What is dative case?

Definition
	Dative case is a case that marks any of the following:
	Indirect objects (for languages in which they are held to exist) Nouns having the role of recipient (as of things given) beneficiary of an action, or possessor of an item

Example (German)
	The word mir ‘(to) me’ is in dative case, as seen in the following sentence. Gib mir Brot. Give me bread. This word contrasts with ich ‘I’ and mich ‘me’.

Generic
	Dative case is a kind of
	What is case?

Sources
	Crystal 1980 102
	Gove 1966 577

Context for this page:

Concept module: dative case
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): D
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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