Introduction to Dativ Kasus
The Dativ Kasus in German is used to indicate the indirect object of a sentence. It answers the question "to whom?" or "for whom?" in a sentence. Common verbs that use the dative case include helfen (to help), danken (to thank), and gehören (to belong).
Dative Articles and Pronouns
| Case |
Nominative |
Dative |
| Masculine |
der |
dem |
| Feminine |
die |
der |
| Neuter |
das |
dem |
| Plural |
die |
den |
Common Verbs That Use Dativ
- helfen - to help (e.g., Ich helfe dem Mann. - I help the man.)
- danken - to thank (e.g., Ich danke der Frau. - I thank the woman.)
- gehören - to belong (e.g., Das Buch gehört dem Kind. - The book belongs to the child.)
Examples of Dative Sentences
- Ich gebe dem Kind das Buch. (I give the book to the child.)
- Er schreibt der Frau einen Brief. (He writes a letter to the woman.)
- Wir zeigen den Freunden das Haus. (We show the house to the friends.)
Examples Comparing Nominative, Accusative, and Dative Cases
| English |
Nominative |
Accusative |
Dative |
| the man |
der Mann |
den Mann |
dem Mann |
| the woman |
die Frau |
die Frau |
der Frau |
| the child |
das Kind |
das Kind |
dem Kind |
| the friends |
die Freunde |
die Freunde |
den Freunden |