The Dative (þágufall)

Level 2

The dative (þágufall) follows frá, hjá, af, úr and að: Ég kem frá Íslandi. It also marks the receiver: Ég gaf henni blóm.

How It Works

After prepositions. frá (from), hjá (at someone's place), af (off, of), úr (out of) and að (toward) always take the dative:

  • Ég kem frá Íslandi. (Ísland → Íslandi)
  • Ég bý hjá vini mínum. (I live with my friend.)
  • Hann tók bókina úr töskunni. (He took the book out of the bag.)

More are listed in dative prepositions.

Location with í and á. Ég er í bænum (I am in town) uses the dative; Ég fer í bæinn (I am going to town) uses the accusative. See motion and location.

The receiver. With verbs like gefa (give), senda (send) and segja (tell), the person is in the dative: Ég gaf henni blóm. See double objects.

Dative verbs. Some verbs take their only object in the dative: hjálpa (help), þakka (thank), gleyma (forget), svara (answer). Hjálpaðu mér! See dative verbs.

Dative subjects, and a warning. A few verbs have a dative "subject": Mér finnst, Mér er kalt. But some verbs need the accusative, and using the dative with them is a widespread nonstandard habit called þágufallssýki. Standard Icelandic says Mig langar, not Mér langar.

Examples (6)

  1. Ég kem frá Íslandi.

    I come from Iceland.

    Word by Word: I come from Iceland.

    Ísland becomes Íslandi after frá.

  2. Ég gaf henni blóm.

    I gave her flowers.

    Word by Word: I gave her flowers.

    henni is the dative of hún: the person who receives.

  3. Hjálpaðu mér!

    Help me!

    Word by Word: Help-you me!

    hjálpa always takes a dative object.

  4. Ég er í bænum.

    I am in town.

    Word by Word: I am in town-the.

    Being in a place: dative after í.

  5. Ég bý hjá vini mínum.

    I live at my friend's place.

    Word by Word: I live at friend my.

  6. Hann tók bókina úr töskunni.

    He took the book out of the bag.

    Word by Word: He took book-the out-of bag-the.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative with hjálpa.

    Ég hjálpa hana.
    Ég hjálpa henni.

    hjálpa is one of the verbs that take a dative object, so hún becomes henni, not hana.

  • Forgetting the dative ending after frá.

    Ég kem frá Ísland.
    Ég kem frá Íslandi.

    frá always takes the dative, and the dative of Ísland is Íslandi.

  • Using the dative with verbs that take an accusative subject (þágufallssýki).

    Mér langar í kaffi.
    Mig langar í kaffi.

    Many Icelanders say mér langar, but it is nonstandard. In standard Icelandic, langa takes the accusative: mig langar.

How It Connects

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The Dative (þágufall)Level 2

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The dative builds on the accusative and dative pronouns.

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Words in This Pattern

hjáafúraðáhjálpaþakkagleyma