Editing Dative case (section)

==German==
In general, the dative (German: ''Dativ'') is used to mark the [[indirect object]] of a [[German language|German]] sentence.  For example:
*{{lang|de|Ich schickte '''dem Mann(e)''' das Buch.}}  (literally: I sent "to the man" the book.) – Masculine
*{{lang|de|Ich gab '''der Frau''' den Stift zurück.}} (literally: I gave "to the woman" the pencil back.) – Feminine
*{{lang|de|Ich überreiche '''dem Kind(e)''' ein Geschenk.}} (literally: I hand "to the child" a present.) – Neuter

In English, the first sentence can be rendered as "I sent the book ''to the man''" and as "I sent ''the man'' the book", where the indirect object is identified in English by standing in front of the direct object. The normal word order in German is to put the dative in front of the accusative (as in the example above). However, since the German dative is marked in form, it can also be put ''after'' the accusative: {{lang|de|Ich schickte das Buch '''dem Mann(e)'''}}. The '''{{lang|de|(e)}}''' after {{lang|de|Mann}} and {{lang|de|Kind}} signifies a now largely archaic {{lang|de|-e}} ending for certain nouns in the dative. It survives today almost exclusively in set phrases such as {{lang|de|zu Hause}} (at home, ''lit.'' to house), {{lang|de|im Zuge}} (in the course of), and {{lang|de|am Tage}} (during the day, ''lit.'' at the day), as well as in occasional usage in formal prose, poetry, and song lyrics.

Some masculine nouns (and one neuter noun, {{lang|de|Herz}} [heart]), referred to as ''[[Weak inflection#Germanic grammar|weak nouns]]'' or ''n-nouns'', take an -n or -en in the dative singular and plural. Many are masculine nouns ending in -e in the nominative (such as {{lang|de|Name}} [name], {{lang|de|Beamte}} [officer], and {{lang|de|Junge}} [boy]), although not all such nouns follow this rule. Many also, whether or not they fall into the former category, refer to people, animals, professions, or titles; exceptions to this include the aforementioned {{lang|de|Herz}} and {{lang|de|Name}}, as well as {{lang|de|Buchstabe}} (letter), {{lang|de|Friede}} (peace), {{lang|de|Obelisk}} (obelisk), {{lang|de|Planet}} (planet), and others.

Certain German prepositions require the dative:  {{lang|de|aus}} (from), {{lang|de|außer}} (out of), {{lang|de|bei}} (at, near), {{lang|de|entgegen}} (against), {{lang|de|gegenüber}} (opposite), {{lang|de|mit}} (with), {{lang|de|nach}} (after, to), {{lang|de|seit}} (since), {{lang|de|von}} (from), and {{lang|de|zu}} (at, in, to). Some other prepositions ({{lang|de|an}} [at], {{lang|de|auf}} [on], {{lang|de|entlang}} [along], {{lang|de|hinter}} [behind], {{lang|de|in}} [in, into], {{lang|de|neben}} (beside, next to), {{lang|de|über}} [over, across], {{lang|de|unter}} [under, below], {{lang|de|vor}} [in front of], and {{lang|de|zwischen}} [among, between]) may be used with dative (indicating current location), or accusative (indicating direction toward something).  {{lang|de|Das Buch liegt auf '''dem''' Tisch(e)}} (dative: The book is lying on the table), but {{lang|de|Ich lege das Buch auf '''den''' Tisch}} (accusative: I put the book onto the table).

In addition the four prepositions {{lang|de|[an]statt}} (in place of), {{lang|de|trotz}} (in spite of), {{lang|de|während}} (during), and {{lang|de|wegen}} (because of) which require the [[genitive]] in modern formal language, are most commonly used with the dative in colloquial German. For example, "because of the weather" is expressed as {{lang|de|wegen dem Wetter}} instead of the formally correct {{lang|de|wegen des Wetters}}. Other prepositions requiring the genitive in formal language, are combined with {{lang|de|von}} ("of") in colloquial style, e.g. {{lang|de|außerhalb vom Garten}} instead of {{lang|de|außerhalb des Gartens}} ("outside the garden").

The concept of an indirect object may be rendered by a prepositional phrase. In this case, the noun's or pronoun's case is determined by the preposition, not by its function in the sentence. Consider this sentence:
*{{lang|de|Ich sandte das Buch zum Verleger.}} 'I sent the book to the editor.'
Here, the [[subject (grammar)|subject]], {{lang|de|Ich}}, is in the [[nominative case]], the direct object, {{lang|de|das Buch}}, is in the [[accusative case]], and {{lang|de|zum Verleger}} is in the dative case, since {{lang|de|zu}} always requires the dative ({{lang|de|zum}} is a contraction of {{lang|de|zu}} + {{lang|de|dem}}).  However:
*{{lang|de|Ich habe das Buch an meinen Freund}} (''accusative'') {{lang|de|weitergegeben}}.  'I forwarded the book to my friend.' ({{lang|de|weitergeben}} = lit.: to give further).
In this sentence, {{lang|de|Freund}} is the indirect object, but, because it follows {{lang|de|an}} (direction), the accusative is required, not the dative.

All of the articles change in the dative case.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Masculine
! Feminine
! Neuter
! Plural
|-
| Definite article
| dem
| der
| dem
| den
|-
| Indefinite article
| einem
| einer
| einem
| Ø (the semantically closest word would be '''einigen''', dative plural of [[wiktionary:en:einig#German|einig]])
|-
| Negative articles
| keinem
| keiner
| keinem
| keinen
|}

Some German verbs require the dative for their [[direct object]]s. Common examples are ''antworten'' (to answer), ''danken'' (to thank), ''gefallen'' (to please), ''folgen'' (to follow), ''glauben'' (to believe), ''helfen'' (to help), and ''raten'' (to advise). In each case, the direct object of the verb is rendered in the dative. For example:
*Meine Freunde helfen ''mir''. (My friends help me.)

These verbs cannot be used in normal passive constructions, because German allows these only for verbs with accusative objects. It is therefore ungrammatical to say: *''Ich werde geholfen.'' "I am helped." Instead a special construction called "impersonal passive" must be used: ''Mir wird geholfen'', literally: "To me is helped." A colloquial (non-standard) way to form the passive voice for dative verbs is the following: ''Ich kriege geholfen'', or: ''Ich bekomme geholfen'', literally: "I '''get''' helped". The use of the verb "to get" here reminds us that the dative case has something to do with giving and receiving. In German, help is not something you ''perform on'' somebody, but rather something you ''offer'' them.

The dative case is also used with reflexive (''sich'') verbs when specifying what part of the self the verb is being done to:
*Ich wasche ''mich''. – accusative (I wash myself.)
*Ich wasche ''mir die Hände''. – dative (I wash my hands, literally "I wash for myself the hands")
Cf. the respective ''[[Agreement (linguistics)|accord]]'' in [[French language|French]]: "{{lang|fr|Les enfants se sont lavé'''s'''}}" ("The children have washed themselves") vs. "{{lang|fr|Les enfants se sont lavé}} [uninflected] {{lang|fr|les mains}}" ("... their hands").

German can use two datives to make sentences like: ''Sei mir meinem Sohn(e) gnädig!'' "For my sake, have mercy on my son!" Literally: "Be for me to my son merciful." The first dative ''mir'' ("for me") expresses the speaker's commiseration (much like the ''dativus ethicus'' in Latin, see below). The second dative ''meinem Sohn(e)'' ("to my son") names the actual object of the plea. Mercy is to be given ''to'' the son ''for'' or ''on behalf of'' his mother/father.

Adjective endings also [[German adjectives#Weak and strong inflection|change]] in the dative case. There are three inflection possibilities depending on what precedes the adjective. They most commonly use ''weak inflection'' when preceded by a definite article (the), ''mixed inflection'' after an indefinite article (a/an), and ''strong inflection'' when a quantity is indicated (many green apples).
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Adj. in dative case
! Masculine
! Feminine
! Neuter
! Plural
|-
| Weak inflection
| -en
| -en
| -en
| -en
|-
| Mixed inflection
| -en
| -en
| -en
| -en
|-
| Strong inflection
| -''em''
| -''er''
| -''em''
| -en
|}