German word order feels rigid at first because it is - one rule (verb-second) drives almost everything at A1. Learn the rule once, apply it everywhere.
In a normal statement, the conjugated verb is always the second element - not necessarily the second word, but the second logical chunk. Whatever comes first (subject, time, place) pushes the verb to slot two:
| Ich | wohne | in Berlin. |
| In Berlin | wohne | ich. |
| Heute | lerne | ich Deutsch. |
Notice: when something other than the subject starts the sentence (In Berlin, Heute), the subject and verb swap - the verb stays in slot two, the subject moves to slot three. This inversion feels unnatural to English speakers at first; it becomes automatic with repetition.
Flip the verb to the very front, no question word needed:
| Statement | Du wohnst in Berlin. |
| Question | Wohnst du in Berlin? |
Question word first, then verb, same as English - but the verb still occupies slot two:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| was | what |
| wer | who |
| wo | where |
| woher | where from |
| wann | when |
| warum | why |
| wie | how |
Wo wohnst du?
Was lernst du?
Wann kommen Sie?
Structure cross-checked against the Goethe-Institut A1 practice materials.