So, you’ve memorized your Lokaladverbien like hier, таму, draußen, and links. You’re ready to use them, but then you pause… Should you say “Ich gehe heute nach draußen” or “Ich gehe nach draußen heute”?
In German, word order is strict, but it’s also very logical. Once you know where the “place” fits into the puzzle, you’ll sound like a native.
1. The Basic Rule: Time before Place
If you have a sentence with both a time (when) and a location (where), German follows a very specific sequence. In the grammar world, we call part of this TE-KA-MO-LO.
For beginners, the most important part to remember is: Time (Wann?) comes before Location (Wo/Wohin?).
- English logic: I am going outside (Location) now (Time).
- German logic: Ich gehe jetzt (Time) nach draußen (Location).
| Subject | Verb (Pos 2) | Time (Wann?) | Location (Wo?) |
| Софи | spielt | heute | draußen. |
| Wir | essen | gleich | drinnen. |
2. Starting with the Adverb (Emphasis)
As we discussed in our guide on Satzbau, you can start a sentence with a local adverb if you want to emphasize the location. But remember: The verb must stay in the second position.
- Standard: “Вашата книга лежи hier.”
- Emphasis: “Hier лежи вашата книга.”
This is very common when giving directions or pointing something out.
3. Local Adverbs and Modal Verbs
When you use a modal verb (like können, müssen, wollen), the local adverb stays in the middle of the “verb bracket.”
- Example: “Ich muss (Verb 1) heute hier (Adverb) bleiben (Verb 2).”
The local adverb usually sits right before the final verb or right after the time element.
4. What about “Hin” and “Her”?
Directional adverbs like hin, her, hinein, or heraus often act as prefixes for Trennbare Verben. In these cases, the adverb (the prefix) jumps to the very end of the sentence.
- Verb: hinausgehen (to go out)
- Sentence: “Wir gehen денес во 20 часот со пријателите hinaus.”
💡 Quick Word Order Summary
- Verb is always second (unless it’s a question).
- Time before Location (Heute -> Hier).
- Adverb at the start? Flip the subject and verb (Hier ist е…).
- Separable prefix? It goes to the very end.
Mastered the word order? Now make sure you aren’t making these 10 common grammar mistakes that beginners often fall into!
Final Thoughts
Location is usually one of the last pieces of information we add to a German sentence. Just remember the “Time before Place” rule, and you’ll avoid 90% of word order errors.
Next Step: Ready to test your skills? Try writing 3 sentences about where you are right now using Lokaladverbien and check them with our Grammar Checker!