Polish Dative Case

Content

The dative is the third of the 7 cases.

Its main use is as the indirect object.

It answers the questions:

– komu(to/for who)
– czemu? (to/for what)

 

Dative Case Usage

1. Indirect object

Dałem chłopcu piłkę.
(I gave the boy the ball)

Opowiedziałem dzieciom historię.
(I told the kids a story)

2. In impersonal expressions

Jest kobietom zimno.
(The women are cold)

Jest im trudno.
(It is difficult for them).

3. With certain prepositions

These include: dzięki (thanks to), ku (towards, to), przeciw/przeciwko (against), and more.
Here is a more detailed list of prepositions.

Dzięki szkole, mam dużo wiedzy.
(Thanks to school, I have a lot of knowledge)

Ku mojemu zdziwieniu.
(To my surprise)

 

Dative Case Declension

Dative Singular Nouns

Masculine

– Mostly receive owi ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
Marek

syn (son)

budynek (building)

Markowi

synowi

budynkowi

– A few nouns, mostly monosyllabic ones, receive u ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
Bóg (God)

pies (dog)

chłopiec (boy)

Bogu

psu

chłopcu

Feminine

– If it ends with a hard consonant, the hard consonant softens and receives e ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
córka (daughter)

kobieta (woman)

dziura (hole)

córce

kobiecie

dziurze

– If it ends with a hardened consonant, receives y ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
praca (work)

noc (night)

smycz (leash)

pracy

nocy

smyczy

Praca (work)               Poświęcam się mojej pracy (I devote myself to my work).

– If it ends with a soft consonant, receives i ending.

Nominative Dative
Daria

lekcja (lesson)

filozofia (philosophy)

Darii

lekcji

filozofii

Neuter

– Receive u ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
dziecko (child)

pole (field)

ciepło (warmth)

dziecku

polu

ciepłu

 

Dative Singular Adjectives

Masculine

– Receive emu ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
duży (big)

tani (cheap)

dużemu

taniemu

Feminine

– Receive ej ending

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
duży (big)

tani (cheap)

dużej

taniej

Neuter

– Receive emu ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Singular
duży (big)

tani (cheap)

dużemu

taniemu

 

Dative Plural Nouns

All dative plural nouns receive the same ending.

All Genders

– Receive om ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Plural
osoba (person)

syn (son)

dziewczyna (girl)

osobom

synom

dziewczynom

 

Dative Plural Adjectives

All Genders

– If it ends with a hard consonant, except k and g, or a hardened consonant, receives ym ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Plural
duży (big)

inny (different)

dużym

innym

– If it ends with a soft consonant, or k or g, receives im ending.

Nominative Singular Dative Plural
tani (cheap)

wysoki (tall)

tanim

wysokim

 

Declension Tables

Singular Nouns

Singular Adjectives

Plural Nouns

Plural Adjectives