Dative Endings
The dative answers kam? (to whom? for whom?). Singular: draugam, brālim, tirgum, mājai, upei, sirdij. Plural: draugiem, mājām, upēm, sirdīm.
How It Works
The dative is the case of the person who receives, gets or feels something. It answers kam? (to whom? for whom?). You already meet it in man ir and man patīk, and it marks the person in giving to someone.
Singular
- 1st declension (-s, -š): draugs → draugam, ceļš → ceļam
- 2nd declension (-is): brālis → brālim, skapis → skapim; also akmens → akmenim
- 3rd declension (-us): tirgus → tirgum
- 4th declension (-a): māja → mājai, but masculine puika → puikam
- 5th declension (-e): upe → upei, meitene → meitenei
- 6th declension (feminine -s): sirds → sirdij, pils → pilij
Plural
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd declensions: -iem: draugiem, brāļiem, tirgiem
- 4th, 5th and 6th declensions: -ām, -ēm, -īm: mājām, upēm, sirdīm. Take the vowel of the plural (mājas, upes, sirdis), make it long, and add -m. Masculine puikas gives puikām too.
Consonant changes. A 2nd-declension noun keeps its plain consonant in the dative singular but changes it in the plural: brālim, but brāļiem. See consonant changes.
Words that go with the noun take the dative too. Adjectives and possessives end in -am, -ai, -iem, -ām: manam labam draugam (to my good friend), manai māsai (to my sister), maniem vecākiem (to my parents). The dative pronouns are man, tev, viņam, viņai, mums, jums, viņiem, viņām.
After prepositions, a plural noun takes the dative: no draugiem, pie vecākiem. See plural nouns after prepositions.
Examples (6)
- Es rakstu vēstuli draugam.
I am writing a letter to a friend.
draugs → draugam: the 1st-declension ending -am.
- Brālim patīk futbols.
My brother likes football.
brālis → brālim: the 2nd-declension ending -im.
- Mūsu mājai ir sarkans jumts.
Our house has a red roof.
māja → mājai: the 4th-declension ending -ai.
- Meitenei ir kaķis.
The girl has a cat.
meitene → meitenei: the 5th-declension ending -ei.
- Pilij ir augsts tornis.
The castle has a tall tower.
pils → pilij: the 6th-declension ending -ij.
- Es nopirku dāvanas brāļiem un māsām.
I bought presents for my brothers and sisters.
In the plural, masculine brāļiem ends in -iem and feminine māsām in -ām.
Common Mistakes
Putting the 1st-declension ending on a noun in -is.
Es zvanu brālam.Es zvanu brālim.Nouns in -is take -im in the dative: brālis → brālim, skapis → skapim.
Using the masculine plural ending on a feminine noun.
Es palīdzu māsiem.Es palīdzu māsām.The ending -iem is only for masculine nouns. Feminine nouns make their own plural vowel long: māsas → māsām, upes → upēm.
Leaving the possessive in the nominative.
Es rakstu mans draugam.Es rakstu manam draugam.Possessives and adjectives take the dative with their noun: manam draugam, manai māsai.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Noun dative endings follow the dative pronouns.
Related Patterns
- Giving to Someone
The most common job of these endings is marking the person who receives something.
Level 2 - patīk + DativeLiking with Patīk
The person who likes something takes these endings: Brālim patīk futbols.
Level 1 - Consonant Changes Before Endings
Explains why brālim becomes brāļiem in the plural.
Level 2 - Plural Nouns After Prepositions
Plural nouns take these dative endings after prepositions.
Level 2 - Adjectives in Every Case
Adjectives take matching dative endings: labam draugam, labai māsai.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- ko / kam / kāCase Forms of KasLevel 2
- līdz + DativeUntil and as Far as: LīdzLevel 2
- blakus / pretī / apkārt / garām + DativeNext to, Opposite and AroundLevel 3
- sāp + DativeSaying What HurtsLevel 3
- pa + Dative (One by One)One by One: Pa with the DativeLevel 5
- pateicoties + DativeThanks toLevel 5
- Dative Absolute With -otDative with -otLevel 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice Dative Endings in Bubblegum
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