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 |