The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – komu or pre 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 and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -u, soft -i. (e.g., bratovi - to a brother, dám učiteľovi - I give to a teacher, mestu - to a city, poľu - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: -e or -i. (e.g., sestre - to a sister, zemi - to land).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -ám/-iam. (e.g., bratom - to brothers, učiteľom - to teachers, sestram - to sisters, zemiam - to lands, mestám - to cities, poliam - to fields).
Adjectives:
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -ému, soft -iemu. (e.g., dobrému bratovi - to a good brother, cudziemu učiteľovi - to a foreign teacher, dobrému mestu - to a good city).
- Singular Feminine: hard -ej, soft -ej. (e.g., dobrej sestre - to a good sister, cudzej žene - to a foreign woman).
- Plural (all genders): hard -ým, soft -ím. (e.g., dobrým bratom - to good brothers, cudzím učiteľom - to foreign teachers, dobrým sestram - to good sisters).
Examples: Daj knihu bratovi (Give the book to the brother). Hovorím študentom (I am speaking to the students). Idem k sestre (I am going to the sister). Píšem list rodičom (I am writing a letter to the parents).