Module 03 · Cases · Locījumi · Level A1
Dative (kam?) — to whom, whose, who likes
Datīvs
Without the dative you can't say "I have," "I like," or "I'm cold." This is the case of the person affected by what's happening.
Endings
| Decl. | Word (Nom.) | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | galds | -am (galdam) | -iem (galdiem) |
| 2 | brālis | -im (brālim) | -iem (brāļiem) |
| 3 | tirgus | -um (tirgum) | -iem (tirgiem) |
| 4 | māja | -ai (mājai) | -ām (mājām) |
| 5 | upe | -ei (upei) | -ēm (upēm) |
| 6 | sirds | -ij (sirdij) | -īm (sirdīm) |
Plural: masculine -iem, feminine -ām / -ēm / -īm.
Personal pronouns
| es → man | tu → tev | viņš → viņam | viņa → viņai |
|---|---|---|---|
| mēs → mums | jūs → jums | viņi → viņiem | viņas → viņām |
Four constructions you need to know
- Possession: Man ir + nominative. — Man ir brālis (I have a brother). Tev ir laiks? (Do you have time?) Latvian has no verb "to have" in this role — literally "to me there is."
- Liking: Man patīk + nominative/infinitive. — Viņai patīk Rīga (She likes Riga). Mums patīk ceļot (We like to travel).
- States: Man ir auksti / silti / bail / žēl / skumji / grūti (I'm cold / warm / scared / sorry / sad / having a hard time).
- Obligation: Man jāstrādā (I have to work) — covered in detail in the "Vajadzības izteiksme" (debitive mood) topic.
Verbs that take the dative
palīdzēt (to help) — palīdzu mammai (I help mom); zvanīt (to call) — zvanu draugam (I call a friend); dot (to give) — dodu bērnam (I give to the child); teikt/pateikt (to say) — saku tev (I tell you); rādīt (to show); ticēt (to believe) — es tev ticu (I believe you); derēt (to suit) — tas man der (that suits me).
Prepositions with the dative
Līdz, pretī, blakus take the dative: līdz stacijai, pretī mājai, blakus skolai. Most prepositions take the dative in the plural: ar draugiem, pie draugiem. Exceptions taking the genitive are dēļ, labad, pēc expressing a reason.
Exercise
Translate: 1) I have a dog. 2) She likes coffee. 3) I'm cold. 4) Help your brother!
Answers
1) Man ir suns. 2) Viņai patīk kafija. 3) Man ir auksti. 4) Palīdzi brālim!Open the lesson in the trainer — with exercises and a “done” mark →Module test 03