| Question: | Dative case?? help me |
|---|---|
| Term: | dative case |
| Lesson: | Steve's language learning corner, If I were a language teacher. |
Dative implies giving, or direction. Whereas English relies on prepositions to indicate the function of nouns in a sentence, some languages, like German and most Slavic languages, Latin and others, rely on the form of the noun (and adjective). Certain prepositions, verbs, and constructions require the dative case. The languages that I know that have cases have 6 or 7 cases. You can find out more by googling.
Any Spanish speaker (native or not) should be familiar with the verb gustar which requires a dative pronoun, e.g. me gusta... el verano/leer/etc. I like the summer (lit. "The summer pleases me.") or I like reading. (lit. "Reading pleases me.").
Usually, the dative noun/pronoun is the recipient - in other words: to whom the subject does something. While English doesn't really have that obvious distinction (anymore?), the function is still there - I gave him a book. I=subject, gave=verb, a book=accusative object (WHAT I gave), and him=dative object (to WHOM).
As simple as that.
Usually, the dative noun/pronoun is the recipient - in other words: to whom the subject does something. While English doesn't really have that obvious distinction (anymore?), the function is still there - I gave him a book. I=subject, gave=verb, a book=accusative object (WHAT I gave), and him=dative object (to WHOM).
As simple as that.




