Once you have mastered the basic sentence structure and learned where the verbs go in a Dutch sentence, a new question often appears when writing longer sentences:
In what order should I add extra information such as “tomorrow“, “by train” or “to Amsterdam“?
A useful mnemonic is the TeMPo rule:
Time → Manner → Place
Or, in Dutch:
Tijd → Manier → Plaats
For example:
Ik ga morgen met de trein naar Amsterdam.
I am going to Amsterdam by train tomorrow.
- morgen time: when?
- met de trein manner or means: how?
- naar Amsterdam place or direction: where or to where?
TeMPo gives Dutch learners a practical starting point for arranging this kind of information. It is not an absolute rule, but it helps you build clear and natural sentences when you are unsure about the order.
What Do Time, Manner and Place Mean?
The three parts of the mnemonic provide different kinds of information.
| Part | Question | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Time | When? How often? | morgen, elke dag, om acht uur |
| Manner | How? By what means? | rustig, samen, met de trein |
| Place | Where? To where? | thuis, op school, naar Brussel |
Time: When?
A time expression tells us when something happens, how long it lasts or how often it happens:
- morgen (tomorrow)
- gisteren (yesterday)
- elke week (every week)
- om negen uur (at nine o’clock)
- in de zomer (in summer)
Manner: How?
A manner expression tells us how something happens:
- rustig (quietly/calmly)
- snel (quickly)
- samen (together)
- met de trein (by train)
- met tegenzin (reluctantly)
In detailed grammar descriptions, manner, means and accompaniment are separate categories. In the simplified TeMPo mnemonic, however, they are often grouped together under “manner” because they all answer a broad version of the question how?
Place: Where?
A place expression tells us where something happens or in which direction someone or something moves:
- thuis (at home)
- op kantoor (at the office)
- in Brussel (in Brussels)
- naar school (to school)
- naar Nederland (to the Netherlands)
The Basic TeMPo Pattern
In a simple main clause, the learner pattern is:
subject + finite verb + time + manner + place
For example:
Wij reizen volgende week samen naar België.
We are traveling to Belgium together next week.
- volgende week: time
- samen: manner
- naar België: place
Another example:
Hij loopt elke ochtend snel naar zijn werk.
He walks quickly to work every morning.
- elke ochtend: time
- snel: manner
- naar zijn werk: place or direction
And:
Ik ga morgen met de fiets naar school.
I am going to school by bicycle tomorrow.
- morgen: time
- met de fiets: manner or means
- naar school: place or direction
This pattern is particularly useful in sentences about travelling or moving from one place to another.
You Do Not Need All Three Parts
A sentence does not have to contain time, manner and place. The mnemonic can still help when only two elements are present.
Time + Place
Ik werk morgen thuis.
I am working from home tomorrow.
We eten vanavond in een restaurant.
We are eating in a restaurant tonight.
Manner + Place
Zij gaat met de fiets naar school.
She goes to school by bicycle.
We zitten rustig in de tuin.
We are sitting quietly in the garden.
Time + Manner
Hij werkt vandaag alleen.
He is working alone today.
Wij studeren elke avond samen.
We study together every evening.
TeMPo Inside the Verb Frame
When a sentence contains more than one verb, the TeMPo information usually appears between the finite verb and the other verb or verbs at the end.
Ik wil morgen met de trein naar Utrecht reizen.
I want to travel to Utrecht by train tomorrow.
The sentence can be divided as follows:
- Ik: subject
- wil: finite verb
- morgen: time
- met de trein: manner or means
- naar Utrecht: place or direction
- reizen: infinitive
Another example:
We hebben gisteren samen in de tuin gegeten.
We ate together in the garden yesterday.
The finite verb hebben appears near the beginning, while the past participle gegeten appears at the end. The additional information is placed inside this verb frame.
Elements that are closely connected to the main verb tend to appear relatively close to the final verbal position. This is one reason why a destination such as naar Utrecht naturally appears near reizen.
Starting the Sentence with Time
A time expression can also occupy the first position. Compare:
Ik ga morgen met de trein naar Amsterdam.
I am going to Amsterdam by train tomorrow.
Morgen ga ik met de trein naar Amsterdam.
Tomorrow, I am going to Amsterdam by train.
Because morgen comes first, the subject moves behind the finite verb:
Correct: Morgen ga ik …
Wrong: *Morgen ik ga …
This is called inversion.
Another example:
Wij werken volgende week samen op kantoor.
We are working together at the office next week.
Volgende week werken wij samen op kantoor.
Next week, we are working together at the office.
The time expression has moved to the beginning, but the rest of the sentence keeps the same general order.
TeMPo in a Subordinate Clause
The same kinds of information can occur in a subordinate clause. The main difference is that the verb or verb group appears at the end.
Ik weet dat zij morgen met de trein naar Brussel reist.
I know that she is traveling to Brussels by train tomorrow.
Inside the subordinate clause:
- morgen: time
- met de trein: manner or means
- naar Brussel: place or direction
- reist: verb
Another example:
We blijven thuis omdat we vanavond gezellig samen willen eten.
We are staying home because we want to enjoy a meal together tonight.
TeMPo helps organize the information in the middle of the subordinate clause, but the normal rules for verb placement still apply.
Is TeMPo Always the Only Correct Order?
No. TeMPo is a learner’s guideline, not a fixed formula. Dutch adverbial phrases can move depending on:
- what has already been mentioned
- what the speaker wants to emphasize
- which information creates the setting
- how closely an element is connected to the verb
For example:
In Amsterdam reis ik meestal met de tram.
In Amsterdam, I usually travel by tram.
The place expression comes first because in Amsterdam establishes the setting for the sentence.
This sentence is also natural:
Ik heb gisteren op kantoor hard gewerkt.
I worked hard at the office yesterday.
Here, the order is time–place–manner rather than time–manner–place. The manner word hard is closely connected to the verb gewerkt, so it naturally appears close to it.
Descriptive Dutch grammar therefore speaks of tendencies rather than one compulsory order. Time expressions generally precede other adverbials, but context and the relationship with the verb can influence the rest of the sentence.
For beginners, TeMPo is still a very useful default:
Start with Time–Manner–Place. Adjust the order later when context or emphasis gives you a reason to do so.
What About Hier and Daar?
The short place words hier and daar often appear earlier than other place expressions:
We gaan hier elke zomer wandelen.
We go walking here every summer.
Je kunt hem daar morgen ontmoeten.
You can meet him there tomorrow.
This is a common exception to the simple TeMPo pattern.
Avoid Translating the English Order Directly
This might seem obvious, but English and Dutch often arrange this information differently.
In English, you might say:
I am going to Amsterdam by train tomorrow.
The order is:
place → manner → time
A direct word-for-word translation produces an awkward Dutch sentence:
*Ik ga naar Amsterdam met de trein morgen.
A more natural neutral sentence is:
Ik ga morgen met de trein naar Amsterdam.
I am going to Amsterdam by train tomorrow.
Instead of copying the English order, ask three questions:
- When? morgen
- How? met de trein
- Where? naar Amsterdam
Then place the information in TeMPo order.
The Most Important Point to Remember (TL;DR)
When you are unsure how to arrange information about time, manner and place, begin with:
Time → Manner → Place
Wij gaan morgen samen naar de markt.
We are going to the market together tomorrow.
TeMPo will not explain every possible Dutch sentence. Context, emphasis and the relationship between an expression and the verb can change the order. But as a practical starting point, it helps you build longer and more natural Dutch sentences with confidence.
Learn More About Dutch Word Order
The TeMPo rule only concerns the order of information such as time, manner and place. To learn where the finite verb, subject and other verbs belong, read the complete guide to Dutch word order for beginners.