TeKaMoLo: German word order with examples

What TeKaMoLo means

TeKaMoLo is a memory aid for ordering adverbials in German: temporal, kausal, modal and lokal. In English: time, cause, manner and place. They answer “when?”, “why?”, “how?” and “where or where to?”.

It can serve as a starting order when a sentence contains several of these pieces of information. You don’t need all four in every sentence. Most everyday sentences contain only one or two.

A full sentence is Ich lerne heute wegen der Prüfung konzentriert zu Hause. (“Today I’m studying hard at home because of the exam”). After the verb come time, cause, manner and place. Notice that English usually puts place before time; German usually does the opposite.

Place the verb first

In a main declarative clause, the conjugated verb takes the second position. “Position” means a block of information, not necessarily one word.

• Ich lerne heute zu Hause.
• Heute lerne ich zu Hause.
• Am Montag lerne ich zu Hause.

In the third sentence, Am Montag has two words but fills a single block. The verb stays in second position. If you put the time first, the subject comes after the verb: not Heute ich lerne, even though English says “Today I study”.

TeKaMoLo organises part of the information in the sentence; it doesn’t replace the verb rule.

The middle field and the end of the sentence

In the Perfekt, the conjugated auxiliary takes the second position and the participle usually closes the clause: Ich habe gestern konzentriert zu Hause gelernt. (“Yesterday I studied hard at home”). Time, manner and place sit between the two.

With a separable verb, the particle also goes to the end of the main clause: Ich kaufe heute im Supermarkt ein. (“Today I’m doing the shopping at the supermarket”).

In a subordinate clause introduced by weil, the conjugated verb goes to the end: …, weil ich heute zu Hause lerne. (”…, because I’m studying at home today”). The verb rule depends on the type of clause, while the adverbials still appear in the middle field.

When the order changes

TeKaMoLo describes a common order, not a law that makes every alternative wrong. You can move the element you want to highlight to the start: Zu Hause lerne ich heute. (“At home is where I’m studying today”).

Pronouns, objects and whether information is known or new also play a role. Don’t try to fit every word into four boxes: a recipient like dir (“to you”) is not a time, cause, manner or place adverbial.

If an expression includes a preposition, decide its case separately. Ordering mit dem Bus doesn’t explain why it uses Dativ. For that, see Akkusativ and Dativ.

How to build a sentence step by step

1. Decide whether you’re building a main clause, a question or a subordinate clause.
2. Place the conjugated verb and any participle, infinitive or particle.
3. Add the subject and the objects you need.
4. Order the adverbials using TeKaMoLo as a starting point.
5. Change the opening if you need to highlight something, keeping the verb in place.

TeKaMoLo exercises

Build a main clause with the subject first, unless told otherwise:

1. ich / lerne / zu Hause / heute
2. wir / fahren / nach Berlin / morgen / mit dem Zug
3. Start with Heute: ich / lerne / heute / zu Hause.
4. Form the Perfekt: ich / habe / gelernt / gestern / zu Hause.
5. Complete: …, weil ich heute zu Hause ___. Use lernen in the present tense.

Show answers and explanations

1. Ich lerne heute zu Hause. Time before place.
2. Wir fahren morgen mit dem Zug nach Berlin. Time, manner or means of transport, then destination.
3. Heute lerne ich zu Hause. The verb stays in second position and the subject comes after it.
4. Ich habe gestern zu Hause gelernt. Auxiliary in second position, participle at the end.
5. …, weil ich heute zu Hause lerne. The conjugated verb closes this subordinate clause.

These are model answers. Some variations can be correct if the emphasis changes; not every alternative has to follow the neutral order.