The Dative Case: To Whom? For Whom?
The Dative case is used to indicate the indirect object of a verb – komu or za 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. Upper Sorbian 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 -ej, soft -ej. (e.g., bratej - to a brother, dam učerjej - I give to a teacher, městu - to a city, polu - to a field).
- Singular Feminine: -i or -e. (e.g., sotri - to a sister, zemji - to land).
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -omaj. (e.g., bratomaj - to two brothers, sotromaj - to two sisters).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -am. (e.g., bratam - to brothers, učerjam - to teachers, sotram - to sisters, zemjam - to lands, městam - to cities, polam - to fields).
Adjectives:
- Singular Masculine/Neuter: hard -emu, soft -emu. (e.g., dobremu bratej - to a good brother, cyzemu učerjej - to a foreign teacher, dobremu městu - to a good city).
- Singular Feminine: hard -ej, soft -ej. (e.g., dobrej sotri - to a good sister, cyzej žonje - to a foreign woman).
- Dual (all genders): hard/soft -imaj. (e.g., dobrimaj bratomaj - to two good brothers, cyzimaj sotromaj - to two foreign sisters).
- Plural (all genders): hard/soft -ym/-im. (e.g., dobrym bratam - to good brothers, cyzim učerjam - to foreign teachers, dobrym sotram - to good sisters).
Examples: Daj knihu bratej (Give the book to the brother). Rěču studentam (I am speaking to the students). Dźu k sоtry__ (I am going to the sister). Pisam list __staršim** (I am writing a letter to the parents).