Main clause bracket

Position 2 finite verb opens the bracket; separable prefix / infinitive / participle often closes it:

• Ich muss heute Abend noch einkaufen gehen.
• Er hat das Problem nicht lösen können.

Subclause

Everything between conjunction and final finite verb forms a mental bracket:

• …, weil er gestern nicht hatte mitkommen wollen.

Reading tip

Underline the first and last verb forms; skim the middle as one block.

Practice

Take a long sentence from news German and mark both ends of every bracket before you translate.

Practical Examples

1. Er ruft seine Mutter später an.

• English: He will call his mother later.
• Usage Note: In main clauses, the conjugated part of a separable verb (like anrufen) occupies the first position, and its prefix forms the second part of the verb bracket at the end.

1. Wir müssen die Aufgabe bis morgen erledigen.

• English: We have to complete the task by tomorrow.
• Usage Note: When a modal verb is used, the conjugated modal verb is in the first position, and the main verb in its infinitive form goes to the end of the sentence.

1. Sie hat das Buch schon gelesen.

• English: She has already read the book.
• Usage Note: In the perfect tense, the conjugated auxiliary verb (haben or sein) is in the first position, and the past participle of the main verb forms the second part of the bracket.

1. Das neue Gebäude wird nächstes Jahr gebaut.

• English: The new building will be built next year.
• Usage Note: In the passive voice, the conjugated auxiliary verb werden is in the first position, and the past participle of the main verb forms the second part of the bracket.

1. Ich werde Deutsch fließend sprechen.

• English: I will speak German fluently.
• Usage Note: For the future tense, the conjugated auxiliary verb werden is in the first position, and the infinitive of the main verb forms the second part of the bracket.

1. Kommt ihr morgen Abend mit?

• English: Are you coming along tomorrow evening?
• Usage Note: In yes/no questions with separable verbs, the conjugated verb starts the sentence, and the prefix forms the end of the bracket.

1. Kannst du mir bitte helfen?

• English: Can you please help me?
• Usage Note: In yes/no questions with modal verbs, the conjugated modal verb starts the sentence, and the infinitive of the main verb forms the end of the bracket.

1. Habt ihr schon zu Mittag gegessen?

• English: Have you already eaten lunch?
• Usage Note: In yes/no questions in the perfect tense, the conjugated auxiliary verb (haben or sein) starts the sentence, and the past participle forms the end of the bracket.

1. Er will den Film heute Abend nicht sehen.

• English: He doesn't want to see the film tonight.
• Usage Note: Negation with nicht typically appears before the second part of the verb bracket, specifically before the infinitive in this case.

1. Sie versucht, die komplexe Grammatik zu verstehen.

• English: She tries to understand the complex grammar.
• Usage Note: In sentences with zu-infinitives (often after verbs like versuchen, hoffen, vergessen), the zu + infinitive forms the second part of the bracket, often separated by a comma.

1. Er hätte das Problem früher lösen können.

• English: He could have solved the problem earlier.
• Usage Note: This is a "double infinitive" construction (Ersatzinfinitiv) used with modal verbs in the perfect tense, where both the main verb and the modal verb appear as infinitives at the end.

1. Ich habe ihn gestern im Park singen hören.

• English: I heard him singing in the park yesterday.
• Usage Note: With verbs of perception (hören, sehen) or causation (lassen) in the perfect tense, the past participle is often replaced by the infinitive (Ersatzinfinitiv).

1. Die Kinder haben gestern Nachmittag im Garten Fußball gespielt.

• English: The children played football in the garden yesterday afternoon.
• Usage Note: All other sentence elements (time, place, manner, object) are placed within the verb bracket, between the conjugated verb and its second part.

1. Wir müssen uns mit diesem Thema kritisch auseinandersetzen.

• English: We have to critically engage with this topic.
• Usage Note: Even with complex separable verbs (like auseinandersetzen), the prefix forms the second part of the verb bracket at the end of the sentence.

1. Der Bericht sollte bis Freitag eingereicht werden.

• English: The report should be submitted by Friday.
• Usage Note: This example combines a modal verb with the passive voice. The modal verb is conjugated, and the passive infinitive (eingereicht werden) forms the second part of the bracket.