The color I use for dative endings is purple, the color of passion and for person. It is also not a primary color, as the dative is usually not a core part of the sentence. My nickname is the “Darling Dative” or the “Daddy, Dative,” that you give things to, do things for, or, “Daddy, tell me a story,” etc.
| Context Clues or Markers | Translations | Grammatical Term or Construct |
| Person; with verb of giving, showing, telling, etc.; near acc. noun. “Oraculum amicō dixit” |
verb-_____-D.O./ to _____ “S/he told the oracle to his/her friend./He told the friend the oracle.” |
Indirect Object |
| Near adj. meaning “pleasing” (gratus), “near” (finitimus), “friendly” (amicus), “suitable” “equal” etc. “gratum liberīs | adjective to _____ “pleasing to the children“ |
Dative with Certain Adjectives (Reference) |
| Compound verb (ad-, ante-, circum-, con-, in-, inter-, ob-, post-, prae-, pro-, sub-, super-); (near acc. noun) “bellum urbī intulērunt” |
verb stem (D.O.) prefix _____ “They brought war into the city“ |
Dative with Compound Verbs |
| Special Verbs (e.g. noceo, placeo) “Tibi nōn crēdō.” “novīs rēbus studēbat.” |
As D.O. or translation of verb including “to” or “for”. “I do not believe you” “He was eager for a revolution“ |
Dative with Certain Verbs |
| Person; verb “sum” “Arma agricolae non erant.” “silvae altae insulae sunt.” (without verb “sum,” sometimes best translated as a possessive adj.: “arma eī“ |
(subject “is/belongs to –“) (as “subject”) _____ has “The farmer did not have weapons.” “The island has tall woods. “his weapons” (sometimes “for” (benefit) or “from him” (dis-interest) |
Dative of Possession (Dative of reference: dative of advantage or disadvantage) |
| 2 Datives: 1 person; 1 thing (with verbal idea – “help” “gift” “safety” etc.) “Ad urbem salutī mihi venit” “With a verb like “sum” “magnō auxiliō nostrīs amicīs fuimus.” |
“as a (dat. thing) to (dat. person)” “to (verbal idea as verb) (dat. person)/ “to (dat. person) for/as (dat. thing)” “He came to the city to save me/. . . as a deliverance for me.” verb (dat. thing) “to (dat. person) “We were a great help to our friends“ |
Person- Dative of Reference Things- Dative of Purpose |
| With passive periphrastic “Id Romanīs faciendum erat.” |
(as agent) “by _____” “This had to be done by the Romans” “The Romans had to do this” |
Dative of Agent |
| Not required in sentence; with some impersonal verbs “Licet mihi īre.” |
“for _____” “to me” or make dat. the subject “It is permitted to me to go (“I can go”) |
(Reference) |