Recognise recipients and use pronouns after helfen and danken.
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What you will learn
Recognise recipients and use pronouns after helfen and danken.
The dative: articles and pronouns
The dative marks the recipient with geben and follows verbs such as helfen and danken. Ask Wem? In Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch, dem Kind is the recipient and ein Buch is the thing given, in the accusative.
Definite dative articles are dem for masculine and neuter, der for feminine and den for plural. Indefinite forms are einem and einer. Plural nouns usually add -n unless they already end in -n or -s: den Kindern, but den Frauen and den Autos.
Dative pronouns are mir, dir, ihm, ihr, ihm, uns, euch, ihnen and formal Ihnen. Here ihr refers to her; euch refers to several people addressed informally. Capitalise formal Ihnen.
Rule summary
Form
Use
der / das → dem
ein → einem
die → der
eine → einer
die (Plural) → den
Plural noun usually + n
ich / du / er / sie / es
mir / dir / ihm / ihr / ihm
wir / ihr / sie / Sie
uns / euch / ihnen / Ihnen
Examples
Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch.
Meaning
I give the child a book.
Wir helfen ihr.
Meaning
We help her.
Ich danke Ihnen.
Meaning
I thank you, formally.
Lesson exercises
A2 · 10
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Exercise 1 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich helfe ___ Mann. (der Mann)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: dem
Why? Helfen takes the dative: dem Mann.
Exercise 2 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Wir danken ___ Frau. (die Frau)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: der
Why? Danken takes the dative: der Frau.
Exercise 3 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Sie gibt ___ Kind ein Buch. (das Kind)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: dem
Why? The recipient is dative: dem Kind.
Exercise 4 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Wir helfen den ___. (Kinder)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Kindern
Why? Kinder adds -n in the dative plural.
Exercise 5 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Kannst du ___ helfen? (ich)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: mir
Why? Ich becomes mir in the dative.
Exercise 6 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich danke ___. (du)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: dir
Why? Du becomes dir in the dative.
Exercise 7 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich helfe Lena. Ich helfe ___.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: ihr
Why? Lena is represented by dative ihr.
Exercise 8 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich helfe Tom. Ich helfe ___.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: ihm
Why? Tom is represented by dative ihm.
Exercise 9 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Frau Roth, ich danke ___.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Ihnen
Why? Capitalise formal Ihnen.
Exercise 10 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context.
Ich helfe Lena und Tom. Ich helfe ___.
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: ihnen
Why? Lena and Tom are being referred to: use lower-case ihnen.
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Grammar references for further reading
Original A2 lessons, examples and exercises by WikiGerman. Study them in order or choose a topic to review.