Verbs That Take the Dative

Level 4

Put the person in the dative after credo, placeo, pareo, noceo, faveo and servio.

How It Works

VerbMeaningExample
credotrust, believeMarcus Iuliae credit.
placeopleaseLiber mihi placet.
pareoobeyPuer magistro paret.
noceoharmHaec aqua mihi non nocet.
faveofavorMagister discipulis favet.
servioserveDeo servimus.

English makes the person an object: obey the teacher. Latin sees it as obedience given to the teacher, so the teacher is in the dative.

Learn each verb with its person: credere alicui (to trust someone) and parere alicui (to obey someone). Church Latin also says credere in with the accusative for believing in God: Credo in unum Deum.

Do not mix these verbs up with iubeo (order) or iuvo (help). Both take the accusative: Iubeo te venire, Iuvo te.

Examples (5)

  1. Marcus Iuliae credit.

    Marcus trusts Iulia.

    Iuliae is the dative singular.

  2. Liber mihi placet.

    I like the book.

    Literally, the book is pleasing to me. Mihi is the dative.

  3. Puer magistro paret.

    The boy obeys the teacher.

    Magistro is the dative singular.

  4. Haec aqua mihi non nocet.

    This water does not harm me.

    Mihi is the dative after nocet.

  5. Non potestis Deo servire et mammonae.

    You cannot serve God and mammon.

    From Matthew 6:24. Deo and mammonae are both dative.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the accusative after pareo.

    Puer magistrum paret.
    Puer magistro paret.

    Pareo takes the dative, so the teacher is magistro. The accusative magistrum would be the object of an ordinary verb.

How It Connects

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

Verbs That Take the DativeLevel 4

Learn This First

Some verbs take their object in the dative.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

credoplaceopareonoceofaveoservio