Session 21 — Word-order clinic
Verb position 2 · W-Fragen · ADUSO · light weil contrast · A1 only
Builds on Session 5 + class ADUSO. Keep every weil example short.
Part 1 · Verb in position 2
Plain English: in a normal German statement, the conjugated verb is always the
second idea — not the second word. Time or place can sit first; the verb still jumps to slot 2.
Ich lerne Deutsch.
Subject · verb · rest
Heute lerne ich Deutsch.
Time first → verb still position 2 → subject after the verb
Rule: one finite verb in position 2. Separable prefixes wait at the end.
Part 2 · W-Fragen
Question word in position 1, conjugated verb in position 2.
| W-Wort | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wo | where | Wo wohnst du? |
| woher | where from | Woher kommst du? |
| wohin | where to | Wohin fährst du? |
| wann | when | Wann kommst du? |
| wer / was | who / what | Was kostet das? |
| wie / wie viel / wie viele | how / how much / how many | Wie viele Personen? |
| warum | why | Warum lernst du Deutsch? |
Part 3 · ADUSO (Hauptsatz connectors)
aber · denn · und · sondern · oder — after these, the next clause is still a
Hauptsatz: verb stays in position 2.
Ich bin müde, aber ich arbeite.
aber does not kick the verb to the end
nicht … sondern … = correction. Soft contrast = aber.
Part 4 · Light denn vs weil (A1 only)
Same English “because”. Different German word order.
Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank.
denn → verb still position 2
Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich krank bin.
weil → verb at the end (keep examples short at A1)
Exam transfer
- Gap-fill: put the verb in the right slot after time/place.
- W-Fragen on forms and letters (Wie viele Personen?).
- ADUSO blanks in emails; trap = sondern after nicht.
- Optional short weil clause — verb at end.