Word order in German is really important. The first word is where the emphasis lies, and verbs usually sit in second place. Watch this video to find out how changing the order affects a sentence.
Rapper wants to give Makeda a great send off so sets up an awesome surprise - but needs to get his words in just the right order.
Rapper: Ok Marco, I think we should do something special for Makeda. You know, to show her that we're going to miss her.
Marco: Was machen wir jetzt?
Rapper: Mmm. Ich habe eine Idee… Hi guys! There are many ways to tell Makeda that we're going to miss her, but we need to find the best one. Word order matters in German and changing the order of the words changes the emphasis. Let's go surprise her.
Makeda: Rapper! Why didn't you use your… Marco! Marie! Herr Özgur?! Haha!
Rapper: Makeda, Ich habe eine Überraschung für dich, I have a surprise for you. Makeda, es war eine sehr schöne Zeit.
Marco: Das stimmt!
Rapper: Dich ich jetzt schon vermisse. Ugh. Nein. Um. One moment, please, Moment. Um, 'ich', you're the person doing the action, uh, you're the subject. And 'vermisse', you're the verb. You two always have to stay together in a sentence. Dich jetzt schon ich vermisse. Nein. 'Vermisse', you're the verb, you always have to be the second idea in the sentence. Ich vermisse dich jetzt schon! Uh, or maybe less focus on the 'ich'. The first word is always the strongest emphasis. Mmm. Jetzt schon vermisse ich dich. Uhh.
Marie: Dich vermisse ich jetzt schon. I already miss you.
Makeda: Guys!
Rapper: Makeda, du hast hier immer ein Zuhause. You will always have a home here.
Makeda: Haha, Danke! Come here! Rapper, es war eine schöne Zeit. Ich habe viel gelernt. Ich mag Deutschland, ich mag Berlin und ich mag die Musik. Ich komme gerne nochmal.
Rapper: Makeda, du hast Recht! Es war eine sehr schöne Zeit. Mit Makeda hat man immer Spaß!
Makeda: Awww. Awww guys! Danke! It's like the subject and the verb in a sentence. We'll always be together. You guys are so great. I know how to rap, I know that a verb is a doing word, and that it almost always, comes second in the sentence, even if that means shifting the person doing the action. I know how to do the splits, Marco! And I know that if you want to emphasise something, you put it right at the beginning of the sentence, right up at number one, in first place. Dich vermisse ich jetzt schon! Und dich! Und dich! Und Sie, Herr Özgur, auch Sie.
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