Where to place "GERN" in a German Sentence
The position of gern is quite annoying, even for us teachers to explain, but five rules will cover most situations. The position does not depend on the word itself. It depends on the type of sentence you use: a main clause, a subordinate clause, a question, a negative sentence or a sentence that starts with something other than the subject. This lesson gives you the rule and several example sentences for each type, plus two bonus tips on gern haben and ungern.
Gern or Gerne? And What Kind of Word Is It?
- Gern and gerne are exactly the same. Both are correct and both are commonly used. It is up to you. One exception is the answer Sehr gerne when somebody says thank you (you're very welcome). There most people choose gerne.
- Gern is an adverb, not a verb. The best translation is "gladly", but that does not work in every sentence. Ich spiele gern Tennis means I like to play tennis or I like playing tennis.
- You always need a main verb for the thing you actually do. Ich gern Tennis and Ich gern Tennis spielen are both wrong.
- Because gern is an adverb, it belongs to the verb. The basic idea: place it as close as possible to the conjugated verb.
The 5 Rules at a Glance
| Sentence type | Where does gern go? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Main clause | after the conjugated verb | Ich esse gern Pizza. |
| 2. Subordinate clause | before the conjugated verb | Tom hat gesagt, dass er gern kocht. |
| 3. Question | after the subject | Spielst du gern Tennis? |
| 4. Negation | after nicht | Ich esse nicht gern GemĂŒse. |
| 5. Sentence beginning (not the subject) | after the subject | Morgens trinke ich gern einen Tee. |
The 5 Rules in Detail
Rule 1: Main Clause, gern After the Verb
In a main clause the conjugated verb is in second position. The subject is in first position and also needs to be as close as possible to the verb. Since gern is an adverb, it wants to be close too, so it is in position 3.
- Ich esse gern Pizza. I like to eat pizza.
- Hans wohnt gern in Berlin. Hans likes living in Berlin.
- Laura rÀumt gern ihr Zimmer auf. Laura likes to tidy up her room. The verb aufrÀumen is separable, but gern still stands right after the conjugated verb rÀumt.
You will also hear Ich esse Pizza gern. The meaning is the same, you only emphasize gern more. If you are a beginner, forget about these other positions and stick to the rule.
Rule 1 exceptions: time words and pronouns come first
If the sentence has a time word or a pronoun, it stands before gern. Time words and pronouns are more important and need to be closer to the verb.
| Exception | Examples |
|---|---|
| Time word before gern | Ich esse morgens gern Brot. I like to eat bread in the morning. Ich komme heute auch gern. I would love to come today too. Abends schaue ich gern einen Film. In the evening I like to watch a movie. |
| Pronoun before gern | Ich helfe dir gern. I am happy to help you. Ich gebe ihn dir gern. I will gladly give it to you. Ich verkaufe dir gern meinen Laptop. I will gladly sell you my laptop. |
The second pronoun example makes sense in this situation: a friend asks Kannst du mir deinen Stift geben, bitte? and you answer Ich gebe ihn dir gern. (ihn is the accusative object, dir the dative.) Note that Ich esse gern morgens Brot would still be understandable, but the common order puts the time word first.
Rule 2: Subordinate Clause, gern Before the Verb
In a subordinate clause the conjugated verb is always in last position. Gern wants to be close to the verb, so it comes right before it.
- Tom hat gesagt, dass er gern kocht. Tom said that he likes to cook.
- Laura ist fit, weil sie gern Sport macht. Laura is fit because she likes doing sports.
- Bam Bam ist zu dick, weil sie gern schlÀft. Bam Bam is too fat because she likes to sleep. (Bam Bam is one of the presenter's two cats.)
Look at the second example: Sport stands between gern and macht. Noun-verb combinations like Sport machen, Deutsch lernen or Tennis spielen belong together, so gern goes before the noun. Weil sie Sport gern macht is not wrong, but it is not common.
Rule 3: Questions, gern After the Subject
- Spielst du gern Tennis? Do you like playing tennis? (yes/no question)
- Wann lernt ihr gern Deutsch? When do you like to learn German? (question with a question word)
- Hat dein Opa gern in Berlin gewohnt? Did your grandpa like living in Berlin? (question in the Perfekt)
It does not matter what kind of question it is: gern follows the subject (du, ihr, dein Opa).
Rule 4: Negation, gern After nicht
- Ich esse nicht gern GemĂŒse. I don't like eating vegetables.
- Spielst du nicht gern Tennis? Don't you like playing tennis?
- Ich verkaufe dir den Laptop nicht gern. I don't want to sell you the laptop. The meaning is more: I would rather not.
This works for statements and questions. You could also combine gern with kein, but it is super rare and sounds strange. Forget about it and always use nicht.
Rule 5: Sentence Beginning, gern After the Subject
Normally a sentence starts with the subject. You can also start with a time word, an object or a preposition plus noun. The first position is then taken, the verb is in second position, the subject comes third and gern follows the subject. The subject is more important and has to be closer to the verb than gern.
- Morgens trinke ich gern einen Tee. I like to drink tea in the morning.
- Das Essen habe ich gern bezahlt. I gladly paid for the meal. The accusative object is at the start because you emphasize it: you invited a friend to dinner, paid everything, and they say thank you. The normal order would be Ich habe das Essen gern bezahlt.
- Im Kino essen wir gern Popcorn. We like to eat popcorn at the movies.
Bonus Tip 1: gern haben Is a Verb
Gern haben (also written gernhaben) exists as a separable verb. You see gern at the end of the sentence, because it works like a prefix and not like an adverb. It is mostly used for people.
- Er hat seinen Chef nicht gern. He doesn't like his boss.
- Er hat seinen Chef gern. He likes his boss.
- Meine Katze hat es gern, wenn ich sie streichle. My cat likes it when I pet her.
- Ich hab dich gern. I like you very much.
Compare the three levels: Ich mag dich is a neutral "I like you", Ich hab dich gern is "I like you very much", and Ich liebe dich is "I love you", which is not used that often.
Bonus Tip 2: ungern
Ungern is the opposite of gern. It is also an adverb and not that common. Instead of Ich esse nicht gern Fisch you could say Ich esse ungern Fisch. The second one is softer and more polite. Imagine somebody invites you for dinner and asks if fish is okay. Ich hasse Fisch would be very impolite. Ich esse ungern Fisch tells the other person the fact in a softer way. Still, stick to nicht gern, because gern simply follows nicht and that is easier to remember.
What to Learn Next
Nicht has its own position rules. See Position of nicht in German Sentences and Position of nicht, Part 2. For other ways to say like, read mögen vs. möchten vs. gern. To understand why the verb moves around in the first place, start with Satzbau Part I: Main Clause and Satzbau Part II: Subordinate Clause.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between gern and gerne?
There is no difference. Both are correct and commonly used. Only in the answer Sehr gerne (you're very welcome) most people prefer gerne.
Where does gern go in a main clause?
Right after the conjugated verb: Ich esse gern Pizza. If there is a time word or a pronoun, they come first: Ich esse morgens gern Brot, Ich helfe dir gern.
Where does gern go in a subordinate clause?
Before the conjugated verb, which is at the end of the clause: Tom hat gesagt, dass er gern kocht. With a noun-verb combination like Sport machen it goes before the noun.
Where does gern go in a negative sentence?
After nicht: Ich esse nicht gern GemĂŒse. Using gern with kein is super rare, so always use nicht.
What does Ich hab dich gern mean?
It means "I like you very much". It is stronger than Ich mag dich and not as strong as Ich liebe dich. Here gern haben is a verb, so gern stands at the end.
Sentence structure gets easier with a clear system. Our B1 German online course shows you word order step by step, with clear video lessons and practice.
