Dative for Possession
When an action affects someone's body, belongings or family, Slovak usually names that person in the dative and leaves out môj or jeho: Zomrel mu otec (His father died), Umyla dieťaťu ruky (She washed the child's hands).
How It Works
Whose thing is affected? English marks the owner with a possessive: my wallet, his father. Slovak usually puts the owner in the dative and leaves the thing without a possessive word:
- Ukradli mi peňaženku. Someone stole my wallet.
- Zomrel mu otec. His father died.
- Umyla dieťaťu ruky. She washed the child's hands.
The dative shows that this person is affected by what happens. It is used most with body parts, clothes, belongings and family members.
Your own body: si. When the owner is the subject, use the dative reflexive si:
- Zlomil som si ruku. I broke my arm.
- Umy si ruky! Wash your hands!
- Obliekla si kabát. She put on her coat.
See reflexive verbs with si. A possessive word such as moju is normally left out: Zlomil som si ruku, not Zlomil som moju ruku.
Things that happen to you. With verbs like pokaziť sa (break down) or stratiť sa (get lost), the thing is the subject and the owner is in the dative: Pokazilo sa nám auto. (Our car broke down.) Stratil sa mi kľúč. (My key has gone missing.)
Forms. Use the short pronouns mi, ti, mu, jej, nám, vám, im in second position (see dative pronouns) or a noun in the dative (see dative singular endings).
Not with bolieť. Pain works differently: Bolí ma hlava uses the accusative. See saying what hurts.
Examples (6)
- Ukradli mi peňaženku v autobuse.
Someone stole my wallet on the bus.
Word by Word: They-stole to-me wallet in bus.
- Minulý rok mu zomrel otec.
His father died last year.
Word by Word: Last year to-him died father.
- Umyla dieťaťu ruky a tvár.
She washed the child's hands and face.
Word by Word: She-washed to-child hands and face.
- Zlomil som si ruku na lyžovačke.
I broke my arm while skiing.
Word by Word: Broke am to-myself arm on skiing-trip.
For your own body, use the reflexive si.
- Pokazilo sa nám auto.
Our car broke down.
Word by Word: Broke-down itself to-us car.
- Pozrel sa jej do očí.
He looked into her eyes.
Word by Word: He-looked himself to-her into eyes.
Common Mistakes
Using a possessive pronoun for your own body part.
Zlomil som moju nohu.Zlomil som si nohu.For your own body, Slovak uses the dative reflexive si and no possessive: zlomil som si nohu, umyl som si ruky. Moju here is a word-for-word copy of English "my leg".
Putting the owner in the accusative.
Ukradli ma peňaženku.Ukradli mi peňaženku.Ma is the accusative (me). The owner who is affected goes in the dative: mi.
Leaving the noun owner in the nominative or accusative.
Umyla dieťa ruky.Umyla dieťaťu ruky.The child is the affected owner, so it takes the dative: dieťa → dieťaťu.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before Dative for Possession, learn Dative Pronouns. The possessive dative uses dative pronouns such as mi and mu.
Related Patterns
- The Dative Case for Recipients
The basic use of the dative for someone who receives something.
Level 2 - Verb + siReflexive Verbs with Si
Si marks the subject's own body or belongings: umyť si ruky.
Level 2 - svojOne's Own: Svoj
Explains possessive words, which this construction usually replaces.
Level 3 - bolí maSaying What Hurts
Pain is different: bolieť takes the accusative, not the dative.
Level 3 - Emotional Dative
Another use of the dative for someone emotionally involved: To ti je ale krása!
Level 6
Practice Dative for Possession in Bubblegum
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