The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – ком(у) or за кога 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 and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: -у. (e.g., брату - to a brother, дајем учитељу - I give to a teacher, селу - to a village, пољу - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: -и. (e.g., сестри - to a sister, земљи - to land).
- Plural (all genders): -има. (e.g., браћи - to brothers, учитељима - to teachers, сестрама - to sisters, земљама - to lands, селима - to villages, пољима - to fields).
Adjectives:
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -ом(у), soft -ем(у). (e.g., добром(у) брату - to a good brother, тихом(у) човеку - to a quiet person, добром(у) селу - to a good village).
- Singular Feminine: hard -ој, soft -ој. (e.g., доброј сестри - to a good sister, тихој жени - to a quiet woman).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -им. (e.g., добрим очевима - to good fathers, тихим учитељима - to quiet teachers, добрим сестрама - to good sisters).
Examples: Дај књигу брату__ (Give the book to the brother). Говорим студентима (I am speaking to the students). Идем код сестре__ (I am going to the sister). Пишем писмо родитељима (I am writing a letter to the parents).