In a Dutch statement, the conjugated verb (the verb form that changes with the person: _ik werk_, _hij werkt_) is the second element. One element comes first, then the verb, then the rest. That first element can be one word or a whole group of words, so you count elements, not words.
The pattern
One element first, then the conjugated verb. An element is a word or a group of words that belongs together, like _ik_, _om acht uur_ or _mijn oude buurman uit Delft_.
- Position one can be the subject, a time, a place or an object, among other things.
- When the subject is not in position one, it goes right after the verb. More in [Inversion: Morgen ga ik](#/lesson/inversion).
- With two verbs, the conjugated one is second and the other usually goes to the end ([the verb bracket](#/lesson/verb-bracket)).
- _En_, _maar_, _want_, _ja_ and _nee_ at the start of a clause do not count as position one.
- Questions with a question word follow the rule too (_Waar woon jij?_), while yes or no questions and commands start with the verb (_Woon jij hier?_, _Kom binnen!_).
Examples
| Ik woon in Utrecht. | I live in Utrecht. |
|---|---|
| Mijn oude buurman uit Delft woont nu hier. | My old neighbour from Delft lives here now. |
| Mijn zus en haar vriend komen zaterdag. | My sister and her boyfriend are coming on Saturday. |
| Vandaag werkt Priya thuis. | Priya is working from home today. |
| Om acht uur vertrekt de trein. | The train leaves at eight o'clock. |
| In de supermarkt betaal ik met mijn pinpas. | In the supermarket I pay with my debit card. |
| Die appels neem ik. | I'll take those apples. |
| Sanne wil vanavond pizza eten. | Sanne wants to eat pizza tonight. |
| Ik fiets vaak naar mijn werk. | I often cycle to work. |
Why it works this way
Picture a Dutch statement as a train. The first carriage holds whatever you start with: a person, a time, a place or a thing. It can be tiny (_ik_) or long (_mijn oude buurman uit Delft_), but there is only one. The verb is the second carriage.
English works differently: in "Today I work at home" the verb comes third. Dutch keeps it second, so the subject steps aside: _Vandaag werk ik thuis._ If you speak German, relax: German main clauses follow the same rule.
In relaxed speech you will hear _Weet ik niet_ (I don't know), with _dat_ left out of position one. The verb stays exactly where it was.
This is the rule for main clauses, sentences that can stand on their own. After _omdat_ (because) or _dat_ (that), the verb goes to the end; see [Subordinate clauses](#/lesson/subordinate-clauses).
Remember: one block, then the verb. Count blocks, not words.
Watch out
- Not: _Vandaag ik werk thuis._ Say: _Vandaag werk ik thuis._ (_vandaag_ is position one, so the verb comes next)
- Not: _Ik vaak fiets naar mijn werk._ Say: _Ik fiets vaak naar mijn werk._ (English puts often before the verb; Dutch keeps the verb second)
- Not: _Ik ook spreek Engels._ Say: _Ik spreek ook Engels._ (_ook_ goes after the verb)
- Not: _Ik blijf thuis, want regent het._ Say: _Ik blijf thuis, want het regent._ (_want_ does not count, so _het_ takes position one)
Quick check
- Fix the sentence, keeping _morgen_ at the start: _Morgen Joris gaat naar de huisarts._
- In _Mijn broer uit Rotterdam komt vandaag_, which word is in position two: _broer_, _uit_ or _komt_?
- Choose the correct sentence: _Lotte morgen wil zwemmen._ or _Lotte wil morgen zwemmen._
- Fill in the gap: _Die tas ... ik niet._ (kopen)
Answers
- _Morgen gaat Joris naar de huisarts._ (_morgen_ is position one, so the verb comes next)
- _komt_ (_mijn broer uit Rotterdam_ is one element)
- _Lotte wil morgen zwemmen._ (the conjugated verb _wil_ is second, _zwemmen_ goes to the end)
- _koop_ (_die tas_ is position one, then the verb, then the subject _ik_)
Use it today
Tonight, write three sentences about your day: one starting with _ik_, one starting with a time (_vanavond_) and one starting with a place (_op mijn werk_). Then check each one: is the verb the second element?