in a German statement?

In German statements (Aussagesätze), the conjugated verb always occupies Position 2 – the second slot. The first slot can be the subject, a time expression, or any other element. For example: Heute koche ich Suppe – heute is Position 1, koche is Position 2, and the subject ich follows directly after the verb.

What is the Satzklammer and how does it work?

The Satzklammer (sentence bracket) is a structure where two verbal elements frame the middle of the sentence. The conjugated verb sits at Position 2, and the second verbal element (an infinitive, past participle, or separable prefix) moves to the very end. Example: Anna ruft ihre Freundin an. – ruft is at Position 2 and an is at the sentence end.

When does the verb go to Position 1 in German?

The conjugated verb goes to Position 1 in two sentence types: yes/no questions (Fragesätze ohne Fragewort) and imperative sentences (Aufforderungssätze). Example: Lernst du heute? (yes/no question) or Öffne bitte das Fenster! (imperative). These sentences have no question word or other element filling the first slot, so the verb takes it directly.