Verb-second word order in main clauses

In brief

In a German statement, the conjugated verb comes in the second position. When the subject starts the sentence, put the verb immediately after it: Ich trinke Kaffee. The subject can be one word or a group of words, such as Meine Schwester; that whole group fills the first position.

Form

Subject (first position) + conjugated verb (second position) + the rest of the statement.

Usage

• Use this order to make simple statements about yourself or other people.
• Words such as oft or heute usually come after the verb when the subject comes first.

Examples

• Ich trinke morgens Kaffee. — I drink coffee in the morning.
• Wir lernen heute Deutsch. — We are learning German today.
• Meine Schwester wohnt in Berlin. — My sister lives in Berlin.

Common mistake

❌ Ich oft trinke Kaffee.

✅ Ich trinke oft Kaffee.

English allows an adverb before the main verb (‘I often drink coffee’). In a German statement beginning with Ich, the conjugated verb trinke must come next.

Remember

Count positions by sentence parts, not by individual words: Meine Schwester is one part.