Learn Hardcore German: Abends lese ich ein Kapitel im Bett. - In the evenings I read a chapter in bed.

It’s capitalized only because it’s the first word of the sentence. The word itself is the adverb abends (“in the evenings”) and is normally lowercase. Don’t confuse it with the noun der Abend (“evening”), which is always capitalized.

What’s the difference between abends, am Abend, and jeden Abend?

abends = in the evenings, habitually/regularly (broad, habitual).
am Abend = in the evening (often a specific evening: “that evening/this evening,” depending on context).
jeden Abend = every evening (explicitly each and every evening). Tip: You say heute Abend (“this evening/tonight”), not heute abends.

Why is the verb in second position: Abends lese ich … instead of Abends ich lese …?

German main clauses obey the “verb-second” (V2) rule. One element (here, the time adverb Abends) can stand before the finite verb. So the verb lese must be in position 2, and the subject ich follows it: Abends | lese | ich …. You can also say Ich lese abends …; both are correct, just a different emphasis.

Could I change the word order to Abends lese ich im Bett ein Kapitel? Which order is more natural?

Both Abends lese ich ein Kapitel im Bett and Abends lese ich im Bett ein Kapitel are idiomatic. Choices depend on emphasis and “weight”:

Placing im Bett earlier highlights the location.
Keeping ein Kapitel closer to the verb can feel a bit smoother because short, core arguments (like a direct object) often come earlier. Neither is wrong; use the order that fits what you want to emphasize.

Does the Time–Manner–Place rule apply here? Why is the place at the end?

The TMP guideline applies to adverbials, but the direct object (ein Kapitel) is not an adverbial. A common, natural order is:

Time (abends) near the front,
then core arguments (subject/object),
then adverbials like place (im Bett). So ending with im Bett is very typical and sounds natural.

Why im Bett and not ins Bett?

im Bett = “in bed,” location (no movement). It’s a contraction of in dem Bett (dative).
ins Bett = “into bed,” movement/direction. It’s a contraction of in das Bett (accusative). Reading happens in a place, so you use the dative: im Bett.

What case is im Bett? Why dative?

It’s dative. The preposition in uses:

Dative for location (Wo? Where?) → in dem Bett = im Bett.
Accusative for direction (Wohin? Where to?) → in das Bett = ins Bett.

Why ein Kapitel (not eine/einen Kapitel)? What gender is Kapitel?

Kapitel is neuter: das Kapitel. As the direct object (accusative), neuter takes ein (no ending). Quick check:

Masculine accusative: einen Mann
Feminine accusative: eine Frau
Neuter accusative: ein Kapitel

What’s the plural of Kapitel?

The plural is identical to the singular in form: die Kapitel. Examples:

Singular: ein Kapitel
Plural: zwei Kapitel In the dative plural, the article changes: in den Kapiteln.

How is lesen conjugated? Is it irregular?

Yes, it’s irregular (stem vowel change e → ie in 2nd/3rd person singular).

ich lese
du liest
er/sie/es liest
wir lesen
ihr lest
sie/Sie lesen Past forms (for reference): ich las, ich habe gelesen.

Is the present tense right for a habitual action?

Yes. German present tense plus a time adverb like abends expresses habit/routine very naturally: Abends lese ich … = “I (usually) read in the evenings.” No extra word for “usually” is required unless you want to stress frequency (gewöhnlich, normalerweise).

Any pronunciation tips for the sentence?

Abends: the final -s is pronounced, and the d blends in the cluster; think “AH-bents.”
lese: the s sounds like English “z” (LEH-zeh).
Kapitel: stress the second syllable: ka-PI-tel; the i is long.
Bett: short, open “e,” like “bet.”