Following the previous post, now let’s take a look at dative case (in German der Dativ Fall). Generally, Dative is used for the indirect object of a sentence. There are certain verbs that you have to use dative case with them in your sentence. Some examples include:
We can say that usually we have dative case when something is given to some one. For example:
Ich gebe der Frau das Geschenk.
Here clearly an object is given to the lady, there is a physical object being passed to another person. With some verbs, this explanation (giving some thing to some one) is not that clear or at least there is no real physical (tangible) object being exchanged:
Ich helfe dem Mann.
So there is a ‘help’ passed from me to the man, but not a real object.
With some certain prepositions you need to use dative case as well. You have to memorize them, there is no escape from that!
mit, von, zu, nach and aus. Try to memorize one in every few days (if you have not done so yet!). For example from today till the next Monday all the day repeat to your self “I use DATIVE with MITâ€. You need to memorize this and use it always. MIT=DATIVE.
After you understood the concept of dative vs accusative (aka direct object vs indirect object) you need to learn the endings of adjectives, articles and personal pronouns in each case.
(picture: possessive articles in dative case in the Deutsch Akadmie’s course book)