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4. Articles on Dative case
3.Demonstrative pronouns in dative case
2. Possesive pronouns on dative case
Have you saw how we used einer for Mutter, even it is a feminine noun?
That's happening because of dative case! If you're not sure you're getting it, check the table 4. That's how the articles change based on this case.
Mr. Puddle answers:
Have you noticed?!
Ich gebe dem Kind einen Apfel.
I give the kid an apple
Ich gebe einem Kind einen Apfel.
I give an apple to a kid.
Sie antwortet der Mutter am Telefon.
Sie answers on the phone to her mother
Sie antwortet einer Mutter am Telefon.
Sie answers to a mother on the phone
Articles in Dative case
I gebe diesem Mann meine Telefonnummer.
I give to this man my number.
Ich leihe dieser Frau mein Auto.
I lend my car to this woman.
Die Schultaschen gehören diesen Kindern.
The school bags belong to these kids.
Demonstrative pronouns for Dative case
To whom does he lend a lot of money?
To his father.
Er leiht seinem Vater viel Geld.
He lends his father a lot of money.
Who owns this shirt?
It belongs to your sister.
Dieses T-Shirt gehört deiner Schwester.
This T-shirt belongs to your sister.
Possessive pronouns (possessive adjectives)
To whom does he not answer?
To her
Er antwortet ihr nicht
He doesn't answer her.
To whom do I lend money?
To him
Ich leihe ihm Geld
I lend him money.
| Masculine & Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
| Definite article | dem | der | den |
| Indefinite article | einem | einer | / |
The article in the dative case is declined according to the case (Dative) , gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and the number (singular, plural) of the noun:
| Masculine/ Neuter | Feminine | Plural | |
| Diesem | Dieser | Diesen | Dative |
|
|
Ich | Du | Er/ Es | Sie(she) | Wir | You(all) | Sie/sie |
| Masculin Neuter Singular |
meinem | deinem | seinem | ihrem | unserem | eurem | ihrem |
| Feminine Singular |
meiner | deiner | seiner | ihrer | unserer | eurer | ihrer |
| Plural | meinen | deinen | seinen | ihren | unsreren | euren | ihren |
We learned the demonstrative pronouns in Nominative and in Accusative cases, now it’s time to check out their dative forms:
These pronouns are declined according to the case (Dative) , gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and the number (singular, plural) of the noun.
1.Personal pronouns in dative case
| Nominative case | Dative case |
| Ich | Mir |
| Du | Dir |
| Er | Ihm |
| Sie | Ihr |
| Es | Ihm |
| Wir | Uns |
| Ihr | Euch |
| Sie | Ihnen |
| Sie (You formal) | Ihnen |
The object is:
✔️ Direct: in the Accusative case because “the apple” is the direct object of the action.
Ich kaufe einen Apfel.
✔️ Indirect: in the Dative case because “the child” is the indirect object of the action.
Ich gebe einem Kind einen Apfel
Let’s break down the sentence: I give an apple to a kid.
To whom do I give the apple?
DATIVE: to a kid (einem Kind)
What do I give?
ACCUSATIVE: an apple (einen Apfel)
Who gives an apple?
NOMINATIVE: I (Ich)
Mr. Puddle: Dein Geschenk ist schön! Vielen dank!
Who do I give the phone to?
To my son
Ich gebe meinem Sohn das Telefon.
I give my son the phone
Who does she give the phone to?
To me
Sie gibt mir das Telefon
She gives me the phone.
Take your chance and try to guess what these sentences mean !
Mrs. Purrplexed wants to play!
Personal pronouns
There are personal pronouns that aren’t declined only in the nominative or accusative cases, but also in the dative case:
At plural form, nouns get an extra-n in the dative case:
Männer → Männern
Kinder → Kindern
Ärzte → Ärzten
Mr. Puddle answers:
Have you noticed?!
Mr. Puddle: Please revise the endings! The accusative ending is *ch* (for “mich”, “dich”) and *r* for the dative (“mir”, “dir”). Also for the masculine and the neuter forms, the specific ending is *m* (dem, diesem) while for feminine is *er* (der, dieser)
Mr. Puddles: Für mich? Danke! But you made a mistake… dir* not dich*: I gebe dir dieses Geschenk!
Lady Hairball: I got it… Magst du das Geschenk?
Lady Hairball: Oh.. How?!
Lady Hairball: Mr.Puddles! Ich gebe dich dieses Geschenk!
✔️ There are specific endings you should memorise:
-m for masculine and neuter: dem, diesem, meinem, ihrem
-er for feminine: der, dieser, meiner, seiner
-n/-en for plural: den, diesen, meinen, unseren
When you learn all these dative forms along with their corresponding endings, it’ll be much easier to learn and remember the dative.
We previously learned about the function (subject/object) of words (nouns/pronouns) within a given sentence, which determines:
✔️ The Nominative case: the noun/pronoun functions as a subject: Wir essen das Frühstück
✔️ The Accusative case : the noun/ pronoun function as an object: Wir essen das Frühstück
Dative case signals the (indirect) objects of the action by answering the questions “to whom” or “to?”.
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