Revision (hopefully)... ...& some new stuff! Accusative & Dative Pronouns

Case summary table (If you can memorise this you are doing really well masculine feminine neuter plural nominative (subjects of sentences) der ein die eine das keine accusative (direct objects & prepositions) den einen dative (indirect objects, prepositions & after certain verbs) dem einem einer den (-n) keinen (-n)

Pronouns What are pronouns? They are the words for: I, you, he, she, it, we, you (plural), they & you (formal) These words can also be put into the accusative case IF SOMETHING IS BEING DONE TO THEM (they are then the direct object of the sentence): John asks him.  “John” is the subject (doing the asking) & “him” is the direct object (having something done to him  being asked) John fragt ihn. (John asks him.) Jane sieht dich. (Jane sees you.) Ich mag euch. (I like you {plural}.)

We’ll look at this in a minute! Cases & Pronoun Table: Nominative Accusative Dative ich I mich me du you dich you er he, it ihn him, it sie she, it sie her, it es it wir we uns us ihr you (plural) euch you (plural) sie they sie them Sie you (formal) We’ll look at this in a minute!

Some examples: 5. I am wearing it. 5. Ich trage es. 1. I know him. (kennen = to know {a person}) 1. Ich kenne ihn. 2. I am asking her. (fragen = to ask) 2. Ich frage sie. 3. He loves me. (lieben = to love) 3. Er liebt mich. 4. I have seen you (two). 4. Ich habe euch gesehen. 5. I am wearing it. 5. Ich trage es.

As you know in German, when you are talking about “it”, you need to clearly state whether you are talking about a masculine, feminine or neuter noun. For example: The table is brown. It is brown.  Der Tisch ist braun. Er ist braun. Ok, let’s try it using the accusative case now! Der Rock = the skirt I am wearing the skirt. I am wearing it.  Ich trage den Rock. Ich trage ihn. Die Jacke = the jacket I am wearing the jacket. I am wearing it.  Ich trage die Jacke. Ich trage sie. Das Kleid = the dress I am wearing the dress. I am wearing it.  Ich trage das Kleid. Ich trage es.

außer – except for, besides gegenüber – (across) opposite Now for some new stuff... The dative case! You may know about this from when you use dative prepositions which are: aus – out of; from bei – at, near, with mit – with nach – after, to seit – since von – from, by zu – to außer – except for, besides gegenüber – (across) opposite

There is another instance when you must also use the dative case... Whenever you use one of these prepositions, whatever follows is in the dative case. Z.B. Der Bus ist sehr groß.  Ich fahre mit dem Bus. Die Party war fantastisch!  Nach der Party bin ich nach Hause gegangen. Das Mädchen ist sehr nett.  Das ist ein Geschenk von dem Mädchen. Die Freunde heißen Joe und Jack.  Wir bleiben bei den Freunden. There is another instance when you must also use the dative case...

Dative for the indirect object. I am giving the Salvos my old clothes. Frage. Who is the subject? Antwort. I F. What/who is the direct object (think accusative case – what/who is having something done to it/them?) A. “my old clothes” – they are being ‘given’ F. Who/what is the indirect object? A. “the Salvos” The indirect object is who or what is receiving the direct object, in this case, “The Salvos” are receiving “my old clothes” and therefore “the Salvos” are the indirect object.

To identify an indirect object, think: “Who or what is receiving something?” Whoever that person is, is the indirect object (& therefore in the dative case)

Some more examples to dissect... I am giving her a book. S = I D.O. = a book I.O. = her Ich gebe ihr ein Buch. Susie gives the boy the cds. S = Susie D.O. = the cds I.O. = the boy Susie schenkt dem Junge die CDs The man sold us the house. S = The man D.O. = the house I.O. = us Der Man hat uns das Haus verkauft.

passen - to fit (clothing etc) stehen – to suit (clothing etc) There are also certain verbs which always precede the dative case. Some of these are: antworten – to answer geben – to give danken – to thank gefallen – to please gehören – to belong helfen – to help passen - to fit (clothing etc) stehen – to suit (clothing etc) Ich antworte dem Mann. I answer the man. Wir danken der Lehrerin. We thank the teacher. Sie hilft dem kleinen Kind. She helps the small child. Das blaue Hemd passt dir nicht. The blue shirt doesn’t fit you.

Note the change in pronouns: Nominative Accusative Dative ich I mich me mir (to) me du you dich dir (to) you er he ihn him, it ihm (to) him, it sie she her, it ihr (to) her, it es it (to) it wir we uns us (to) us you (pl) euch they them ihnen (to) them Sie you (formal) Ihnen

Word order rules with direct & indirect objects in the same sentence. The indirect object always comes before the direct object. Meine Mutter schenkt meiner Schwester eine Handtasche. (I.O. = dative) (D.O. = accusative) My mother gives my sister a handbag Exception: if you have two pronouns in a sentence, the D.O. comes before the I.O.  Gibst du es mir bitte? Give it to me please?