Dativi

Dativi refers to the dative case, or to the plural form of the Latin term dativus, used in discussions of grammar. The dative is a grammatical category found in many languages that marks the indirect object or recipient of an action, and can also express beneficiary, recipient, or related semantic roles. The name itself derives from Latin, where dativus is linked to the verb dare (to give) and the notion of something being given to someone.

Across languages with a visible case system, the dative commonly marks the indirect object of a verb, as in giving, telling, showing, or conveying benefits or disadvantages. In some languages the dative also appears in constructions with certain prepositions or with verbs that govern a dative object. The precise syntactic role can vary: it may indicate the recipient of a thing, the person for whom something is done, or the beneficiary of an action. Some languages use the dative for broader functions, including expressions of interest, possession, or location in a certain sense.

Morphology and syntax differ by language. In Latin, the dative singular often ends in -o (amico), and plural in -is (amicis). In German, the dative is a separate case with forms like dem Mann and with various plural endings for nouns and associated adjectives. Some languages, such as English, lack a distinct dative case and rely on word order or prepositions (to, for) to express indirect objects; others, like Russian, use dedicated dative endings on nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. Dutch uses prepositional or datives in pronoun forms.

Examples include Latin: Puero librum do (I give the book to the boy); German: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch (I give the man the book); Russian: Я даю мальчику книгу (Ya dayu mal’chiku knigu, I give the boy a book).