German Dative Case: dem, der, dem, den (+n) for the Indirect Object
How the dative case marks the receiver in a German sentence, with the article table (der→dem, die→der, das→dem, die→den +n) and common dative verbs.
The dative case marks the indirect object — the person who receives something. In Ich gebe dem Kind das Buch (I give the child the book), the child gets the book, so Kind is dative.
The articles change in a fixed pattern:
| Gender | Nominative | Dative |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | der | dem |
| feminine | die | der |
| neuter | das | dem |
| plural | die | den (+n) |
In the plural, the noun itself also takes -n: die Kinder → den Kindern.
Some verbs are always followed by the dative even though English feels like a direct object: helfen (to help), danken (to thank), antworten (to answer). So it is Ich helfe dem Mann, not den Mann.
Contrast with the accusative: the accusative is the direct object (what is acted on); the dative is the receiver. Only the masculine changes in the accusative (der→den), while the dative changes every gender. If you can ask whom / to whom does it go?, that noun is dative.
Examples
Ich gebe dem Kind das Buch.
I give the child the book. (dem Kind = dative receiver; das Buch = accusative object)
Die Frau hilft dem Mann.
The woman helps the man. (helfen takes the dative: der → dem)
Wir danken den Kindern.
We thank the children. (dative plural: die → den, and Kinder → Kindern)
Der Vater kauft der Mutter eine Blume.
The father buys the mother a flower. (der Mutter = dative feminine: die → der)
Common mistakes
helfen always takes the dative, so masculine der becomes dem, not the accusative den.
In the dative plural the noun itself adds -n, so Kinder becomes Kindern.
The receiver is the indirect object and must be dative: feminine die becomes der.
Related topics
- German definite article declension: der/die/das in all four cases
- German accusative case (direct object): der → den, ein → einen
- Dative prepositions: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu
- German Comparative & Superlative: -er, am -sten, and Irregulars
- German Time Prepositions: am, um, im, seit, vor, nach (+ Dative)
Practice
Der Ober hilft ___ Mann mit dem Mantel.
Das alte Fahrrad gehört ___ Kindern.
Die neue Wohnung gefällt ___ Frau sehr gut.