Dative verbs
A2 · Elementary · Cases & Verbs
The rule
helfen, danken, gefallen, gehören, schmecken, passen take only dative.
How it works
Some verbs always take a dative object instead of an accusative, even though English uses a direct object. Examples are helfen (to help), danken (to thank), gefallen (to please), gehören (to belong to), schmecken (to taste good), passen (to fit) and antworten (to answer). Learn them with the dative pronoun, such as Es gefällt mir.
When to use it
Use verbs such as helfen, danken, gefallen, gehören, schmecken and passen, which always take a dative object.
Use cases
- Thanking someone: Ich danke dir
- Describing taste and liking: Das Essen schmeckt mir
- Describing ownership: Das Auto gehört meinem Bruder
Examples
- Das Auto gehört mir – The car belongs to me
- Der Anzug passt ihm gut. – The suit fits him well.
- Wir antworten dem Kunden sofort. – We answer the customer immediately.
- Die Musik gefällt uns. – We like the music.
Common mistake
Using an accusative object with these verbs: "Ich helfe ihn" should be "Ich helfe ihm".
Memory tip
These verbs are learned with their dative: "helfen + dative", "gefallen + dative".
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Cases Explained: Nominative, Accusative, Dative and Genitive.