What can go in position 1 in a German sentence?

The subject, a time, a place, or an object can go in position 1. Use one sentence element there, then keep the finite verb in position 2.

What is inversion in German word order?

Inversion happens when something other than the subject moves to position 1. The verb stays in position 2, so the subject moves behind it: Morgen schicken wir die Bewerbung.

Does the German verb always come second?

In the main statements covered here, the finite verb takes position 2. A second verb part, such as an infinitive with a modal, can close the sentence.

Does time come before place in German?

Use time before place as a reliable first rule: Ich übe jeden Tag zu Hause. German has more word-order patterns, but this one gives you a useful default.

German Word Order: Position 1, Inversion, and Time Before Place

Many first German sentences begin with the subject:

Wir schicken die Bewerbung morgen.

That is correct, but the subject does not have to come first. A time, a place, or an object can take the first slot. The finite verb stays in position 2.

Compare the same message in three shapes:

Position 1	Position 2	The rest
Wir	schicken	die Bewerbung morgen.
Morgen	schicken	wir die Bewerbung.
Die Bewerbung	schicken	wir morgen.

The first element changes. The verb does not.

Position 1 holds one element

Position 1 means the first sentence element, not the first printed word. Each opening below fills one slot:

subject: Wir schicken die Bewerbung morgen.
time: Morgen schicken wir die Bewerbung.
object: Die Bewerbung schicken wir morgen.
place: In Deutschland schreibt man den Lebenslauf kurz.

In Deutschland contains two printed words, but it answers one question: where? It acts as one element before schreibt.

Use this small test: identify what comes first, then find the finite verb. If the opening is one element and the verb follows it, the position-2 rule is holding.

Why the subject moves

When the subject takes position 1, it stands before the verb:

Wir schicken die Bewerbung morgen.

When a time moves to position 1, the verb keeps its place. The subject therefore moves behind the verb:

Morgen schicken wir die Bewerbung.

This move is called inversion. Do not add the time word and leave the subject in front of the verb. Give position 1 to the time, keep the verb in position 2, then place the subject after it.

The same move works with a place:

Zu Hause übe ich jeden Tag Deutsch.

And with an object:

Die Bewerbung schicken wir morgen.

The front element changes what the sentence highlights. The basic message can stay the same.

Put time before place

When both time and place sit later in the sentence, use time before place as your first rule:

Ich übe jeden Tag zu Hause.

Here, jeden Tag gives the time and zu Hause gives the place.

The same order works inside a longer sentence:

Wir können die Bewerbung morgen in der Firma drucken.

The time is morgen. The place is in der Firma. They sit in that order before the final verb drucken.

German has more word-order patterns. You do not need all of them for this step. Use time before place as a dependable default, then keep checking the verb.

Keep the verb bracket closed

With a modal verb, the finite modal stays in position 2 and the other verb closes the sentence:

Ich muss jeden Tag zu Hause üben.

The time and place sit between muss and üben. That space is the middle field, das Mittelfeld.

An object can still move to the front:

Die Bewerbung müssen wir morgen per E-Mail schicken.

Check the frame in this order:

Die Bewerbung fills position 1.
müssen holds position 2.
wir morgen per E-Mail fills the middle field.
schicken closes the sentence.

If modal word order is new, the German modal verbs guide shows how the second verb moves to the end. The separable verbs guide shows the same bracket with a prefix.

A four-item word-order check

Rebuild each sentence before you look at the answers.

Start with Morgen: Wir schicken die Bewerbung morgen.
Start with Zu Hause: Ich übe jeden Tag Deutsch zu Hause.
Start with Am Montag: Ich fange am Montag an.
Build the sentence: wir / die Bewerbung / morgen / in der Firma / drucken / können

Answers:

Morgen schicken wir die Bewerbung.
Zu Hause übe ich jeden Tag Deutsch.
Am Montag fange ich an.
Wir können die Bewerbung morgen in der Firma drucken.

Check position 2 first. Then check that a second verb part reaches the end and that time comes before place.

What to learn next

Use one sentence you already know and move only its first element. Say the subject-first version, the time-first version, and the object-first version without changing the core message.

For the rule underneath these rotations, the first German conversation guide introduces position 2 with short statements and questions. For a two-part sentence, continue with the German modal verbs guide.