What are Temporal Adverbs? (Zeitwörter)
Temporal adverbs tell us when or how often something happens. Here are four essential words every beginner needs to know:
| German Word | English Translation |
| immer | always |
| oft | often |
| manchmal | sometimes |
| nie | never |
Where do they go in a sentence?
In German, the most important rule to remember is: The verb is always in position 2! You can move your time words around depending on what you want to say.
Rule 1: After the Verb (Standard Position)
If you start your sentence with “Ich” (I), the time word comes right after the verb.
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German: Ich trinke manchmal Tee.
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English: I sometimes drink tea.
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Structure: Subject (1) + Verb (2) + Time Word (3) + Object.
Rule 2: At the Beginning (For Special Focus)
If you want to emphasize the time or frequency, you can put the time word first. But remember, the verb stays in position 2! The subject (Ich) moves after the verb.
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German: Oft trinke ich Kaffee am Morgen.
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English: Often I drink coffee in the morning.
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Structure: Time Word (1) + Verb (2) + Subject (3) + Object.
Rule 3: Short Sentences for Big Drama
Sometimes, you can put the time word at the very end to make a strong point.
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German: Zeit habe ich nie.
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English: Time I have never. (I never have time!)
Quick Summary for A1 Learners
Position 1: Time Word
Position 2: VERB
Position 3: Subject (Ich, du, er, sie…)
Changing the word order doesn’t change the basic meaning, but it changes what is important in the sentence.