verbsecond

Verb-second, or V2, is a clause-level word order in which the finite verb appears in the second position of the main clause. The element occupying the first position may be the subject or a fronted constituent such as a time adverbial or topic. After the finite verb, the rest of the predicate follows, yielding sentences like German Heute esse ich einen Apfel or Dutch Vandaag eet zij een appel, where the verb is second and the subject comes after it when something is fronted.

In subordinate clauses, many V2 languages place the verb at the end: Ich glaube, dass er heute einen Apfel isst. V2 effects also interact with questions: Was machst du heute? In these languages, inversion results from fronting of another element or from wh- questions; the finite verb still occupies the second slot in declaratives.

Geographic and typological notes: V2 is most characteristic of the West Germanic languages (German, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish in many varieties) and some Nordic languages; it is less common elsewhere. Some languages show partial V2 or rigid V2 with a strong fronted phrase; others allow variation with pronouns or clitics. The historical account typically treats V2 as the result of movement of the finite auxiliary or main verb to a position above the VP (T or C), together with fronting of initial material. In contemporary linguistics, V2 is discussed in relation to topic/focus fronting, clause structure, and the interaction with verb-final subordinate structures.