Learn Hardcore Latin: Discipulus magistro verbum mittit. - The student sends a word to the teacher.

Discipulus is the subject (nominative case).
magistro is in the dative case, indicating the indirect object (the person receiving something).
verbum is the direct object (accusative case), the thing being sent.
mittit is the verb, meaning "he/she/it sends".

Why is "magistro" in the dative case rather than another case?

Latin uses the dative case to indicate the person or thing to or for whom an action is done. In this sentence, magistro is the recipient of the word, so it is naturally in the dative.

Why is "verbum" in the accusative case?

The accusative case typically marks the direct object of a verb in Latin. Here, verbum (meaning "word") is what is being sent, so it must be in the accusative.

Why is the verb placed at the end?

Although Latin word order can be flexible, it often follows a Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) pattern. Thus, it's common for mittit to appear last in a straightforward sentence like this one.

Does "Discipulus magistro verbum mittit" have any variations in word order?

Yes. Because Latin relies on case endings to show relationships, you could reorder the words (for example, Magistro discipulus verbum mittit) without changing the basic meaning. However, certain word orders might slightly change the emphasis.