Word Order: Time–Manner–Place (TeKaMoLo)
In German, when a sentence contains multiple adverbials — telling you when, why, how, and where something happens — they must appear in a fixed sequence. That sequence has a handy mnemonic: TeKaMoLo (temporal → kausal → modal → lokal), or more simply: time → reason → manner → place.
This rule affects almost every sentence you will ever write, so mastering it early pays off fast. English speakers often put place before manner, or time at the very end — German does the opposite. Once you internalize TeKaMoLo, natural-sounding word order becomes automatic.
What Does TeKaMoLo Stand For?
Each letter represents a type of adverbial — a phrase that adds context to the verb:
| Symbol | German term | Meaning | Key question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Te | temporal | when? | wann? wie lange? wie oft? |
| Ka | kausal | why? | warum? weshalb? |
| Mo | modal | how? | wie? womit? |
| Lo | lokal | where? | wo? wohin? woher? |
When two or more of these appear in the same clause, they always follow the Te → Ka → Mo → Lo sequence. You do not need all four in every sentence — just keep the ones present in their correct relative order.
Building a TeKaMoLo Sentence Step by Step
Start with subject + verb, then layer in adverbials one at a time:
| Step | Sentence | Element added |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Ich fahre. | — |
| + Time (Te) | Ich fahre morgen. | Te |
| + Manner (Mo) | Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug. | Mo |
| + Place (Lo) | Ich fahre morgen mit dem Zug nach München. | Lo |
Compare with English: "I'm taking the train to Munich tomorrow." English puts time last; German puts it first. This is the single biggest adjustment English speakers need to make.
Adding reason (Ka): If you want to explain why, it slots between time and manner:
Er bleibt heute (Te) wegen des Wetters (Ka) zu Hause (Lo). (He is staying home today because of the weather.)
Position 1 and the V2 Rule
German main clauses follow the V2 rule: the finite verb must always sit in the second position. Any single element — including a time phrase — can be moved to position 1 for emphasis, but the verb must immediately follow it, and the remaining adverbials keep their TeKaMoLo order:
| Neutral order | Emphatic (Te in position 1) |
|---|---|
| Sie lernt jeden Tag gern zu Hause. | Jeden Tag lernt sie gern zu Hause. |
| Er fährt morgen mit dem Bus zur Arbeit. | Morgen fährt er mit dem Bus zur Arbeit. |
Notice that when Te moves to position 1, the verb comes next, followed by the subject, and then Mo and Lo continue in their normal order. You cannot move two adverbials to position 1 at once.
📖 Examples
Ich gehe heute gern ins Kino.
I like going to the cinema today.
Sie fährt morgen mit dem Zug nach Berlin.
She is travelling to Berlin by train tomorrow.
Er bleibt heute wegen der Prüfung zu Hause.
He is staying home today because of the exam.
Wir essen jeden Abend zusammen in der Küche.
We eat together in the kitchen every evening.
Die Kinder spielen nachmittags laut auf dem Spielplatz.
The children play loudly on the playground in the afternoon.
Ich trinke morgens schnell einen Kaffee am Bahnhof.
I quickly drink a coffee at the station in the mornings.
Er arbeitet montags meistens im Büro.
He usually works in the office on Mondays.
Wir fahren nächste Woche mit dem Auto ans Meer.
We are driving to the sea by car next week.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Ich fahre in die Stadt mit dem Bus morgen.Ich fahre morgen mit dem Bus in die Stadt.
English often places place before manner and puts time at the end. German requires the opposite: Time (morgen) → Manner (mit dem Bus) → Place (in die Stadt).
Sie arbeitet im Büro gern jeden Tag.Sie arbeitet jeden Tag gern im Büro.
Place (im Büro) must come after manner (gern), not before it. Time (jeden Tag) must precede both. The Lo slot is always last.
Er geht schnell heute in den Supermarkt.Er geht heute schnell in den Supermarkt.
Time (heute) always comes before manner (schnell) in German. Never swap the Te and Mo slots.
Wir fahren ans Meer nächste Woche mit dem Zug.Wir fahren nächste Woche mit dem Zug ans Meer.
The correct order is Te (nächste Woche) → Mo (mit dem Zug) → Lo (ans Meer). Place is always the last adverbial in the sequence.
✏️ Exercises
Test your understanding. Click an option or type your answer, then check.
Which sentence follows the correct TeKaMoLo word order?
Choose the correctly ordered German sentence for: 'She works every day quickly at home.'
Where does the reason phrase 'wegen des Sturms' belong in the sentence 'Er bleibt ___ zu Hause'?
Rearrange these parts into the correct TeKaMoLo order: 'Er läuft' + 'im Park' + 'jeden Morgen' + 'mit dem Hund'.
When a time phrase is moved to position 1 for emphasis, what must occupy position 2?
Which question word corresponds to the 'Mo' (modal) slot in TeKaMoLo?
Fill in the blank with the adverbials in the correct TeKaMoLo order: Ich fahre ___. (nach Berlin / morgen / mit dem Zug)
Fill in the blank with the adverbials in the correct TeKaMoLo order: Er bleibt ___. (zu Hause / heute / wegen der Grippe)
Fill in the blank with the adverbials in the correct TeKaMoLo order: Sie lernt ___. (jeden Abend / in der Bibliothek / fleißig)
Fill in the blank with the adverbials in the correct TeKaMoLo order: Wir gehen ___. (langsam / nach dem Essen / durch den Park)