The Dative Case

Question 1

1st Declension Singular

Answer 1

ae

Question 2

1st Declension Plural

Answer 2

-is

Question 3

2nd Declension Singular

Answer 3

-ō

Question 4

2nd Declension Plural

Answer 4

-īs

Question 5

3rd Declension Singular

Answer 5

-ī

Question 6

3rd Declension Plural

Answer 6

-ibus

Question 7

What It’s Used For:

Answer 7

• Indirect Objects – the dative case is most often used to express an indirect object in a sentence.

            An indirect object is a noun that receives the direct object of a sentence. For example, look at this  sentence: “The teacher gave a test to her students.” In this sentence, the subject is the teacher, and the                     direct object is the test. The indirect object is the students, because they are receiving the direct object. The indirect object is almost always preceded by “to” or “for” in English.

  Examples: iuvenis servō pecuniam dedit. The young man gave money to the slave.

ancilla amicis cenam parabat. The slave-girl was preparing dinner for the friends.

epistulam scribo mercatoribus. I am writing a letter to the merchants.

Question 8

Special Verbs

Answer 8

certain verbs require their nouns to be in the dative case instead of the nominative or accusative. These don’t usually have a “to” or “for” in the English translation – the difference is only there in the Latin, not in the English. .

Examples: credo magiae. I believe in magic.

Hulcus irascitur Nigrae Viduae. Hulk is angry at Black Widow.

I ordered the soldiers to go away. imperavī militibus abire.

Question 9

Gerundives of Obligation

Answer 9

this is a special form of verb that expresses a need to accomplish that task; the subject of that gerundive is in the dative rather than the nominative.

Examples: The woman must go to the bathroom. feminae latrinam adeundum est.
The slaves must work in the fields. servis in agris laborandum est.

The merchants must sell the wine. mercatoribus vinum vendendum est.