Dative of Solidarity

Level 5

Add che to talk warmly and directly to one person: Isto éche así (that is just how it is). It is not an object; it just pulls the listener in, like saying you know or I tell you.

How It Works

What it does

This pronoun adds no new information. It adds closeness. Compare:

  • Está boa a sopa!: The soup is good!
  • Estache boa a sopa!: The soup is really good, you know!

The easiest test is to remove it. If the sentence stays correct and means the same thing, it was a dative of solidarity.

Forms

  • One listener: che (ti) or lle (vostede)
  • Several listeners: vos (vós) or lles (vostedes)

Speakers sometimes combine both forms for a group, as in Estáchevos boa a comida!. This is very expressive and belongs to the spoken language.

Placement

It follows the usual rules. It goes after the verb in a plain statement (Éche así) and before it after words like non (Non che sei); see pronouns after negatives. A pronoun never starts a sentence. When several pronouns meet, the solidarity pronoun comes first; only the reflexive se goes before it.

Spelling. The verb and its pronouns are written and accented as one word: está + che → estache, but está + che + vos → estáchevos. A diacritic accent always stays: é + che → éche.

Where you hear it

It is typical of relaxed, friendly speech and is one of the most characteristic features of Galician. It is less common in formal writing. Do not confuse it with the ethical dative, which shows who is affected by the action.

Examples (6)

  1. Isto éche así.

    That is just how it is.

    Che adds a warm, personal tone; Isto é así means the same.

  2. Non che sei.

    I really do not know.

    After non, the pronoun goes before the verb.

  3. Estache boa a sopa!

    The soup is really good!

  4. Évos unha boa cousa.

    It is a good thing, I tell you.

    Vos speaks to several listeners.

  5. Estalle moi bo o caldo, dona Carme.

    The broth is really good, Carme.

    Lle is used with someone you address as vostede.

  6. O meu fillo sacouche moi boas notas.

    My son got really good grades, you know.

Common Mistakes

  • Using te instead of che.

    Isto éte así.
    Isto éche así.

    The dative of solidarity uses the indirect object form che, never te.

  • Starting the sentence with the pronoun.

    Che é así.
    Éche así.

    An unstressed pronoun cannot begin a sentence. In a plain statement it goes after the verb.

  • Putting the pronoun after the verb after non.

    Non seiche.
    Non che sei.

    Non pulls the pronoun before the verb.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Dative of SolidarityLevel 5

Learn This First

The solidarity dative marks involvement of the listener without making that listener a required object.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

chevos