Nouns: Dative Case — Russian Grammar

The dative case marks the person who receives something or to whom something is directed: in I gave my mother a book, my mother is in the dative. Russian also uses it for the person who experiences a feeling or a need.

Endings

Masculine and neuter: -у or -ю - (brat) - (brátu), (uchítel'učítelʹ) - (uchítelyuučítelju)
Feminine in -а / -я: -е - (máma) - (máme), (Ánna) - (Ánne)
Feminine in -ь: -и - (doch'dočʹ) - (dócheridóčeri)
Plural: -ам or -ям - (druz'yámdruzʹjám), (détyamdétjam)

The personal pronouns are (mne), (tebé), (yemújemú), (yeyjej), (nam), (vam), (im).

The Receiver

With verbs of giving, sending, showing, saying and helping, the person on the receiving end is in the dative.

Я дам тебе́ аспири́н.
Ya dam tebé aspirín.Ja dam tebé aspirín.
I'll give you an aspirin.
Позвони́ ма́ме.
Pozvoní máme.
Call your mom.
Мо́жешь принести́ мне друго́е?
Mózhesh' prinestí mne drugóye?Móžešʹ prinestí mne drugóje?
Can you bring me another one?
Я помога́ю бра́ту.
Ya pomogáyu brátu.Ja pomogáju brátu.
I'm helping my brother.

The Experiencer

In sentences about feelings, needs, likes and age, the person concerned is in the dative.

Мне хо́лодно.
Mne khólodno.Mne xólodno.
I'm cold.
Ему́ ну́жен друг.
Yemú núzhen drug.Jemú núžen drug.
He needs a friend.
Мне нра́вятся твои́ во́лосы.
Mne nrávyatsya tvoí vólosy.Mne nrávjatsja tvoí vólosy.
I like your hair.
Ей два́дцать лет.
Yey dvádtsat' let.Jej dvádcatʹ let.
She is twenty.

The Preposition к

К means towards or to (someone's place). It is the usual way to say you are going to see a person.

Мне ну́жно к врачу́.
Mne núzhno k vrachú.Mne núžno k vračú.
I need to see a doctor.
Мой нача́льник груб ко мне.
Moy nachál'nik grub ko mne.Moj načálʹnik grub ko mne.
My boss is rude to me.

The Preposition по (po)

(Po) means along, around or by (means of), and it is used with means of communication and with subjects of study.

Мы гуля́ем по па́рку.
My gulyáyem po párku.My guljájem po párku.
We're walking around the park.
Я говорю́ по телефо́ну.
Ya govoryú po telefónu.Ja govorjú po telefónu.
I'm talking on the phone.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

79 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 8. A few of them, with the words “Nouns: Dative Case” is about in bold:

У тебя двое очень красивых детей. Сколько им лет?
U tebyá dvóye óchen' krasívykh detéy. Skól'ko im let?U tebjá dvóje óčenʹ krasívyx detéj. Skólʹko im let?
You have two very beautiful children. How old are they?
Lesson 264
Мне нужно ездить на велосипеде, пока я не куплю новую машину.
Mne núzhno yézdit' na velosipéde, poká ya ne kuplyú nóvuyu mashínu.Mne núžno jézditʹ na velosipéde, poká ja ne kupljú nóvuju mašínu.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301
Я так рад поездке в другую страну.
Ya tak rad poyézdke v drugúyu stranú.Ja tak rad pojézdke v drugúju stranú.
I'm so excited to travel to another country.
Lesson 449

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