 As Swedish is a Germanic language , the syntax shows similarities to both English and German . Like English , Swedish has a subject – verb – object basic word order , but like German , it utilizes verb @-@ second word order in main clauses , for instance after adverbs , adverbial phrases and dependent clauses . ( Adverbial phrases denoting time are usually placed at the beginning of a main clause that is at the head of a sentence . ) Prepositional phrases are placed in a place – manner – time order , as in English ( but not German ) . Adjectives precede the noun they modify . 
