So to continue on down the case list, I’ll be explaining the Dative case today. As far as cases go, I consider it very straightforward and simple.

It essentially is used just as “to/for” would be used in English (i.e. “I give a gift TO my mother”). There are other uses as well, which I will explain.

If you haven’t already, please look over Vowel Harmony and Vowel Lengthening.

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FORMING THE DATIVE

• back-vowel word: -nak
• front-vowel word (including rounded): -nek

Very simple construction here! No linking vowel needed!

Examples:

az anya – az anyának (to/for the mother)

az ember – az embernek (to/for the person)

a nő – a nőnek (to/for the woman)

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USES OF THE DATIVE

As I mentioned above, its simplest use is to designate what something is “to” or “for”.

Az anyámnak adtam egy macskát. (I gave my mother a cat)
Note that “cat” is in accusative because it is the direct object of “gave”.

Veszek egy könyvet a barátnőmnek. (I am buying a book for my girlfriend)
Note that “book” is in the accusative because it is the direct object of “buying”.

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SOME OTHER USES (not a comprehensive list)

To say that you like something

Az tetszik nekem. (I like that)
literally: that is pleasing to me

Tetszik neked? (Do you like (it)?)
literally: is (it) pleasing to you?

Ez a könyv tetszik az anyámnak. (My mother likes this book)
literally: this book is pleasing to my mother
“könyv” is not in accusative, because the sentence structure here makes it the subject. The book is being pleasing to somebody – nothing is actually being “done” to the book.

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To help someone

Segítesz anyának? (Are you helping mom?)

Ő segít nekem. (Xe is helping me)

Ő segít nekem a magyarnyelvet tanulni. (Xe is helping me learn Hungarian)
magyarnyelv in accusative

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To express that you have something

Nekem van két macskám. (I have two cats)
literally: to/for me there are 2 cats

Neki van három testvére. (Xe has three siblings)
literally: to/for xem there are three siblings

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To call someone on the phone

Telefonálok apunak. (I am calling dad)
literally: I call/telephone to dad

A nagyi telefonál nekem. (My grandma is calling me)
literally: my grandma calls/telephones to me

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To express contentment, etc

Örülök annak (I am glad for that)¹

¹This phrase doesn’t typically stand alone, but rather continues “Örülök annak, hogy…” (I am glad for that, that….)

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To express pain

Nekem fáj a fejem (I have a headache)
literally: my head hurts to/for me

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PERSONAL PRONOUNS IN DATIVE

Pronoun	Dative Pronoun
én	nekem
mi	nekünk
te	neked
ti	nektek
ő	neki
ők	nekik
Ön	Önnek
Önök	Önöknek
maga	magának
maguk	maguknak

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DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

Pronoun	Dative Pronoun
ez (this)	ennek
ezek (these)	ezeknek
az (that)	annak
azok (those)	azoknak

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Of course there are other verbs or situations the dative is used with, but these are some of the most common. The others you will pick up during your studies.