dativus

Dativus is the Latin term for the dative case, a grammatical category used to mark the noun phrase that functions as an indirect object or recipient in a sentence. The name derives from Latin dare “to give,” reflecting the common role of the dative as the person or thing that receives or benefits from an action.

In Latin, the dative answers questions such as “to whom?” “for whom?” or “for what purpose?” It is the usual case for indirect objects in sentences with verbs of giving, showing, or telling, for example Donum puero dedi, “I gave the gift to the boy.” The dative also marks possession or association in phrases like Liber mihi est, “I have a book” or “a book is mine to me.” A related function is the dative of advantage or disadvantage (dativus commodi), used to indicate for whose benefit or burden something is done, as in Hoc tibi utile est, “This is useful for you.” The dative of reference or the ethical dative appears in expressions such as Mihi placet, “It pleases me,” where the dative indicates the person affected by the statement.

Morphologically, Latin marks the dative on nouns with endings that vary by declension, e.g., singular puellae “to/for the girl,” servō “to/for the slave.” In typical prose, the dative coexists with the nominative subject and the accusative object, and Latin word order remains relatively flexible.

Across Indo-European languages, the concept of a dative case exists, but its form and usage differ by language. In Latin grammar, the dativus provides a range of semantic roles—indirect object, possession, benefit, and affective or relative references—that clarify the relationships between participants in an action.