Basic word order (SVO & inversion)

Standard word order: Subject – Verb – Object (SVO)

Dutch basic sentences follow the same order as English, subject, then verb, then the rest:

• Ik drink koffie. — I drink coffee.
• Zij leest een boek. — She reads a book.
• Wij eten brood. — We eat bread.

The V2 rule (verb-second)

In Dutch, the conjugated verb is in position 2 of a main clause. This is called the V2 rule. Yes/no questions and commands are the exception: there the verb comes first (Werk jij vandaag?, Kom binnen!).

When another element (time, place, etc.) starts the sentence, the subject and verb swap (inversion):

The verb always stays in position 2, the subject simply moves behind it.

Time – Manner – Place (TMP)

When adding details, Dutch prefers the order Time – Manner – Place:

• Ik ga morgen (T) met de trein (M) naar Amsterdam (P). — I am going to Amsterdam by train tomorrow.
• Zij fietst elke dag (T) snel (M) naar haar werk (P). — She cycles quickly to work every day.

Summary with examples