Simple sentences help learners express basic ideas quickly and serve as building blocks for more complex speech. This guide focuses on everyday structures that learners can use immediately.
Basic Sentence Order
German follows a fairly consistent word order where the verb is in the second position in main clauses, which helps listeners anticipate the sentence's structure. Adhering to this order makes sentences clear and easy to understand.
The dog is running in the garden.
Nouns and Articles
Nouns in German always have a gender and are accompanied by definite or indefinite articles that agree in gender, number, and case; learning the three genders der*, *die*, *das is essential. Articles signal a noun's role in the sentence and help learners identify meaning.
| German Definite Article | German Indefinite Article | Gender | |
|---|---|---|---|
| der | ein | Masculine | |
| die | eine | Feminine | |
| das | ein | Neuter |
Common Verbs
Common everyday verbs like sein (to be), haben (to have), and gehen (to go) appear frequently in simple sentences and are worth memorizing in their basic forms. These verbs allow learners to talk about identity, possession, and actions with minimal effort.
| German Verb | English Verb | |
|---|---|---|
| sein | to be | |
| haben | to have | |
| gehen | to go | |
| kommen | to come | |
| machen | to do / make |
Simple Questions
Simple questions often begin with a question word (like wo, was, wer) or invert the typical word order by placing the verb first; this pattern is key for getting information quickly. Practicing common question formats helps learners interact in everyday situations.
Useful Adjectives
Adjectives describe things more precisely and often follow straightforward placement rules in simple sentences; learning a few common ones enriches speech. Adjectives can appear before nouns or after verbs like sein, and they agree in gender, number, and case when used attributively.
| German Adjective | English Adjective | |
|---|---|---|
| groß | big | |
| klein | small | |
| schön | beautiful | |
| alt | old | |
| neu | new |
Useful Vocabulary
Vocabulary for everyday things like family members, common places, and basic activities supports simple sentence building in relevant contexts. Focusing on high-frequency nouns and verbs enables learners to describe their immediate world.
| German Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| die Familie | the family | |
| das Haus | the house | |
| der Hund | the dog | |
| die Schule | the school | |
| das Auto | the car |
Summary
Simple sentences rely on basic word order, common nouns with articles, everyday verbs, and straightforward question patterns; mastering these lets learners communicate essential ideas. Practice forming short sentences about familiar topics to build confidence and fluency.
Examples
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025