Wir verbessern den Plan gemeinsam.

we

Breakdown of Wir verbessern den Plan gemeinsam.

• gemeinsam: together (jointly)
• den: the
• der Plan: the plan

Questions & Answers about Wir verbessern den Plan gemeinsam.

Why is den Plan in the accusative case?

In German, the direct object of a transitive verb takes the accusative case. The verb verbessern (to improve) needs something to improve—here, den Plan—so der Plan becomes den Plan in the accusative.

Why does the verb verbessern come second in the sentence?

German main clauses follow the “V2” (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. Here, wir is first, verbessern is second, and the rest follows.

Why is gemeinsam placed at the end?

Gemeinsam is an adverb of manner (how something is done). In German, adverbs of manner often go after the direct object. The unmarked order is Subject – Verb – Object – Manner, hence Wir verbessern den Plan gemeinsam.

Could I start the sentence with gemeinsam instead?

Yes. Fronting gemeinsam shifts emphasis onto cooperation and triggers inversion (still V2):
Gemeinsam verbessern wir den Plan.
Here gemeinsam is first, verbessern remains second, and wir moves to third.

What’s the difference between gemeinsam and zusammen?