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SENTENCE STRUCTURE & PRONOUNS
Stop Translating Word-for-Word
The one grammar rule that makes German sentences click into place.
Why this matters: You can know 500 German words and still sound wrong if your sentence order is off. German isn't English with different words swapped in — it has its own logic. Once this clicks, you'll build sentences instead of memorizing them.
Meet the Pronouns
Every German sentence starts with knowing who's doing the action. Here are the personal pronouns you'll use constantly:
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | Ich lerne Deutsch. (I am learning German.) |
| du | you (informal, 1 person) | Du sprichst gut Deutsch. (You speak German well.) |
| er / sie / es | he / she / it | Er wohnt in Berlin. (He lives in Berlin.) |
| wir | we | Wir gehen ins Kino. (We're going to the cinema.) |
| ihr | you all (informal, plural) | Ihr seid nett. (You all are nice.) |
| sie | they | Sie kommen aus Spanien. (They come from Spain.) |
| Sie | you (formal – always capital S) | Sprechen Sie Englisch? (Do you speak English?) |
🇩🇪 Quick tip: Germans use du with friends, family, kids, and casually online. They use Sie with strangers, at work, and with anyone older or in authority. When in doubt in Germany, start formal — you can always be invited to switch to du.
The Golden Rule: Verb in Position 2
This is the single most important rule in German word order: in a normal statement, the conjugated verb is always the second element — not necessarily the second word.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (Verb) | Rest of sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Ich | trinke | Kaffee. |
| Heute | trinke | ich Kaffee. |
| Um 8 Uhr | gehe | ich zur Arbeit. |
Notice: when a time word like Heute (Today) jumps to the front, the subject ich gets pushed after the verb. The verb always stays in position 2. This is different from English, where "Today I drink coffee" keeps the verb in position 3.
🗣️ Real Talk: This rule trips up almost every beginner — including people who've lived in Germany for years. The fix isn't memorizing grammar tables, it's repetition. Start every sentence you say out loud in your head with something other than "ich" (heute, morgen, jetzt) and force the verb to stay in position 2. It becomes automatic faster than you'd think.
Asking Questions
German questions come in two types, and both flip the normal word order:
1. W-Questions (question word + verb + subject):
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Was | what | Was machst du? |
| Wo | where | Wo wohnst du? |
| Wann | when | Wann kommst du? |
| Warum | why | Warum lernst du Deutsch? |
| Wie | how | Wie geht's? |
2. Yes/No Questions (verb comes first, no question word):
Sprichst du Deutsch? (Do you speak German?)
Kommst du aus Deutschland? (Are you from Germany?)
📥 Download Your A1 Sentence Structure & Pronouns PDF
Printable pronoun charts, word-order cheat sheet, and 5 practice exercises with answers.
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Related Posts
→ A1 Lesson 4: Common Phrases & Politeness
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