Editing German language (section)

===Word order===
German word order is generally with the [[V2 word order]] restriction and also with the [[SOV word order]] restriction for subordinate as well as for main [[clause]]s including an [[auxiliary verb]]. As to subordinate clauses, all verb forms occur at the very end. For [[yes–no questions]], exclamations, and wishes, the [[finite verb]] usually has the first position.

German requires a verbal element (main verb, modal verb or auxiliary verb as finite verb) to appear [[V2 word order|second in the sentence]]. The verb is preceded by the [[topic–comment|topic]] of the sentence or an [[adverbial]] of flexible length. The element in focus appears at the end of the sentence. For a sentence without an auxiliary, these are several possibilities:

: {{lang|de|Der alte Mann gab mir gestern das Buch.}} (The old man gave me yesterday the book; normal [[subject-verb-object]] order)
: {{lang|de|Das Buch gab mir gestern der alte Mann.}} (The book gave [to] me yesterday the old man)
: {{lang|de|Das Buch gab der alte Mann mir gestern.}} (The book gave the old man [to] me yesterday)
: {{lang|de|Das Buch gab mir der alte Mann gestern.}} (The book gave [to] me the old man yesterday)
: {{lang|de|Gestern gab mir der alte Mann das Buch.}} (Yesterday gave [to] me the old man the book; normal order)
: {{lang|de|Gestern gab der alte Mann mir das Buch.}} (Yesterday gave the old man [to] me the book; [[verb-subject-object]] order)
: {{lang|de|Mir gab der alte Mann das Buch gestern.}} ([To] me gave the old man the book yesterday (entailing: as for someone else, it was another date))

While the subject typically preceeds the object, the position of a noun in a German sentence has no bearing on its being a subject, an object or another argument. In a [[sentence (linguistics)|declarative sentence]] in English, if the subject does not occur before the predicate, the sentence could well be misunderstood.

However, German's flexible word order allows one to emphasise specific words:

Normal word order:
:: {{lang|de|Der Direktor betrat gestern um 10 Uhr mit einem Schirm in der Hand sein Büro.}}
:: The manager entered yesterday at 10 o'clock with an umbrella in the hand his office.

Second variant in normal word order:
:: {{lang|de|Der Direktor betrat sein Büro gestern um 10 Uhr mit einem Schirm in der Hand.}}
:: The manager entered his office yesterday at 10 o'clock with an umbrella in the hand.
: This variant accentuates the time specification and that he carried an umbrella.

Object in front:
:: {{lang|de|Sein Büro betrat der Direktor gestern um 10 Uhr mit einem Schirm in der Hand.}}
:: His office entered the manager yesterday at 10 o'clock with an umbrella in the hand.
: The object {{lang|de|Sein Büro}} (his office) is thus highlighted; it could be the topic of the next sentence.

Adverb of time in front:
:: {{lang|de|Gestern betrat der Direktor um 10 Uhr mit einem Schirm in der Hand sein Büro. (aber heute ohne Schirm)}}
:: Yesterday entered the manager at 10 o'clock with an umbrella in the hand his office. (but today without umbrella)

Both time expressions in front:
:: {{lang|de|Gestern um 10 Uhr betrat der Direktor mit einem Schirm in der Hand sein Büro}}.
:: Yesterday at 10 o'clock entered the manager with an umbrella in the hand his office.
: The full-time specification {{lang|de|Gestern um 10 Uhr}} is highlighted.

Another possibility:
:: {{lang|de|Gestern um 10 Uhr betrat der Direktor sein Büro mit einem Schirm in der Hand}}.
:: Yesterday at 10 o'clock entered the manager his office with an umbrella in the hand.
: Both the time specification and the fact he carried an umbrella are accentuated.

Swapped adverbs:
:: {{lang|de|Der Direktor betrat mit einem Schirm in der Hand gestern um 10 Uhr sein Büro.}}
:: The manager entered with an umbrella in the hand yesterday at 10 o'clock his office.
: The phrase {{lang|de|mit einem Schirm in der Hand}} is highlighted.

Swapped object:
:: {{lang|de|Der Direktor betrat gestern um 10 Uhr sein Büro mit einem Schirm in der Hand.}}
:: The manager entered yesterday at 10 o'clock his office with an umbrella in the hand.
: The time specification and the object {{lang|de|sein Büro}} (his office) are lightly accentuated.

The flexible word order also allows one to use language "tools" (such as [[poetic meter]] and [[figures of speech]]) more freely.

====Auxiliary verbs====
When an [[auxiliary verb]] is present in the main clause, it appears in second position, and the main verb appears at the end. This occurs notably in the creation of the [[perfect (grammar)|perfect tense]]. Many word orders are still possible:

:{{lang|de|Der alte Mann hat mir heute das Buch gegeben.}} (The old man has [to] me today the book given.)
:{{lang|de|Das Buch hat der alte Mann mir heute gegeben.}} ('''''The book''''' has the old man [to] me today given.)
:{{lang|de|Heute hat der alte Mann mir das Buch gegeben.}} ('''''Today''''' has the old man [to] me the book given.)

The main verb may appear in first position to put stress on the action itself. The [[auxiliary verb]] is still in second position.

:{{lang|de|Gegeben hat mir der alte Mann das Buch heute.}} ('''''Given''''' has me the old man the book '''today'''.) The bare fact that the book has been given is emphasized, as well as 'today'.

====Modal verbs====
Sentences using [[modal verb]]s as finite verbs place the infinitive at the end. For example, the English sentence "Should he go home?" would be rearranged in German to say "Should he (to) home go?" ({{lang|de|Soll er nach Hause gehen?}}). Thus, in sentences with several subordinate or relative clauses, the infinitives are clustered at the end. Compare the similar clustering of prepositions in the following (highly contrived) English sentence: "What did you bring that book that I do not like to be read to out of up for?"

====Multiple infinitives====
German subordinate clauses have all verbs clustered at the end, with the finite verb normally in the final position of the cluster. Given that auxiliaries encode [[future]], [[passive voice|passive]], [[modality (semiotics)|modality]], and the [[perfect (grammar)|perfect]], very long chains of verbs at the end of the sentence can occur. In these constructions, the past participle formed with {{lang|de|ge-}} is often replaced by the infinitive.

: ''{{lang|de|Man nimmt an, dass der Deserteur wohl erschossen}}<sub>V</sub> {{lang|de|worden}}<sub>psv</sub> {{lang|de|sein}}<sub>perf</sub> {{lang|de|soll}}<sub>mod</sub>''
: One suspects that the deserter probably shot become be should.
: ("It is suspected that the deserter probably had been shot")
: {{lang|de|Er wusste nicht, dass der Agent einen Nachschlüssel hatte machen lassen}}
: He knew not that the agent a picklock had make let
: {{lang|de|Er wusste nicht, dass der Agent einen Nachschlüssel machen lassen hatte}}
: He knew not that the agent a picklock make let had
: ("He did not know that the agent had had a picklock made")

The order at the end of such strings is subject to variation, but the second one in the last example is unusual.