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Dativ (Indirekte Objekte)
The Dativ case is used for indirect objects - the person or thing that receives the direct object, or benefits from the action. Think: 'I give THE BOOK (Akkusativ) to MY FRIEND (Dativ)'. The friend is the indirect object - they receive the book! Unlike Akkusativ, ALL genders change articles in Dativ.
WHAT IS DATIV? Dativ marks the indirect object - usually the 'to whom' or 'for whom' something happens.
Example: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. (I give the book to the man.) - Ich (I) = subject (Nominativ) - das Buch (the book) = direct object (Akkusativ) - dem Mann (to the man) = indirect object (Dativ)
ARTICLE CHANGES: ALL genders change in Dativ: - Masculine: der → dem, ein → einem - Feminine: die → der, eine → einer - Neuter: das → dem, ein → einem - Plural: die → den (+ nouns add -n if possible)
MEMORY TRICK: Think 'DEM-DER-DEM-DEN' for definite articles!
Definite articles (the) in Dativ - ALL genders change, unlike Akkusativ!
Examples:
Indefinite articles (a/an) in Dativ - pattern: -em for masculine/neuter, -er for feminine.
Examples:
These verbs ALWAYS take Dativ objects (not Akkusativ!). Memorize them!
Examples:
When you GIVE something, you need both Akkusativ (thing given) AND Dativ (person receiving).
Examples:
Personal pronouns change in Dativ (different from Nominativ and Akkusativ).
Examples:
Most plural nouns add -n or -en in Dativ (if they don't already end in -n).
Examples:
🇩🇪 Ich helfe dem Mann.
🇬🇧 I help the man.
💡 helfen takes Dativ: der Mann → dem Mann (masculine Dativ)
Context: Dativ-only verb, no Akkusativ object
🇩🇪 Das Buch gehört mir.
🇬🇧 The book belongs to me.
💡 gehören takes Dativ: ich → mir
Context: Expressing ownership/belonging
🇩🇪 Ich gebe der Frau das Geld.
🇬🇧 I give the money to the woman.
💡 der Frau (Dativ: die → der), das Geld (Akkusativ: stays das)
Context: Two objects: indirect (Dativ) + direct (Akkusativ)
🇩🇪 Er dankt seinem Vater.
🇬🇧 He thanks his father.
💡 danken takes Dativ: sein Vater → seinem Vater (masculine Dativ)
Context: Possessive pronoun also changes in Dativ
🇩🇪 Das gefällt mir sehr.
🇬🇧 I like that very much. (Literally: That pleases me very much.)
💡 gefallen takes Dativ: ich → mir
Context: Common way to express liking something
🇩🇪 Ich antworte dem Lehrer.
🇬🇧 I answer the teacher.
💡 antworten takes Dativ: der Lehrer → dem Lehrer
Context: Responding to someone
🇩🇪 Kannst du mir helfen?
🇬🇧 Can you help me?
💡 helfen + Dativ: ich → mir (modal verb + infinitive structure)
Context: Asking for help - very common phrase!
🇩🇪 Er gibt den Kindern Schokolade.
🇬🇧 He gives chocolate to the children.
💡 den Kindern (plural Dativ: die Kinder → den Kindern, added -n)
Context: Plural Dativ with noun ending change
🇩🇪 Das schmeckt meiner Mutter.
🇬🇧 My mother likes the taste. (Literally: That tastes good to my mother.)
💡 schmecken + Dativ: meine Mutter → meiner Mutter (feminine Dativ)
Context: Expressing food preferences
Definite articles in Dativ: DEM (masculine), DER (feminine), DEM (neuter), DEN (plural). Say it like a chant: 'Dem-Der-Dem-Den'!
Ask 'To whom?' or 'For whom?' after the verb. The answer is your Dativ object! 'I help WHOM?' → 'the man' → dem Mann.
Unlike Akkusativ (only masculine changes), EVERY gender changes in Dativ. No exceptions! Der→dem, die→der, das→dem, die→den.
Remember: die Kinder → den Kinder**N**. Plural Dativ = den + noun + -n (if possible).
'Kannst du mir helfen?' (Can you help me?) 'Ich helfe dir.' (I help you.) MIR = to me, DIR = to you. Super common!
Using Akkusativ articles with Dativ verbs
'Ich helfe den Mann' is WRONG. 'Helfen' takes DATIV, not Akkusativ. Correct: 'Ich helfe dem Mann.'
Forgetting to change feminine articles
'Ich helfe die Frau' is wrong. Correct: 'Ich helfe der Frau.' Feminine DOES change in Dativ (die → der)!
Forgetting -n ending on plural nouns
'Ich helfe den Kinder' is incomplete. Correct: 'Ich helfe den Kindern.' Add -n to the plural noun!
Confusing 'mir' (Dativ) and 'mich' (Akkusativ)
'Kannst du mich helfen?' is wrong. 'Helfen' takes DATIV. Correct: 'Kannst du mir helfen?'
Wrong word order with two objects
'Ich gebe das Buch dem Mann' works, but more natural: 'Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch.' Usually: Dativ BEFORE Akkusativ!
Ich danke dir für die Hilfe.
I thank you for the help.
📚 danken (Dativ verb) + dir (Dativ pronoun) + für die Hilfe (prepositional phrase)
Das gehört meinem Bruder.
That belongs to my brother.
📚 gehören (Dativ verb) + meinem Bruder (masculine Dativ: mein → meinem)
Er gibt seiner Schwester ein Geschenk.
He gives his sister a gift.
📚 gibt + seiner Schwester (Dativ) + ein Geschenk (Akkusativ)
Kannst du mir das Buch geben?
Can you give me the book?
📚 kannst (modal) + du + mir (Dativ) + das Buch (Akk) + geben (infinitive)
Das Essen schmeckt den Gästen.
The guests like the food. (The food tastes good to the guests.)
📚 schmeckt (Dativ verb) + den Gästen (plural Dativ: die Gäste → den Gästen)
Ich antworte der Lehrerin.
I answer the teacher (female).
📚 antworte (Dativ verb) + der Lehrerin (feminine Dativ: die → der)
Wir helfen unserem Vater.
We help our father.
📚 helfen (Dativ verb) + unserem Vater (masculine Dativ: unser → unserem)