Simple Sentence Structure
Objective: Understand and construct basic German sentences. Learn the components of simple sentences and how to form them correctly.
1. Basic Sentence Structure
1.1. Sentence Components
A simple German sentence typically includes:
- Subject (S)
- Verb (V)
- Object (O)
Structure:
- S – V – O
Examples:
- Ich (S) esse (V) einen Apfel (O).
(I eat an apple.) - Der Hund (S) jagt (V) den Ball (O).
(The dog chases the ball.)
1.2. Subject
The subject is who or what the sentence is about. It is usually a noun or pronoun.
- Ich (I)
- Du (You; informal singular)
- Er (He)
- Sie (She)
- Es (It)
- Wir (We)
- Ihr (You; informal plural)
- Sie (They)
- Sie (You; formal singular and plural)
1.3. Verb
The verb shows the action or state. In simple sentences, the verb comes second after the subject.
- essen (to eat)
- gehen (to go)
- sehen (to see)
- haben (to have)
1.4. Object
The object receives the action of the verb. It can be a noun or pronoun.
- einen Apfel (an apple)
- den Ball (the ball)
2. Constructing Simple Sentences
2.1. Forming Sentences
1. Identify the subject. 2. Choose the correct verb. 3. Add the object if needed.
Examples:
- Ich (S) trinke (V) Wasser (O).
(I drink water.) - Er (S) liest (V) ein Buch (O).
(He reads a book.)
2.2. Sentence Position
In German, the verb always comes in the second position in main clauses.
- S (Subject) V (Verb) O (Object)
Example: Wir (S) spielen (V) Fußball (O).
(We play soccer.)
2.3. Examples in Different Contexts
- Daily Activities:
Ich* (S) gehe (V) zur Arbeit (O). (I go to work.) - Family Activities:
Meine Mutter* (S) kocht (V) ein Abendessen (O). (My mother cooks dinner.) - Leisure Activities:
Die Kinder* (S) spielen (V) im Garten (O). (The children play in the garden.)
3. Practice Exercises
3.1. Sentence Formation
- Create sentences using the following subjects, verbs, and objects.
- Subject: Er, Wir, Du
- Verb: lesen, essen, spielen
- Object: ein Buch, Pizza, Fußball
Examples:
- Er liest ein Buch. (He reads a book.)
- Wir essen Pizza. (We eat pizza.)
3.2. Sentence Transformation
- Change the following sentences from English to German:
- She watches TV.
- They play tennis.
3.3. Sentence Completion
- Fill in the blanks with the correct subject, verb, and object.
- ___ (S) ___ (V) ___ (O).
- Meine Schwester* (S) kauft (V) Äpfel (O). (My sister buys apples.)
3.4. Sentence Rearrangement
- Rearrange the following words to form correct German sentences:
- geht, heute, Er, zur Arbeit
- Er geht heute zur Arbeit. (He goes to work today.)
- geht, heute, Er, zur Arbeit
Summary:
- Simple sentences in German follow the S – V – O structure: Subject, Verb, and Object.
- The verb is always in the second position in a main clause.
- Practice creating and rearranging sentences to become familiar with sentence structure.