Language/German/Grammar/Subject-and-Verb

Next Lesson — Noun and Gender ▶️

German → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Basic Sentence Structures → Subject and Verb

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn how to form basic sentences in German using the subject and verb. Understanding the structure of a sentence is essential for effective communication in any language. By mastering this basic skill, you will be able to express yourself more confidently and accurately in German.

Subject and Verb Agreement

In German, like in English, the subject and verb must agree in number and person. This means that the verb form changes depending on the subject. Let's take a look at some examples:

• The dog barks. (singular subject)
• The dogs bark. (plural subject)
• He sings. (singular subject)
• They sing. (plural subject)

As you can see, the verb form changes from "barks" to "bark" and from "sings" to "sing" when the subject changes from singular to plural. This is an important concept to understand when forming sentences in German.

Basic Sentence Structure

In German, the basic sentence structure is similar to English. It follows the pattern of subject-verb-object (SVO) in declarative sentences. Let's break down the components of a basic sentence:

1. Subject: The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action of the verb. It can be a single word or a phrase. For example:

  * The cat
  * My friend
  * In the park

2. Verb: The verb is the action or state of being in the sentence. It expresses what the subject is doing or being. For example:

  * sleeps
  * is reading
  * plays

3. Object: The object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. It answers the question "what" or "whom" after the verb. For example:

  * the book
  * a song
  * the piano

Let's see some examples of basic sentences in German:

• Die Katze schläft. (The cat is sleeping.)
• Mein Freund liest ein Buch. (My friend is reading a book.)
• Ich spiele Klavier. (I am playing the piano.)

As you can see, the basic sentence structure in German is quite straightforward. Now let's move on to some specific rules and exceptions.

Subject-Verb Agreement with Pronouns

When using pronouns as the subject of a sentence, it is important to pay attention to the gender and number of the pronoun. This will determine the correct form of the verb. Let's look at some examples:

• Er isst. (He is eating.)
• Sie trinkt. (She is drinking.)
• Es schläft. (It is sleeping.)
• Wir spielen. (We are playing.)
• Ihr lest. (You all are reading.)
• Sie singen. (They are singing.)

As you can see, the verb form changes depending on the pronoun used as the subject. This is an important aspect of subject-verb agreement in German.

Inversion in Questions

In German, questions often have a different word order compared to declarative sentences. The subject and verb are inverted, meaning that the verb comes before the subject. Let's see some examples:

• Schläft die Katze? (Is the cat sleeping?)
• Liest mein Freund ein Buch? (Is my friend reading a book?)
• Spielst du Klavier? (Are you playing the piano?)

As you can see, the verb comes before the subject in these questions. This is a common feature of German grammar.

Word Order in Subordinate Clauses

In German, the word order can change when using subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause is a part of a sentence that cannot stand alone and depends on the main clause for its meaning. Let's look at an example:

• Ich gehe ins Kino, weil ich einen Film sehen möchte. (I am going to the cinema because I want to watch a movie.)

In this example, the word order in the subordinate clause "weil ich einen Film sehen möchte" is different from the main clause "Ich gehe ins Kino." The verb "sehen" comes at the end of the clause, after the subject "ich" and the object "einen Film." This change in word order is a characteristic feature of German grammar.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have learned how to form basic sentences in German using the subject and verb. Understanding the subject-verb agreement, basic sentence structure, and word order in German is essential for effective communication. Keep practicing and applying these concepts in your conversations and writing. Danke schön! (Thank you very much!)

Table of Contents - German Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Basic Sentence Structures

• Subject and Verb
• Noun and Gender

  ---

Greetings and Introduction

• Greetings and Goodbyes
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Definite and Indefinite Articles

• Gender and Articles
• Plural Forms
• Cases: Nominative and Accusative

  ---

Numbers, Dates and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Days of the Week and Months
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Conjugation

• Verb Forms
• Present Tense
• Separable Verbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Talking About Your Friends

  ---

Prepositions

• Using Prepositions
• Two-Way Prepositions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Meals
• Drinks and Beverages

  ---

Germany and German-Speaking Countries

• Geography and Landmarks
• Cuisine and Traditions

  ---

Pronouns and Possessives

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Booking a Trip
• Public Transportation

  ---

Modal Verbs

• Expressing Abilities
• Talking About Obligations

  ---

Shopping and Clothes

• Shopping for Clothes
• Buying Groceries

  ---

Music and Entertainment

• Popular Musicians and Genres
• Movies, TV and Literature

  ---

Adjectives

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Forms

  ---

Health and Body

• Talking About Health
• Body Parts

  ---

Time and Temporal Prepositions

• Using Time Expressions
• Temporal Prepositions

Sources

• German Word Order: Your Essential Guide | German with Laura
• Sentence construction: subject | Grammar - Learn German - DW
• The basic German sentence structure - Lingoda

Other Lessons

• Using Time Expressions
• Questions
• 0 to A1 Course
• Plurals
• Talking About Obligations
• Possessive Pronouns
• Common Mistakes
• Plural Forms
• Simple negative sentences
• Be Polite

Next Lesson — Noun and Gender ▶️