However, there are some important exceptions and nuances:
* Inversion: In certain situations, the verb can come before the subject. This happens in questions, negations, and with certain expressions.
* Questions: *Est-ce que tu parles français?* (Do you speak French?)
* Negations: *Je ne parle pas français.* (I don't speak French.)
* Emphasis: To emphasize a specific element, you can change the word order.
* *Un livre, j'ai lu.* (I read a book. - Emphasis on "a book")
* Proximate Order: In sentences with direct and indirect objects, the direct object often comes before the indirect object.
* *Je lui ai donné un cadeau.* (I gave him a gift.)
While SVO is the most common word order, French has more flexibility than English. Keep these variations in mind!