Word Order in the Middle Field
Learn the usual order of objects and adverbial phrases in a German main clause. Practise N-D-A, pronoun order, prepositional complements, and Te-Ka-Mo-Lo.
Explanation
The middle field
In a German main clause, the **middle field** is the part after the conjugated verb and before a possible final verb part.
- **Heute hat** Mira **ihrem Bruder die Fotos** gezeigt.
- **Wir wollen** **am Samstag mit dem Zug nach Leipzig** fahren.
The rules below describe the usual neutral order. Speakers can change it to give special emphasis.
Objects: N-D-A
With noun phrases, the usual order is:
| Order | Example |
|---|---|
| nominative - dative - accusative | Der Lehrer erklärt **den Kindern die Aufgabe**. |
With **two pronouns**, accusative normally comes before dative:
| Order | Example |
|---|---|
| nominative - accusative pronoun - dative pronoun | Der Lehrer erklärt **sie ihnen**. |
A dative or accusative object normally comes before a prepositional complement:
- Ich schicke **meiner Tante** **eine Nachricht** **aus dem Urlaub**.
- Samir erinnert **seinen Freund** **an den Termin**.
Adverbial phrases: Te-Ka-Mo-Lo
When several adverbial phrases occur, a useful neutral pattern is **Te-Ka-Mo-Lo**:
| Order | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| temporal | when? | **am Freitag** |
| causal | why? | **wegen des Wetters** |
| modal/instrumental | how? with what? | **mit dem Bus** |
| local | where? where to? | **zur Arbeit** |
> Am Freitag fährt Nora wegen des Wetters mit dem Bus zur Arbeit.
Not every sentence needs all four parts. Use the parts that are relevant, then place them in this order.
A quick check
1. Find the conjugated verb.
2. Put the subject and objects in a neutral order.
3. Place noun objects before prepositional complements.
4. Arrange several adverbial phrases as Te-Ka-Mo-Lo.
5. Put an infinitive or participle at the end when the verb form has two parts.
Exercises
- Build sentences in the neutral order. Watch the position of dative, accusative, and prepositional complements. (10)
- Fill the gaps with the phrases in the appropriate order. Remember Te-Ka-Mo-Lo. (10)
- Write neutral sentences for a short email. Use every cue and watch the word order. (5)
A2 · German · Grammar