The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – комꙋ or кого́ 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. OCS has singular, dual, and plural forms for the Dative case.
Nouns: Endings change based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -оу, soft -ю. (e.g., братоу́ - to a brother, да́мъ отьцю́ - I give to a father, селоу́ - to a village, полю́ - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: hard -ѣ, soft -и. (e.g., сестрѣ́ - to a sister, земли́ - to land).
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -ма. (e.g., братама - to two brothers, сестрама - to two sisters).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -амъ. (e.g., братамъ - to brothers, отьцамъ - to fathers, сестрамъ - to sisters, земламъ - to lands, селамъ - to villages, полямъ - to fields).
Adjectives (Simple/Indefinite):
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -оу, soft -ю. (e.g., доброу бра́тоу́ - to a good brother, си́ню морю́ - to the blue sea)
- Singular Feminine: hard -ѣ, soft -и. (e.g., добрѣ сестрѣ́ - to a good sister, си́ни земли́ - to the blue land).
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -ма. (e.g., добрꙑма братама - to two good brothers, си́нима очи́ма - to two blue eyes).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -амъ. (e.g., добрамъ бра́тамъ - to good brothers, си́нимъ мѫжамъ - to blue men).
Examples: Да́ждь книгѫ́ бра́ту__ (Give the book to the brother). Говорі́ѭ оучени́комъ (I am speaking to the students). Иде́мъ къ сестрѣ́ (I am going to the sister). Пишѫ́ писмо́ __родите́лемъ** (I am writing a letter to the parents).