The "V2" Rule: The Golden Rule of German
In English, we can be flexible with where we put words. In German, the verb is the anchor of the sentence.
Rule: In a main clause, the conjugated verb MUST be the second idea (not necessarily the second word).
Examples:
- Ich spiele Fußball. (I play football.) -> Subject (1) + Verb (2)
- Am Montag spiele ich Fußball. (On Monday play I football.) -> Time Phrase (1) + Verb (2) + Subject (3)
Notice that when we start with "Am Montag", the subject "ich" moves to position 3. This is often called "Verb-Subject Inversion".
TMP: Time, Manner, Place
Once you have your verb in position 2, where does everything else go? Follow TMP:
- Time (Wann? - When?)
- Manner (Wie? - How? / With whom?)
- Place (Wo? - Where?)
Incorrect (English Order): Ich gehe in den Park mit meinen Freunden am Samstag. Correct (German TMP): Ich gehe am Samstag (Time) mit meinen Freunden (Manner) in den Park (Place).
The Exception: Subordinating Conjunctions
Words like weil (because), dass (that), and obwohl (although) are "verb kickers". They send the verb to the very end of the sentence.
- Ich mag Fußball, weil es spaßig ist. (I like football, because it fun is.)
