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While English speakers may not encounter the Dativ (dative) case often, it’s a key part of structuring German phrases and sentences. German grammar can be a bit of a maze, and the dative case is one of those twists that can throw you off.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry! German and English share many similarities in their approaches to the dative case. This means you can learn a lot about how to use the Dativ case in German by studying it in English! This guide breaks down what the dative case is and explains how you can use it confidently in German.
What is the dative case?
One of the four German grammatical cases, the dative case indicates the noun or pronoun that is the recipient or beneficiary of an action. The word in the sentence that answers, “For whom or what is the action being done?” is called the indirect object and should be written in the dative case.
Applying the rules of the dative case in English is pretty straightforward since it mostly involves using the correct pronoun based on context. For example, consider the sentence, “They gave them a home.” The two pronouns “they” and “them” both refer to groups of people, but are separate words performing various roles in the sentence.
Using two different pronouns makes it clear to the reader that “they” is the pronoun performing the action, and “them” is the pronoun benefiting from the action. While English doesn’t make a big deal about cases, German does—and understanding the dative case will help you ensure your sentences mean what you want them to.
Dative case in German
Changing pronouns is how we apply the rules of the dative case in English. In German, however, using the dative case requires more work. Not only do you need to choose the correct pronoun for the context, but you also have to adjust adjective endings, articles, and sometimes noun endings. So, while English relies mainly on word order and prepositions, German requires changes to multiple parts of speech.
The dative case helps make your meaning clearer by showing the roles of each noun or pronoun. This emphasis on clear communication is a staple of the German language, which can make German easier to learn than you may think.
Indicators for the dative case in German
Identifying when to use the dative case is the first hurdle to overcome when learning German. This can feel tricky when you begin, but some clear rules can help. Other than locating the indirect object in the sentence, there are also certain prepositions and verbs that always trigger the dative case.
Getting familiar with these triggering German words makes the decision of when to use the dative case much easier.
German dative prepositions
A surefire way to help you decide if you should use the dative case is remembering the short list of dative prepositions in German. Prepositions are words that appear before nouns and pronouns to describe things like location, time, direction, and spatial relationships, or to introduce an object. While this may seem like a broad list, there are only nine dative prepositions to remember in German.
Unlike in English, where prepositions usually don’t affect the form of the words that follow them, German prepositions can dictate which grammatical case you need to use. While not all prepositions require the dative case, the following prepositions are a sign that the dative case should be used when present in a sentence.
Here’s a helpful chart of the dative prepositions in German:
| Preposition | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
| aus | from/out of | Ich komme aus dem Haus. | I come out of the house. |
| bei | at/by/near | Er arbeitet bei der Firma. | He works at the company. |
| mit | with | Ich gehe mit meiner Freundin ins Kino. | I’m going to the movies with my friend. |
| nach | after/to | Wir fahren nach der Arbeit nach Hause. | We’re going home after work. |
| seit | since/for | Seit einem Jahr lerne ich Deutsch. | I’ve been learning German for a year. |
| von | from/of | Das Buch ist von meinem Bruder. | The book is from my brother. |
| zu | to/at | Ich gehe zu dem Markt. | I’m going to the market. |
| außer | except/other than | Außer dem Hund war niemand da. | Except for the dog, no one was there. |
| gegenüber | opposite/across from | Gegenüber dem Park steht ein Restaurant. | Across from the park, there’s a restaurant. |
When you see any of these prepositions in a sentence, that’s your signal to use the dative case!
Essential dative verbs in German
One of the most reliable ways to know when to use the dative case in German is by recognizing dative verbs. Because they require a noun or pronoun to affect, these German verbs always use the dative case. Recognizing these dative verbs is crucial for forming grammatically correct sentences in German.
The chart below shows 10 of the most common dative verbs in German, along with examples of how to use them in a sentence:
| Dative Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
| helfen | to help | Ich helfe dem Mann. | I am helping the man. |
| danken | to thank | Ich danke dir. | I thank you. |
| folgen | to follow | Sie folgt ihm. | She follows him. |
| glauben | to believe | Ich glaube dem Kind. | I believe the child. |
| gefallen | to please | Das Buch gefällt mir. | The book pleases me./I like the book. |
| gehören | to belong to | Das Auto gehört meinem Vater. | The car belongs to my father. |
| gratulieren | to congratulate | Ich gratuliere dir zum Geburtstag. | I congratulate you on your birthday. |
| schnecken | to taste | Die Suppe schmeckt mir gut. | The soup tastes good to me. |
| vertrauen | to trust | Ich vertraue dir nicht mehr. | I no longer trust you. |
| verzeihen | to forgive | Ich verzeihe dir. | I forgive you. |
Using these dative verbs in a sentence simplifies the decision to use the dative case to form part of your expression. Just don’t forget to conjugate the German verb in your sentence for grammatical accuracy!
Understanding German dative pronouns
Dative pronouns in German are essential for correctly showing which noun or pronoun is receiving or benefiting from the action of a sentence. In the same way the words “we” and “they” can become the words “us” and “them” depending on context, the German dative case also has its own unique list of pronouns to use. By familiarizing yourself with these German pronouns and practicing their use, you’ll improve your German fluency and sentence structure.
In the table below, you’ll see every German dative pronoun along with examples of how to use them:
| Dative Pronoun | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation |
| mir | me | Er gibt mir das Buch. | He gives me the book. |
| dir | you | Ich erzähle dir eine Geschichte. | I’m telling you a story. |
| ihm | him | Sie schreibt ihm einen Brief. | She writes him a letter. |
| ihr | her | Er bringt ihr einen Kaffee. | He brings her a coffee. |
| ihm | it (neuter) | Ich zeige ihm das Bild. | I am showing the picture to it. |
| uns | us | Sie gibt uns den Schlüssel. | She gives us the key. |
| euch | you (plural, informal) | Ich danke euch für eure Hilfe. | I thank you all for your help. |
| ihnen | them | Wir helfen ihnen gerne. | We are happy to help them. |
| Ihnen | you (singular, formal) | Ich gebe Ihnen das Formular. | I am giving the form to you. |
Just select the correct dative pronoun according to gender and number and you’re one step closer to having a full dative clause. Mastering dative pronouns will help make your sentences clearer and more precise.
German dative articles
An article is a word used to show whether a noun is specific or general. English keeps this part of speech simple by only using three articles: “a,” “an,” and “the.” In German, articles change depending on the grammatical case, gender, and number of the noun they precede. This means the German language has many articles, including 16 ways of saying “the!”
Articles are one of two types:
- Definite article: This refers to a specific noun known to both the speaker and listener. It points out a particular item or group of items.
- Example: Das draußen geparkte Auto gehört mir. = The car parked outside belongs to me.
- Indefinite article: This refers to a non-specific noun, one among many possibilities.
- Example: Können Sie ein Auto fahren? = Can you drive a car?
While there are several ways of saying “a,” “an,” and “the” in German, only eight of them apply to the dative case. Changing articles to reflect the dative case helps to clarify who is receiving or benefiting from an action in a sentence.
Refer to the chart below to see how dative articles change according to gender and number.
| Gender/Number | Definite Article (the) | Indefinite Article (a/an) | Example Sentence | Translation |
| Masculine | dem | einem | Ich gebe dem/einem Mann das Buch. | I give the book to the/a man. |
| Feminine | der | einer | Sie hilft der/einer Frau. | She helps the/a woman. |
| Neuter | dem | einem | Der Lehrer gibt dem/einem Kind einen Ball. | The teacher gives the ball to the/a child. |
| Plural | den | keinen | Ich schenke den/keinen Freunden ein Geschenk. | I give a gift to the/no friends. |
While these German dative articles are generally short in length (especially compared to long German words!), they’re powerful tools that show a plethora of information about a noun or pronoun—such as gender, number, specificity, and that the noun is the recipient of an action.
Adjective endings in German dative case
When it comes to the dative case, German adjectives don’t just sit there as English adjectives do—they roll up their sleeves and change their ending based on the noun or pronoun they’re describing. Small changes like these can be seen as a frivolous extra detail to an English speaker, but to a German speaker they’re the key to keeping your sentences clear and grammatically accurate.
For adjectives that help describe a noun or pronoun when you also have an article like dem (the) or einem (a/an), no matter what gender or number of the noun, the adjective will end in -en. This is incredibly helpful for German language learners because it keeps a potentially difficult aspect of grammar consistent and easy to spot.
If there’s no article at all, adjectives take on the role of the article by adding an ending that reflects the gender and number of the noun or pronoun they’re describing. By showing the case, gender, and number of a noun or pronoun, these adjective endings become powerful tools in your grammatical toolbox!
To see how these endings work in action, take a look at this chart:
| Gender | Adjective Ending | Noun Ending | Example Sentence | Translation |
| Masculine | -em | (no change) | Ich helfe gutem Freund. | I’m helping a good friend. |
| Feminine | -er | (no change) | Sie gibt netter Kollegin das Buch. | She is giving the book to a nice colleague. |
| Neuter | -em | (no change) | Wir danken kleinem Kind. | We are thanking a small child. |
| Plural | -en | -n/-en | Er erzählt netten Leuten die Geschichte. | He is telling the story to nice people. |
Notice how plural nouns change uniquely in the dative case compared to singular ones. They add an -n or -en on the end of the noun unless the noun already ends in -n or -s. So, when you’re crafting sentences in the dative case, keep an eye on those plural nouns—they’re the ones adding a bit of personality to your German.
Key takeaways for the dative case in German
Mastering the dative case is crucial for clear and accurate communication in German. Here are a few things to remember about the dative case:
- The dative case indicates the indirect object of a sentence, showing who or what is receiving or benefiting from the action.
- Pronouns, adjective endings, articles, and sometimes noun endings are all grammatically affected by the dative case.
- Certain prepositions and verbs in German automatically trigger the use of the dative case, making it easier to identify when to use it.
Looking for more help with the German dative case and other German grammar rules? With Rosetta Stone tutoring, you can practice your conversational skills with language experts in interactive small group settings.