For A1 learners, mastering the Satzbau (sentence structure) is the first step to speaking clearly. Here is a simple guide to the three most important sentence types.
1. Aussagesätze (Statements)
In a normal statement, the verb is always in position 2. It doesn’t matter if you start with “Ich” (I), “Heute” (Today), or “In Berlin”—the verb stays in the second spot.
| Position 1 | Position 2 (Verb) | Rest |
| Ich | spiele | Tennis. |
| Du | bist | müde. |
| Wir | lernen | Deutsch. |
2. W-Fragen (Wh-Questions)
Questions that start with a “W-Word” (like Was, Wer, Wie, Wo) also keep the verb in position 2. The question word takes the first spot, and the verb follows immediately.
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Was machst du? (What are you doing?)
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Wer ist das? (Who is that?)
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Wie geht es dir? (How are you?)
3. Ja/Nein-Fragen (Yes/No Questions)
If you want to ask a question that can be answered with “Ja” or “Nein,” the verb moves to position 1. You swap the subject and the verb.
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Spielst du Tennis? (Do you play tennis?)
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Bist du müde? (Are you tired?)
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Lernst du Deutsch? (Do you learn German?)
Summary Table for Beginners
| Sentence Type | Verb Position | Example |
| Statement | Position 2 | Ich wohne in Weimar. |
| W-Question | Position 2 | Wo wohnst du? |
| Yes/No Question | Position 1 | Wohnst du in Weimar? |
Vocabulary for your Practice
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Das Verb: The verb
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Die Position: The position
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Die Frage: The question
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Die Antwort: The answer