Dative Recipient
The receiver is in the dative: Duodu broliui knygą. Rašau laišką draugei.
How It Works
In English you give something to someone. In Lithuanian, the word for the receiver simply takes the dative, one of the seven cases. A specific thing given normally takes the accusative.
1. Verbs that have a receiver. duoti (to give), dovanoti (to give as a present), siųsti (to send), rašyti (to write), sakyti (to say), rodyti (to show), pirkti (to buy for), nešti (to carry to).
2. Dative endings.
- draugas → draugui, brolis → broliui
- mama → mamai, draugė → draugei
- Plural: draugams, broliams, mamoms, draugėms
3. Pronouns. man, tau, jam, jai, mums, jums, jiems, joms. See pronoun case forms. A dative pronoun usually comes before the verb: Aš tau parašysiu. (I will write to you.)
4. Word order. The receiver often comes before the thing: Nupirkau mamai gėlių. (I bought Mom some flowers.) Other orders are possible for emphasis.
5. The same case elsewhere. The dative also marks the person in man patinka and the person helped or called with verbs like padėti and skambinti. To buy something for yourself, use sau: Nupirkau sau dviratį.
Examples (6)
- Duodu broliui knygą.
I am giving my brother a book.
Word by Word: I-give to-brother book.
Broliui is dative (the receiver), and knygą is accusative (the thing).
- Rašau laišką draugei.
I am writing a letter to a friend.
Word by Word: I-write letter to-friend.
Draugė becomes draugei in the dative.
- Nupirkau mamai gėlių.
I bought Mom some flowers.
Word by Word: I-bought to-mom flowers.
Gėlių is genitive, meaning some flowers.
- Jonas padovanojo Rūtai žiedą.
Jonas gave Rūta a ring.
Word by Word: Jonas gifted to-Rūta ring.
- Mokytoja pasakė vaikams naujieną.
The teacher told the children the news.
Word by Word: Teacher told to-children news.
Vaikams is dative plural.
- Siunčiu tau nuotrauką.
I am sending you a photo.
Word by Word: I-send to-you photo.
Tau is the dative of tu.
Common Mistakes
Putting a receiver pronoun in the accusative.
Pasakiau jį tiesą.Pasakiau jam tiesą.The person you tell something to is in the dative: jam. Jį would be the thing being said.
Using dėl mamos when you want to identify Mom as the recipient.
Nupirkau gėlių dėl mamos.Nupirkau mamai gėlių.The speaker bought the flowers as a gift for Mom. Dėl mamos means because of Mom. The receiver simply goes in the dative.
Leaving the receiver in the nominative.
Duodu Jonas knygą.Duodu Jonui knygą.Jonas is not the subject here. As the receiver, he goes in the dative: Jonui.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The dative marks a recipient independently of the object given.
Related Patterns
- Personal Pronoun Case Forms
Receiver pronouns use the dative forms man, tau, jam, jai.
Level 2 - Accusative Direct Object
A specific thing given normally takes the accusative next to the dative receiver.
Level 1 - padėti / dėkoti / skambinti + dativeVerbs That Take the Dative
These verbs also take a dative where English has a plain object.
Level 2 - man patinkaLiking with Patikti
The person who likes something is also in the dative.
Level 1 - Dative of Purpose
The dative can also show what a thing is for, not only who receives it.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice Dative Recipient in Bubblegum
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