Putting Something Else First
Put the part you want to stress first. The verb stays second, and the subject follows it: Muer kommen ech net. Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies.
How It Works
In word order basics you saw that the conjugated verb is always the second element of a statement. The first place does not have to be the subject. You can start with almost any part of the sentence:
- an object: Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies. (That book, I've already read.)
- a time: Muer kommen ech net. (Tomorrow I'm not coming.)
- a phrase with a preposition: Mat him schwätzen ech net méi. (I'm not talking to him anymore.)
- a place: An der Stad gëtt et vill Geschäfter. (There are lots of shops in town.)
The rule. Only one part of the sentence goes before the verb, but that part can be several words long, like an der Stad. The verb comes next. If the subject is not first, it comes right after the verb: Muer kommen ech net. An unstressed pronoun can even come before a noun subject; see pronouns early in the clause.
Why do it?
- To stress something or contrast it: Kaffi drénken ech net, mee Téi drénken ech gär. (Coffee I don't drink, but I like tea.)
- To link to what was just said: someone asks about a book, and you answer Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies.
- To set the scene: time words often come first in stories: Gëschter hu mir laang geschlof.
Other verb forms stay at the end as usual: Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies. The joining words an, oder and mee do not count as the first element. A whole subordinate clause can also come first; see subordinate clause first.
Examples (6)
- Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies.
I've already read that book.
The object comes first, so ech follows the verb hunn.
- Muer kommen ech net.
I'm not coming tomorrow.
Muer takes the first place, and the verb stays second.
- Mat him schwätzen ech net méi.
I'm not talking to him anymore.
A whole phrase with mat counts as one element.
- Gëschter hu mir laang geschlof.
Yesterday we slept in.
A time word first sets the scene.
- Deng Mamm kennen ech gutt.
I know your mother well.
The object deng Mamm comes first to stress who you know.
- Kaffi drénken ech net, mee Téi drénken ech gär.
I don't drink coffee, but I do like tea.
Fronting sets up a contrast between two things.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the subject before the verb after something else comes first.
Muer ech kommen net.Muer kommen ech net.The verb must stay in second place. When muer is first, the subject ech moves after the verb.
Putting two parts of the sentence before the verb.
Dat Buch ech hu scho gelies.Dat Buch hunn ech scho gelies.Only one part of the sentence fits before the verb. Dat Buch fills that place, so hunn comes next and ech after it.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Putting Something Else First, learn Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday.
Related Patterns
- The Verb Comes Second
The verb-second rule that fronting depends on.
Level 1 - Starting With a Subordinate Clause
A whole subordinate clause can also take the first place.
Level 3 - Time, Manner, Place
The usual order of the other details after the verb.
Level 3 - Pronouns Come Early
After fronting, an unstressed pronoun can come before a noun subject.
Level 3 - Naming the Topic First
In speech, a fronted noun can be picked up again by dee or dat.
Level 5 - Emphasis: et war ... deenIt Was ... Who: Et War ... Deen
Another way to focus on one part of the sentence.
Level 5
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Putting Something Else First in Bubblegum
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