{"id":4275,"date":"2012-09-22T18:13:40","date_gmt":"2012-09-22T18:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=4275"},"modified":"2012-09-22T18:13:40","modified_gmt":"2012-09-22T18:13:40","slug":"german-word-order-main-clauses-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/german-word-order-main-clauses-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"German word order: Main clauses, part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my last post, I explained how to form main clauses with only one verb and with the correct word order in mind. Today, I would to continue with this topic and address myself to sentences that contain two or three verbs.<\/p>\n

When a sentence contains only one verb, then this verb is usually a full verb. When a sentence contains more than one verb, then we do not only have a full verb but also an auxiliary and\/or modal verb.<\/p>\n

Full verbs<\/strong><\/span> are the most important verbs of a sentence, since they refer to the main action of a statement, for example: trinken<\/em><\/span> (to drink), essen<\/em><\/span> (to eat), schlafen<\/em><\/span> (to sleep), laufen<\/em><\/span> (to walk), etc. Modal verbs<\/strong><\/span> are those verbs that modify the meaning a sentence to certain degree. Compare:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stefanie singt<\/span>. \u2013 Stefanie sings<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Stefanie kann<\/span> singen<\/span>. \u2013 Stefanie can<\/span> sing<\/span>. (She is able to sing.)<\/p>\n

Stefanie m\u00f6chte<\/span> singen<\/span>. \u2013 Stefanie wants<\/span> to sing<\/span>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Auxiliary verbs <\/strong><\/span>are those verbs that also modify the meaning of a sentence but rather in a grammatical way. For example, you use auxiliaries when you want to use a particular tense (past or future). Compare:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stefanie singt<\/span> (gerade). \u2013 Stefanie is<\/span> singing<\/span> (at the moment).<\/p>\n

Stefanie hat<\/span> (gestern) gesungen<\/span>. \u2013 Stefanie sang<\/span> (yesterday).<\/p>\n

Stefanie wird<\/span> (morgen) singen<\/span>. \u2013 Stefanie will<\/span> sing<\/span> (tomorrow).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No matter how many verbs a sentence has, there is always only one verb that has to be conjugated \u2013 this particular verb is called the finite verb<\/em><\/strong>. All three types of verbs (full verb, auxiliary verb, and modal verb) can take the function of a finite verb. Usually, the finite verb is to be found in the second position of a sentence.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Word order with two verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n

When a sentence contains two verbs, the second verb or full verb moves to the end of a sentence while the modal verb \u2013 which is here the finite verb \u2013 comes in the second position. You can use this sentence structure for the present tense and passive constructions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/strong><\/td>\nFinite verb<\/strong><\/td>\nOther elements<\/strong><\/td>\nSecond verb<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Doreen<\/td>\nkann<\/span><\/td>\nkeine Noten<\/td>\nlesen<\/span>.1<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manuel<\/td>\nm\u00f6chte<\/span><\/td>\ngerne Bier<\/td>\ntrinken<\/span>.2<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meine Freundin<\/td>\nwill<\/span><\/td>\nmich sp\u00e4ter<\/td>\nanrufen<\/span>.3<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Das Haus<\/td>\nwurde<\/span><\/td>\nvor 100 Jahren<\/td>\ngebaut<\/span>.4<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meine Freunde<\/td>\nsind<\/span><\/td>\nheute zu Besuch<\/td>\ngekommen<\/span>.5<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

1<\/sup>Doreen cannot read music.<\/p>\n

2<\/sup>Manuel would like to drink a beer.<\/p>\n

3<\/sup>My (female) friend wants to call me later.<\/p>\n

4<\/sup>The house was built 100 years ago.<\/p>\n

5<\/sup>Today, my friends have come to visit me.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Word order with three verbs<\/strong><\/p>\n

When a sentence contains three verbs, then these verbs are usually a full verb, an auxiliary and\/or a modal verb.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Subject<\/strong><\/td>\nFinite verb<\/strong><\/td>\nOther elements<\/strong><\/td>\nFinal verbs<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ich<\/td>\nhabe<\/span><\/td>\nleider nicht<\/td>\nhelfen<\/span> k\u00f6nnen<\/span>.7<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Du<\/td>\nwirst<\/span><\/td>\nwohl mehr Sport<\/td>\ntreiben<\/span> m\u00fcssen<\/span>.8<\/sup><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

7<\/sup>Unfortunately, I could not help.<\/p>\n

8<\/sup>You will have to engage in more sports.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In my last post, I explained how to form main clauses with only one verb and with the correct word order in mind. Today, I would to continue with this topic and address myself to sentences that contain two or three verbs. When a sentence contains only one verb, then this verb is usually a…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[11971,8],"tags":[238331,10203],"class_list":["post-4275","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar-language","category-language","tag-german-word-order","tag-main-clauses"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t