The Flexible German Sentence: Practice with Word Order

 
 
  • Im deutschen Hauptsatz
  • nur das Verb
  • hat
  • im deutschen Hauptsatz
  • Nur das Verb
Question 1: An Important Sentence Rule

A brief description of word order rules is available here.

Drag the appropriate words from above into the spaces below. More than one word order option is possible and only three of the five options are required.

 

eine feste Position: Position 2. - In the German main clause, only the verb has a fixed position: Position 2.

+++++++++++++++


 
  • Heute
  • letzte Woche
  • Letzte Woche
  • mein kleiner Bruder
  • seine Stimme
  • klingt
  • heute
  • hatte
  • Seine Stimme
  • Mein kleiner Bruder
Question 2: Cold Symptoms

Once again, more than one word order option is possible. This time, only six of the options are required. This example illustrates that an adverbial time phrase can be placed in the first or third position.

  

  eine schwere Erkältung. - My little brother had a bad cold last week. 

 

immer noch heiser. - Today, his voice still sounds hoarse.

 

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  • mir
  • hat
  • Mir
  • sie
  • Sie
Question 3: Do Me a Favour

 

More than one word order option is possible. This time, only three of the five options are required. This example illustrates that the dative object can be placed in the first or third position.

 

einen Gefallen getan. – She did me a favour.

 

+++++++++++++++

 


 
  • ist
  • heute
  • Heute
  • Das Geschäft
  • das Geschäft
Question 4: Can't Go Shopping

Only three of the five options are required. This example illustrates that the subject and an adverb of time can be placed in either the first or third position.

 

leider geschlossen. - Today, the store is unfortunately closed.  

+++++++++++++++

 


 
  • wir
  • der Hund
  • Wir
  • Natürlich
  • fahren
  • kommt
  • nächste Woche
  • Nächste Woche
  • Der Hund
  • natürlich
Question 5: Dog on Holiday

Choose six of the ten options provided above. More than one solution is possible.

 

in den Urlaub. mit! - We are going away on holiday next week. Of course the dog is coming too.

 

+++++++++++++++

 


 
  • am Freitag
  • Am Freitag
  • tut
  • hatte
  • ich
  • mir
  • Selbst jetzt
  • Ich
Question 6: Dental Suffering

More than one solution is possible in the first sentence below. Two words or phrases above will not be needed.

 

eine Wurzelbehandlung beim Zahnarzt.    der Mund immer noch weh. - I had a root canal treatment at the dentist on Friday. Even now my mouth still hurts.

+++++++++++++++

 


 
  • das
  • Meine Großmutter
  • macht
  • mir
  • Mir
  • mir
  • Das
  • liest
Question 7: Reading Aloud

In the second sentence, more than one solution is possible.

 

jeden Abend aus einem Bilderbuch vor. immer Spaß. - My grandmother reads to me from a picture book every night. I always enjoy that.

+++++++++++++++

 


 
  • Deshalb
  • ich
  • habe
  • die meisten meiner Freunde
  • Ich
  • glaube
Question 8: Luck with Friendship

To simplify matters, only one set of solutions is possible for the sentences below.

 

  durch Zufall gefunden.    an die Macht des Zufalls! - I have found most of my friends by coincidence. That's why I believe in the power of coincidence!

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