In the following examples you can see that often the basic pattern in German is just like the English one: subject – verb – object.
Example 1:
English: He (= subject) works (= verb) today (= today)
Translation: he (English) -> er (German), to work (English) -> arbeiten (German), today (English) -> heute (German)
German: Er (= subject) arbeitet (= verb) heute (= object)
Mostly the subject is the first position (S-V-O), but if the subject is not in first position in a sentence, it is placed directly after the verb (called subject–verb inversion). In German the verb comes before the subject if you have the expression of time in first place (to emphazice the expression of time or place)
Example 2:
English: He (= subject) works (= verb) today (= today)
Translation: he (English) -> er (German), to work (English) -> arbeiten (German), today (English) -> heute (German)
German: Heute (= object) arbeitet (= verb) er (= subject)
Example 3:
English: I said that he is at home
Translation: I (English) -> ich (German), to say (English) -> sagen (German), that (English) -> dass (German), he (English) -> er (German), at home (English) -> zuhause (German), to be (German) -> sein (English)
German: Ich sagte, dass er zuhause ist.
But there are some instances where the finite verb is not in second position and comes first in the sentence: yes/no-questions and the imperative.
Example 4:
English: Give me the book
Translation: to give (English) -> geben (German), me (English) -> mir (German), book (English) -> Buch (German)
German: Geben Sie mir das Buch (formal use) Gib mir das Buch
Example 5:
English: Do you buy a book
German: Kaufst du ein Buch
FURTHER INFORMATION