German Personal Pronouns: Dative
The dative pronouns are mir, dir, ihm, ihr, uns, euch and ihnen, and you need them after verbs like helfen, gefallen and vertrauen. In this lesson Luzi shows you how the personal pronouns change in the dative, gives you ten question-and-answer examples with seven dative verbs, and ends with a bonus tip: the three rules for the order of pronouns and nouns in a sentence.
The Personal Pronouns in the Dative
You already know the nominative and the accusative. Now the dative:
| Nominative | Accusative | Dative |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | mir |
| du | dich | dir |
| er | ihn | ihm |
| sie (she) | sie | ihr |
| es | es | ihm |
| wir | uns | uns |
| ihr | euch | euch |
| sie (they) | sie | ihnen |
Remember: the nominative is for the subject, the accusative comes after certain verbs and prepositions, and the dative also comes after specific verbs and prepositions. Luzi has a free PDF with 50 verbs that need the dative, linked in the video description.
10 Examples With 7 Dative Verbs
Each example has a question and an answer with the personal pronoun. You can use the same pronouns for people and for things, as long as you match the gender of the noun.
| Verb | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| helfen (to help) | Kannst du mir helfen? (Can you help me?) | Ja, ich kann dir helfen. |
| gefallen (to like) | GefÀllt dir das Bild? (Do you like the picture?) | Ja, das Bild gefÀllt mir. |
| vertrauen (to trust), person | Vertraust du dem Arzt? (Do you trust the doctor?) | Ja, ich vertraue ihm. |
| vertrauen, masculine thing | Vertraust du dem Aufzug? (Do you trust the elevator?) | Ja, ich vertraue ihm. (der Aufzug is masculine) |
| vertrauen, feminine thing | Vertraust du der Medizin? (Do you trust the medicine?) | Ja, ich vertraue ihr. (die Medizin is feminine) |
| vertrauen, neuter thing | Vertraust du dem Passwort? (Do you trust the password?) | Ja, ich vertraue ihm. (das Passwort is neuter) |
| gehören (to belong to) | Gehört die Tasche der Frau? (Does the bag belong to the woman?) | Ja, die Tasche gehört ihr. |
| passen (to fit, to suit) | Passt das Kleid dem Kind? (Does the dress suit the child?) | Ja, das Kleid passt ihm. (das Kind is neuter) |
| glauben (to believe) | Glaubst du uns jetzt? (Do you finally believe us now?) | Ja, ich glaube euch. |
| schaden (to harm) | Schadet Plastik den Tieren? (Does plastic harm the animals?) | Ja, Plastik schadet ihnen. (plural: them) |
See how vertrauen is used four times: the pronoun depends only on the gender of the noun, ihm for masculine and neuter, ihr for feminine.
Bonus Tip: The Order of Pronouns and Nouns
Luzi gives three rules, based on the sentence Hans gibt dem Kind einen Stift. (Hans gives a pen to the child.) Here the subject is in position 1, the verb in position 2, the dative object in position 3 and the accusative object in position 4.
| Rule | What you have | Order | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | two nouns | dative before accusative | Hans gibt dem Kind einen Stift. |
| 2 | one pronoun and one noun | the pronoun stands before the noun | Hans gibt ihm einen Stift. / Hans gibt ihn dem Kind. |
| 3 | two pronouns | accusative before dative | Hans gibt ihn ihm. |
That is a lot of rules, but do not worry when you just want to talk. If you put the accusative or the dative first, people will understand you. The rules matter for exams, so if you want to take an exam, learn them.
What to Learn Next
Watch the other two parts of this series: personal pronouns in the nominative and personal pronouns in the accusative. To understand the case itself, see what is the Dativ and all 14 German dative verbs for A1. Then practise with the practice video on dative verbs with pronouns and learn more about word order in the position of dative and accusative objects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the personal pronouns in the dative in German?
They are mir (to me), dir (to you), ihm (to him, to it), ihr (to her, to it), ihm (to it), uns (to us), euch (to you, plural) and ihnen (to them).
When do you use the dative in German?
You use the dative after specific verbs, such as helfen, gefallen, vertrauen, gehören, passen, glauben and schaden, and after specific prepositions.
How do you choose between ihm and ihr for a thing?
Look at the gender of the noun. Masculine and neuter nouns take ihm (dem Aufzug, dem Passwort), feminine nouns take ihr (der Medizin).
In which order do you put two pronouns in German?
With two personal pronouns, the accusative stands before the dative: Hans gibt ihn ihm. With two nouns, the dative stands before the accusative.
Do I have to learn the pronoun order rules to speak German?
Not for simple talking. If you put the accusative or the dative first, people will still understand you. But the rules are important for German exams.
The dative is easier when you practise it with real examples. In our A1 German online course we teach you the cases chapter by chapter, with videos, worksheets and answers to your questions.
