Russian Grammar
Nouns: Dative Case

Russian Dative Case (The indirect object)

The dative case is used in Russian for the indirect object of a sentence. In the sentence "Adam gave flowers to Anna", the word "Anna" should be in the dative case. The indirect object is normally the person who receives the direct object.

Forming the Dative Case

Masculine Nouns:

1. If the noun ends in a consonant, add “у”.
2. Replace “й”, with “ю”.
3. Replace “ь”, add “ю”.

Feminine Nouns:

1. Replace “а” with “е”.
2. Replace “я” with “е”.
3. Replace “ь” with “и”.
4. Replace “ия” with “ии”.

Neuter Nouns:

1. Replace “о” with “у”
2. Replace “е” with “ю”

Other Uses of the Dative Case.

In addition to simply using the dative case as the indirect object. There are some additional times when you will need to use the dative case.

1. It is used after the Russian verbs "Помогать" ("to help") and "Советоват" ("to advise"). (ie. instead of using the accusative case, as you may have expected).

2. With "Нравиться" ("to like"). Example : "Адаму нравится Москва" ("Adam likes Moscow").

3. It is also used in conjuction with some other reflexive verbs (-ся).

4. When using the word "Нужен" (to need). (the word you would expect as the subject, is used in the dative).

5. To represent the concept of sending or communicating something. Like the English word "to". (example: write to, bring to, call (by telephone) to).

Pronouns of the dative case.

To use a personal pronoun in the dative case, you should use the following:

Мне - me.

Тебе - you (informal).

Ему (m), Ему (n), Ей (f) - him, it, her.

Нам - us.

Вам - you (formal, or plural).

Им - them.

Home