In German, most verbs use the accusative case for direct objects. However, a specific group of verbs requires the dative case
, while others take both objects at once (the person in dative and the thing in accusative). 1. Common Dative-Only Verbs These verbs always take an object in the dative case ( German Verb English Translation to be missing/lacking to please / to like to belong to to believe gratulieren to congratulate to happen (to) to taste (good) to listen to 2. Common Accusative-Only Verbs
Roughly 95% of German verbs fall into this category, representing the direct recipient of an action. essen / trinken : to eat / drink hören / sehen : to hear / see : to know (someone) : to do / make : to look for : to understand 3. Verbs with Both Accusative & Dative
These verbs often involve giving, showing, or telling something (accusative) to someone (dative). German Takeaways Dative and Accusative Verbs German | PDF - Scribd
Most German verbs take an accusative object, which represents the direct recipient of the action. German Verb English Translation haben Ich habe einen Hund. sehen Sieht er den Mann? essen Wir essen einen Apfel. trinken Trinkst du den Saft? brauchen Ich brauche deine Hilfe. suchen to search for Er sucht seinen Schlüssel. kennen to know (someone/place) Kennen Sie mich? besuchen Wir besuchen unsere Tante.
For more extensive lists, you can download specialized PDFs such as the Accusative Verb List from Scribd. 2. Pure Dative Verbs (Verben mit Dativ)
These verbs are less common but essential. They require the object to be in the dative case even if it is the only object in the sentence. German Verb English Translation helfen Kannst du mir helfen? danken Ich danke dir. gefallen to like / be pleasing to Das Kleid gefällt ihr. gehören to belong to Das Buch gehört dem Lehrer. antworten to answer (someone) Bitte antworten Sie mir. glauben to believe Ich glaube euch nicht. gratulieren to congratulate Wir gratulieren ihm. schmecken to taste (to someone) Die Suppe schmeckt uns.
Resources like deutsch.ie provide downloadable dative verb reference sheets. 3. Verbs Taking Both Accusative and Dative
These verbs usually describe a transfer or communication. The Dative object is typically the person receiving something, while the Accusative object is the thing being given or told. geben (to give): Ich gebe dir (Dat) einen Stift (Akk).
bringen (to bring): Der Kellner bringt dem Gast (Dat) das Essen (Akk).
schreiben (to write): Er schreibt seiner Mutter (Dat) einen Brief (Akk).
erzählen (to tell): Opa erzählt uns (Dat) eine Geschichte (Akk).
empfehlen (to recommend): Ich empfehle Ihnen (Dat) dieses Restaurant (Akk). Summary PDF Resources
You can find comprehensive guides to these verbs at the following sites: Dative and Accusative Verbs List | Scribd German Study Guide | GSU Verbs with Dative and Accusative Objects | EasyDeutsch German Dative and Accusative Verbs List | PDF - Scribd
Introduction
In the German language, verbs can be categorized based on the cases they govern, namely Accusative (Akkusativ) and Dative (Dativ). Understanding which verbs take which case is crucial for correct sentence construction and effective communication. This write-up provides an overview of Accusative and Dative verbs in German, along with a list of common verbs that fall into each category. List Of Accusative And Dative Verbs In German Pdf
Accusative Verbs (Akkusativ-Verben)
Accusative verbs are those that take an Accusative object, which means the direct object of the sentence receives the action of the verb. In German, Accusative verbs typically answer the question "Wen?" (Who?) or "Was?" (What?). Here are some common Accusative verbs:
Dative Verbs (Dativ-Verben)
Dative verbs, on the other hand, take a Dative object, which indicates the indirect object of the sentence. In German, Dative verbs typically answer the question "Wem?" (To whom?). Here are some common Dative verbs:
List of Accusative and Dative Verbs in German PDF
For those looking for a comprehensive list of Accusative and Dative verbs in German, a PDF resource can be a valuable tool. Such a list can help learners and native speakers alike to review and reference the various verb categories. A sample list might include:
Accusative Verbs:
Dative Verbs:
Verbs with both Accusative and Dative Objects
Some German verbs can take both Accusative and Dative objects, such as:
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding Accusative and Dative verbs in German is essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences. A list of these verbs in a PDF format can serve as a helpful resource for language learners and native speakers. By mastering the usage of Accusative and Dative verbs, individuals can improve their communication skills and express themselves more effectively in German.
You can find many resources online that provide a comprehensive list of Accusative and Dative verbs in German, including PDFs, tables, and exercises to help practice and reinforce understanding.
In German, verbs dictate the case of the objects that follow them. While approximately 95% of verbs take the Accusative case (direct object), a specific group of verbs requires the Dative case (indirect object). Many common verbs also use both cases simultaneously, typically with a person in the Dative and a thing in the Accusative. Common Accusative Verbs
These verbs usually answer the question "Wen?" (whom?) or "Was?" (what?). haben (to have) sehen (to see) hören (to hear) essen / trinken (to eat / drink) kaufen (to buy) besuchen (to visit) brauchen (to need) verstehen (to understand) Common Dative Verbs In German, most verbs use the accusative case
These verbs often indicate that someone "benefits" from or is affected by an action, answering the question "Wem?" (to/for whom?). helfen (to help) danken (to thank) antworten (to answer) gefallen (to like/be pleasing to) gehören (to belong to) glauben (to believe) gratulieren (to congratulate) passen (to fit/suit) schmecken (to taste) Verbs Taking Both (Dative + Accusative)
List of German Dative Verbs | PDF | Interpretation (Philosophy) - Scribd
Creating a comprehensive guide for German case-governing verbs is a great way to master the language's structure. Since you are looking for a feature or resource that can be saved as a PDF, I have organized this list into clear categories for easy study. Accusative Verbs (Direct Object)
Most German verbs take the accusative case. The accusative object usually answers the question "Wen oder was?" (Who or what?). haben (to have): Ich habe einen Hund. brauchen (to need): Wir brauchen einen Tisch. essen (to eat): Er isst einen Apfel. trinken (to drink): Sie trinkt einen Saft. sehen (to see): Ich sehe den Mann. kaufen (to buy): Du kaufst ein Auto. suchen (to look for): Er sucht seinen Schlüssel. Dative Verbs (Indirect Object)
Dative verbs are less common and often indicate a relationship, communication, or a state of being. These answer the question "Wem?" (To whom?). helfen (to help): Ich helfe dir. danken (to thank): Wir danken Ihnen. gefallen (to like/please): Das Kleid gefällt mir. gehören (to belong to): Das Buch gehört dem Lehrer. antworten (to answer): Bitte antworte mir. glauben (to believe): Ich glaube ihm nicht.
gratulieren (to congratulate): Wir gratulieren dir zum Geburtstag. Verbs with Both (Dative & Accusative)
These verbs usually involve transferring something to someone. The person is in the dative, and the object is in the accusative. geben (to give): Ich gebe dir (Dat) ein Geschenk (Acc).
schicken (to send): Er schickt seiner Mutter (Dat) einen Brief (Acc).
zeigen (to show): Können Sie mir (Dat) den Weg (Acc) zeigen?
bringen (to bring): Der Kellner bringt uns (Dat) das Essen (Acc). Study Tips for PDF Reference
Focus on the Dative: Since there are fewer dative verbs, it is often easier to memorize the dative list first.
Watch the Articles: Remember that only the masculine article changes in the accusative (der becomes den), while the dative changes for all genders (der/das → dem, die → der, die pl. → den).
Context Clues: Verbs involving giving, taking, or telling almost always require both cases.
These verbs answer "Wen oder was?" – most German verbs are accusative.
| Verb | Meaning | Example | |------|---------|---------| | haben | to have | Ich habe einen Termin. | | sehen | to see | Sie sieht den Film. | | essen | to eat | Wir essen einen Apfel. | | trinken | to drink | Er trinkt den Kaffee. | | kaufen | to buy | Kauft er das Auto? | | brauchen | to need | Ich brauche Hilfe. | | machen | to do/make | Machst du die Hausaufgaben? | | nehmen | to take | Nimm den Schlüssel. | | finden | to find | Findest du meinen Pass? | | kennen | to know (a person/place) | Kennst du Berlin? | | verstehen | to understand | Verstehst du mich? | | mögen | to like | Ich mag Eis. | | lieben | to love | Sie liebt ihn. | | hören | to hear | Hörst du die Musik? | | vergessen | to forget | Vergiss dein Handy nicht. | sehen (to see) hören (to hear) lesen (to
| Verb | Meaning | |------|---------| | helfen | to help | | danken | to thank | | gefallen | to please / be liked by | | gehören | to belong to | | passen | to suit / fit | | schmecken | to taste (good to someone) | | antworten | to answer | | glauben | to believe (someone) | | fehlen | to be missing to sb. | | vertrauen | to trust | | gratulieren | to congratulate | | zustimmen | to agree with |
Example:
Ich helfe dir. (I help you – dir = dative)
Das gefällt mir. (I like that – lit. “that pleases me”)
Based on thousands of student errors, here are the top 5 verbs that learners misuse:
Helfen (to help) – It is ALWAYS dative.
Antworten (to answer) – It is ALWAYS dative (think of it as “answer to someone”).
Gefallen (to like) – The subject is the thing, the dative is the person.
Fragen (to ask) – This is one of the few exceptions that uses two accusatives.
Lehren (to teach) – Also uses two accusatives.
Dative verbs (9 most common):
Helfen, Danken, Gefallen, Schmecken, Passen, Antworten, Glauben, Vertrauen, Fehlen → No good English mnemonic, but remember: "Helping and thanking are personal – dative."
Accusative = "the what" → Most verbs are accusative. Default case.
Dative = "the to whom" → Think: give, help, thank, answer, believe, trust.
This is the list most students struggle with. These verbs never take a direct object (accusative). Instead, they describe states of being, assistance, belief, or actions affecting a person/thing indirectly.
| Verb (German) | Meaning (English) | Example Sentence (Dative object) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | helfen | to help | Ich helfe dir (you - dat.). | | danken | to thank | Wir danken Ihnen (you - formal). | | gefallen | to like (to be pleasing to) | Das Kleid gefällt mir (me). | | schmecken | to taste good | Der Kuchen schmeckt dem Kind (the child). | | passen | to fit | Die Schuhe passen mir (me). | | antworten | to answer | Du antwortest dem Lehrer (the teacher). | | glauben | to believe | Ich glaube dir (you - dat.). | | verzeihen | to forgive | Verzeih mir (me)! | | fehlen | to be missing/lacking | Mir fehlt das Geld (the money is missing to me). | | gehören | to belong to | Das Buch gehört mir (me). | | schaden | to harm/damage | Rauchen schadet der Gesundheit (health). | | ähneln | to resemble | Der Sohn ähnelt seinem Vater (his father). | | begegnen | to meet (by chance) | Ich begegne meinem alten Freund (my old friend). | | folgen | to follow | Der Hund folgt dem Kind (the child). | | gratulieren | to congratulate | Wir gratulieren dir (you - dat.) zum Geburtstag. |
| Verb | Meaning | |------|---------| | haben | to have | | sehen | to see | | hören | to hear | | lieben | to love | | hassen | to hate | | machen | to make/do | | nehmen | to take | | geben* | to give (needs also dative for person) | | kaufen | to buy | | essen | to eat | | trinken | to drink | | verstehen | to understand | | besuchen | to visit | | kennen | to know (a person/place) | | fragen | to ask |
geben is technically accusative + dative (see mixed section), but the thing given is accusative.