Die Satzklammer — Verbklammer in Haupt- und Nebensätzen
The Sentence Bracket — Verbal Bracket in Main and Subordinate Clauses
The fundamental rule of German: the verb "embraces" the sentence.
How the rule begins
The Satzklammer (also: Verbklammer) is one of the most important and most characteristic features of the German language. It appears whenever a sentence has two verbal parts: the first part — the conjugated (finite) verb — always stands in Position 2 in the main clause, while the second part — an infinitive, a participle or a separable prefix — stands right at the end of the sentence. Between these two parts a frame is formed which encloses every other element of the…
The rest of the explanation, the examples and the exercises are in the full lesson.
Premium lesson — log in to unlock
The first 5 grammar lessons are free with a free account. This lesson is part of the Premium plan.