The dative case - Russian course

Russian cases
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Lesson 6:
Dative - Part 1


The dative case of nouns

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Introduction to Russian cases

Introduction to the dative case

When is the dative case used?

Generally, we use the dative case...

  • to express the indirect object: Я даю́ кни́гу моему́ бра́ту - I give my brother a book
  • to express someone's age: Мне 30 лет / моему́ бра́ту 28 лет - I am 30 (years old). My brother is 28 (years old)
  • to say "I like, he likes, etc." using the verb нра́виться: Мне нра́вится фильм - I like the movie
  • to express someone's mood: Мне хорошо́ / мое́й подр́уге пло́хо: I feel fine / My friend is feeling bad

What will we learn in this lesson?

We are going to learn the dative case of different nouns and pronouns.

Russian vocabulary

Russian vocabulary

Read, listen and repeat the vocabulary of this lesson:

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да́тельный паде́ж

dative case

гру́стный

sad

мне ка́жется

It seems to me

мне ну́жно

I need

како́е совпаде́ние!

what a coincidence!

молодо́й

young

то же са́мое

the same

пода́рок

present

колле́га

colleague

день рожде́ния

birthday

подари́ть + Dat.

to give as a present + Dat.

скуча́ть (по + Dat.)

to miss + Dat.

привы́кнуть (к + Dat.)

to get used to + Dat.

сове́товать (+ Dat.)

to advise + Dat.

Russian dialogues

Dialogues in Russian

Read, listen and pay attention to the cases used

Extra help: highliged cases + tables

We have highlighted the words in dative. You can also look up these grammar tables while you read the dialogues:

*These tables will open in a new window

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Russian grammar

Russian grammar

Read the following grammar summary. We will learn the cases from this lesson.

The dative Case: Nouns

n the dialogues we have seen examples of Dative Case (Dat.) in nouns. Below we will learn more about it.

Nouns in singular

We have highlighted the endings in the tables for each gender.

Masculine: -у -ю>

  • Э́то мой студе́нт (Nom.).
    This is my student.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок моему́ студе́нту (Dat.).
    I give a present to my student.

Feminine: -е -и -ии

  • Э́то моя́ сестра́ (Nom.).
    This is my sister.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок мое́й сестре́ (Dat.).
    I give a present to my sister.

Neuter: -у -ю

  • Э́то моё существо́ (Nom.).
    This is my creature.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок моему́ существу́ (Dat.).
    I give a present to my creature.

Nouns in plural

We have highlighted the endings in the tables for each gender.

Masculine: -ам -ям

  • Э́то мои́ студе́нты (Nom.).
    These are my students.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок мои́м студе́нтам (Dat.).
    I give a present to my students.

Feminine: -ам -ям

  • Э́то мои́ сёстры (Nom.).
    These are my sisters.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок мои́м сёстрам (Dat.).
    I give a present to my sisters.

Neuter: -ам -ям

  • Э́то мои́ существа́ (Nom.).
    These are my creatures.
  • Я даю́ пода́рок мои́м существа́м (Dat.).
    I give a present to my creatures.
Russian test

Test

Check how much you have learnt in this lesson:

1. Choose the word in dative:
меня
мне
я

2. What is the dative of "подруга"?
подруге
подругу
подруги

3. How do you say "I'm 20 years old" in Russian?
у меня 20 лет
мне 20 лет
я 20 лет

4. Tell the case of the highlighted word: Нам хорошо
dative singular
nom. plural
dative plural

5. What is the dative of "мой брат"?
моего брата
моему брату
моему другу



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