Word order: Mittelfeld
B1 · Intermediate · Advanced Structures
The rule
Order: time, cause, manner, place (TeKaMoLo).
How it works
The middle field (Mittelfeld) of a German sentence contains the adverbials of time, reason, manner and place. The usual sequence is abbreviated as TeKaMoLo: Temporal (time), Kausal (reason), Modal (manner), Lokal (place). Ich fahre morgen wegen der Arbeit schnell nach Hause follows this rule. Mastering this sequence makes sentences clear.
When to use it
Order the middle of a sentence as time, cause, manner, place (TeKaMoLo), which is the normal order when several details appear together.
Use cases
- Describing a trip with several details: Wir fahren morgen wegen der Hochzeit mit dem Zug nach Hamburg
- Describing a daily routine: Ich gehe jeden Morgen aus Gesundheitsgründen zu Fuß zur Arbeit
- Organising written reports with many details
Examples
- Er fährt heute wegen des Staus langsam nach Hause – He drives home slowly today because of the jam
- Er hat gestern wegen der Prüfung lange im Büro gearbeitet. – Yesterday he worked late in the office because of the exam.
- Sie kommt heute mit dem Auto zu uns. – She is coming to us today by car.
- Wir essen abends gern gemütlich zu Hause. – In the evening we like to eat comfortably at home.
Common mistake
Putting place before time: "Ich fahre nach Berlin morgen" should be "Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin".
Memory tip
TeKaMoLo: Temporal, Kausal, Modal, Lokal. Time, reason, manner, place.
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Verbs and Word Order: Tenses, Modals and Sentence Structure.