The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – komu or za koga 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. Slovenian has singular, dual, and plural forms for the Dative case.
Nouns: Endings change based on gender, number, and hard/soft stem.
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: -u. (e.g., bratu - to a brother, dam učitelju - I give to a teacher, mestu - to a city, polju - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: -i. (e.g., sestri - to a sister, zemlji - to land).
- Dual (all genders): -ema. (e.g., bratoma - to two brothers, sestrama - to two sisters).
- Plural (all genders): -om. (e.g., bratom - to brothers, učiteljem - to teachers, sestram - to sisters, zemljam - to lands, mestom - to cities, poljem - to fields).
Adjectives:
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -emu, soft -emu. (e.g., dobremu bratu - to a good brother, svežemu zraku - to fresh air, dobremu mestu - to a good city).
- Singular Feminine: hard -i, soft -i. (e.g., dobri sestri - to a good sister, sveži vodi - to fresh water).
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -ima. (e.g., dobrima bratoma - to two good brothers, svežima očema - to two fresh eyes).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -im. (e.g., dobrim bratom - to good brothers, svežim zrakom - to fresh air).
Examples: Daj knjigo bratu (Give the book to the brother). Govorim študentom (I am speaking to the students). Grem k sestri (I am going to the sister). Pišem pismo staršem (I am writing a letter to the parents).