Where to place "GERN" in a German Sentence

Gern is one of the most useful words in German for talking about what you like to do, but its position in the sentence trips up even advanced learners because it shifts depending on the sentence type. Here are the 5 positions that cover almost any situation, plus two nuances worth knowing.

Gern vs. Gerne

Both are correct and mean exactly the same thing. Gern is slightly more common in everyday speech, and gerne is slightly more formal — but the two are interchangeable in nearly every context.

The 5 Positions for Gern

1. Affirmative main clause: gern goes directly after the conjugated verb (and after any pronoun objects). Ich esse gern Pizza. (I like to eat pizza.)

2. Affirmative subordinate clause: gern goes right before the verb at the end of the clause. ..., weil ich gern Pizza esse. (..., because I like to eat pizza.)

3. Questions: gern follows the same "right after the verb" logic as in main clauses. Isst du gern Pizza? (Do you like to eat pizza?)

4. Negative sentences: "nicht" attaches directly before gern. Ich esse nicht gern Pizza. (I don't like to eat pizza.)

5. Beginning of the sentence (for emphasis): gern can open the sentence, which triggers the usual verb-second inversion. Gern esse ich Pizza. (I really do like eating pizza.)

Two Nuances Worth Knowing

With separable-prefix verbs, gern sits between the conjugated verb and the separable prefix, not right after the verb as a two-word cluster: Ich stehe gern früh auf. (I like to get up early.) And gern also combines with "haben" idiomatically as "gernhaben," used for people rather than activities: Ich habe dich gern. (I like you / I'm fond of you.)

More Example Sentences

Wir gehen gern spazieren. (We like to go for walks.)
Gern lese ich abends ein Buch. (I like reading a book in the evenings.)
Trinkst du gern Kaffee? — Ja, ich trinke gern Kaffee. (Do you like coffee? — Yes, I like coffee.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between gern and gerne?

None in meaning — both mean "gladly/like to." Gern is slightly more common in everyday speech, gerne slightly more formal, and both are correct everywhere.

Where does gern go in an affirmative main clause?

Directly after the conjugated verb (and after any pronoun objects), e.g. "Ich esse gern Pizza."

Where does gern go in a subordinate clause?

Right before the verb at the end of the clause, e.g. "..., weil ich gern Pizza esse."

How does gern work in negative sentences?

"Nicht" attaches directly before gern, e.g. "Ich esse nicht gern Pizza" (I don't like to eat pizza).

Can gern start a sentence?

Yes, for emphasis — placing gern first triggers verb-second inversion, e.g. "Gern esse ich Pizza."

Talking naturally about everyday likes and habits gets plenty of practice in our B1 German course.