Datiiv

Datiiv is a name used for a grammatical case in several languages, most commonly known from German (Dativ) and from the term used in Estonian grammar (datiiv). It designates a syntactic role related to the recipient, beneficiary, or target of an action, and it can also mark other relationships depending on the language.

In general, the dative marks the indirect object of a verb — the entity that receives something or is affected by the action. It answers questions such as to whom, for whom, or for what something is done. In many languages, the dative is closely linked to movement toward a goal or to a beneficiary and can also express possession, reference, or experience in certain constructions.

In German, the dative is a productive case with specific noun, article, and adjective endings. For example: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch (I give the book to the man). Here dem Mann is in the dative. The plural form is often den Mannern, den Frauen, etc., with corresponding dative articles and adjective endings. German also uses the dative with certain verbs that indicate giving, helping, or belonging, as in Mir ist kalt (I am cold) or Das gehört mir (That belongs to me).

In other languages, the dative serves similar roles but with different morphology. In Latin, for instance, donum puero do literally means I give a gift to the boy, with puero in the dative. In Russian and other Slavonic languages, the dative is used after many verbs to indicate the indirect object or the recipient.

English does not have a productive dative case; it expresses equivalent meanings with prepositional phrases such as to or for. The concept remains a core element of grammar in languages with a labeled dative case, where agreement and word order reflect the recipient-centered function.