Agreement & Position
In German, agreement and word order shape meaning and emphasis, so it pays to notice how gender, number, and case align and where key elements sit in the sentence.
Agreement
Agreement in German shows itself mainly in articles, adjectives, and pronouns matching the noun's gender, number, and case.
Articles
Articles change form depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, neuter, plural, and on the noun's grammatical case.
Adjectives
Adjectives take endings that reflect the article type and the noun's gender, number, and case, and these endings signal agreement clearly.
Pronouns
Pronouns must agree with the noun they replace in gender, number, and sometimes case, so they fit seamlessly into the sentence.
Position
German word order follows rules that put the verb in certain slots and place modifiers and complements to highlight meaning.
Main Clauses
In main clauses the finite verb is typically second, so whatever comes first sets the frame and the verb anchors the sentence.
Subordinate Clauses
Subordinate clauses push the finite verb to the end, grouping the action's details together and signaling the clause's dependent status.
Time, Manner, Place
Adverbs and phrases of time, manner, and place usually follow a natural sequence: time comes first to set when, then manner to show how, and place last to show where.
Exceptions
Some sentences reorder elements for emphasis, questions place the verb first, and particles or separable prefixes can shift positions, so paying attention to context helps.
Summary
Agreement ties articles, adjectives, and pronouns to the noun's gender, number, and case, while position rules place the verb and modifiers to shape meaning and focus.
Usage
Practice noticing articles and adjective endings to spot gender and case, and watch sentences aloud to feel how word order sets emphasis and clarity.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025