Verb Placement & V2 Rule
In German the position of the verb shapes meaning and structure, and the V2 rule is the key guideline for main clauses.
V2 Rule
The V2 rule says that in a main clause the finite verb appears in the second position, regardless of what comes first. This creates a clear and predictable sentence rhythm.
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First Position
The first position can be the subject, an adverb, or any other element; what matters is that the verb slots in immediately after. This allows speakers to highlight different information by moving something to the front.
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Verb
The verb in V2 position is the finite verb: the conjugated form that shows tense and agreement. In compound tenses the auxiliary counts as the finite verb.
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Examples
| German Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ✈️ Morgen fliege ich nach Spanien. | Tomorrow I am flying to Spain. |
| 🏨 Im Hotel lerne ich neue Freunde kennen. | At the hotel I meet new friends. |
| 🍷 Abends trinken wir Wein am Strand. | In the evening we drink wine on the beach. |
| 🧳 Ich packe heute meinen Koffer. | I am packing my suitcase today. |
| 🚆 Gestern fuhr der Zug spät ab. | Yesterday the train left late. |
Time and Place
Adverbials of time or place often take the first position to set the scene, with the verb immediately following and the subject coming next.
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And/Und
In German clauses that begin with und the verb still stays in second position, so und counts as the first element and the finite verb comes right after.
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Summary
Mastering verb placement and the V2 rule gives you control over sentence structure and emphasis in German main clauses.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025