Word order: Immer bist du unzufrieden!
- Thread starter zorspas
- Start date
Because the sentence begins with an adverb. The subject comes after the verb because the verb has to be in the second position.
In main clauses (with no complications involved), the subject can be the first or the third part of the sentence. The second position is firmly reserved for verbs.
Ich kenne seine Frau schon seit drei Jahren.
Seine Frau kenne ich schon seit drei Jahren.
The part that should be underlined can be typically put at the beginning. In your sentence, there's a lot of emphasis on "immer". A similar effect, however, can be achieved by saying "Du bist immer unzufrieden" and pronouncing "immer" conspicuously slowly.
Ich kenne seine Frau schon seit drei Jahren.
Seine Frau kenne ich schon seit drei Jahren.
The part that should be underlined can be typically put at the beginning. In your sentence, there's a lot of emphasis on "immer". A similar effect, however, can be achieved by saying "Du bist immer unzufrieden" and pronouncing "immer" conspicuously slowly.
In most germanic languages there is a rule that the verb in a main sentence should appear in the second position. English is here an exception.
Gestern war ich in Berlin. (second)
Yesterday I was in Berlin. (third)
Your sentence is inverted; "immer" is emphasized.
Gestern war ich in Berlin. (second)
Yesterday I was in Berlin. (third)
Your sentence is inverted; "immer" is emphasized.
Hi, zorspas.
there is a main principle in the German language: the position of the verb is the second position in the sentence.
(there are some exceptions, but in our case it is on the second position.)
The default structure is subject has the first place, the verb the second:
"Du bist immer unzufrieden."
But there are a lot of possible movements.
The first place is a special place. If you move a word to the first place, you emphasize it.
If you want to emphasize "immer", you can move it there or alternatively, set the stress on it. But the verb remains in the second place. To reach this, the subject (it also may be a noun phrase) is moved behind the verb. "Unzufrieden" is part of "unzufrieden sein" where the conjugated form is: bist unzufrieden. Such a part, belonging to a verb, is usually at the very end of a sentence, if it is not moved.
You get the result:
Immer bist du unzufrieden!
This is the main idea behind.
there is a main principle in the German language: the position of the verb is the second position in the sentence.
(there are some exceptions, but in our case it is on the second position.)
The default structure is subject has the first place, the verb the second:
"Du bist immer unzufrieden."
But there are a lot of possible movements.
The first place is a special place. If you move a word to the first place, you emphasize it.
If you want to emphasize "immer", you can move it there or alternatively, set the stress on it. But the verb remains in the second place. To reach this, the subject (it also may be a noun phrase) is moved behind the verb. "Unzufrieden" is part of "unzufrieden sein" where the conjugated form is: bist unzufrieden. Such a part, belonging to a verb, is usually at the very end of a sentence, if it is not moved.
You get the result:
Immer bist du unzufrieden!
This is the main idea behind.
Many thanks for your detailed explanation.