ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the principles of word order in German. The topics covered are the three basic clause structures, with the finite verb in different positions, use of first position in main clauses to highlight an important element, position of the other elements in the clause, position of noun and pronoun subject and objects, position of adverbials, position of nicht and other negative elements, position of other verb complements, and placing elements after the verb at the end of the clause. German word order has a different role to English in determining the construction of sentences. English uses word order to identify the subject and the object(s) of the verb. In German it is the case endings, not the word order, which tell us who is doing what to whom, i.e. what is the subject and what are the objects.
