The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – komu or pro koho an action is done. It is also used after certain verbs and prepositions. Its main purpose is to show the recipient of something or the beneficiary of an action.
Nouns: Endings change based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: -u. (e.g., bratru - to a brother, dám učiteli - I give to a teacher, městu - to a city, poli - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: -ě (hard) / -i (soft). (e.g., sestře - to a sister, zemi - to the earth).
- Plural (all genders): -ům. (e.g., bratrům - to brothers, učitelům - to teachers, sestrám - to sisters, zemím - to lands, městům - to cities, polím - to fields).
Adjectives:
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -ému, soft -ímu. (e.g., dobrému bratru - to a good brother, jarnímu dni - to a spring day, dobrému městu - to a good city).
- Singular Feminine: hard -é, soft -í. (e.g., dobré sestře - to a good sister, jarní květině - to a spring flower).
- Plural (all genders): hard -ým, soft -ím. (e.g., dobrým bratrům - to good brothers, jarním květinám - to spring flowers, dobrým sestrám - to good sisters).
Examples: Dej knihu bratrovi (Give the book to the brother - Note: dative can also end in -ovi for masc. animate sg.). Mluvím studentům (I am speaking to the students). Jdu k sestře (I am going to the sister). Píšu dopis rodičům (I am writing a letter to the parents).