Word Order with Cases
NOMINATIVE | CONJUGATED VERB | DATIVE | ACCUSATIVE |
Der Mann
Das Kind Die Frau Die Leute |
bringt/bringen | dem Jungen
dem Mädchen der Schwester den Kindern |
den Mantel
das Hemd die Jacke die Kleider |
When the accusative and dative are both nouns, place the dative before the accusative.
When the accusative and dative are both pronouns, place the accusative before the dative. Remember it this way: Two-year-olds think they are the center of the universe. (Adults, of course, never think that way.) Two-year-olds will say,
“Gib es mir!” It may be selfish, but it is the right word order.
When one case (accusative or genitive) is a noun and one is a pronoun, in the main clause of a declarative sentence, the pronoun always goes next to the second position (the conjugated verb’s place).
Der Mann | bringt | ihn (the coat) | dem Jungen. |
Das Kind | bringt | ihm (the girl) | das Hemd. |
Den Apfel | bringt | sie (the wicked queen) | ihm (Schneewittchen). |
Schneewittchen (dat.) | bringt | sie | den Apfel. |