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Frequently Used German Dative Verbs

The best approach is to memorize these verbs. (Das tut mir leid).

by Hyde Flippo
Updated March 17, 2017

In the following chart you'll find those German verbs that take a "direct" object in the dative case rather than the normal
accusative case. (More details about this distinction below.)

The "dative verbs" category is a rather loose classification because almost any transitive verb can have a
dative indirect object. But in general, a dative verb is one that normally takes an object in the dative case—usually
without any other object.

The list below does not include such "normal" verbs, as geben (give) or zeigen (show, indicate), that commonly have
both a direct and an indirect object (as in English): Er gibt mir das Buch.—mir is the indirect object (dative) and Buch is
the direct object (accusative).

In addition to the single-word English translation, many dative verbs can be translated with a to-phrase: antworten, to
give an answer to; danken, to give thanks to; gefallen, to be pleasing to; etc. This favorite grammar trick of many
German teachers does not always hold up (as with folgen, to follow). But this "to" aspect does have some basis in the
German grammar of some dative verbs, in that they are not actually taking a true direct object. Ich glaube dir nicht. (I
don't believe you.) is short for Ich glaube es dir nicht—in which es is the true direct object and dir is a sort of "dative of
possession" that could be translated "of you" (i.e., "I don't believe it of you.").

However, even if you are one of those rare people who find all this dative grammar fascinating, it is best to simply learn
(memorize!) the more common dative verbs. Thus, the chart below, which lists the most common dative verbs—those
that you should learn first. Below that is a chart of less-common verbs.

Note that many dative verbs also have an accusative be- prefix variation: antworten/beantworten, danken/bedanken,
etc. In many cases we have listed these under Beispiele (examples) in the following chart.

Dativ-Verben - Dative Verbs

Most Frequently Used

Deutsch English Beispiele

antworten answer Antworten Sie mir!

Antworten Sie auf die Frage!
Beantworten Sie die Frage!

danken thank Ich danke dir.

Ich bedanke mich.

fehlen be missing Du fehlst mir.

Was fehlt dir?
Also see befehlen, below.

folgen follow Bitte folgen Sie mir!

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Ich bin ihm gefolgt.

Ich befolge immer deinen Rat.

gefallen like, be pleasing to Dein Hemd gefällt mir.

Also negative, missfallen, to not like
Dein Hemd missfällt mir.

gehören belong to Das Buch gehört mir, nicht dir.

glauben believe Er glaubte mir nicht.

helfen help Hilf deinem Bruder!

Ich kann dir leider nicht helfen.

Leid tun be sorry Es tut mir Leid.

Sie tut mir Leid.

passieren to happen (to) Was ist dir passiert?

verzeihen pardon, forgive Ich kann ihm nicht verzeihen.

wehtun to hurt Wo tut es Ihnen weh?

Below are additional dative verbs that are less common, yet still important German vocabulary words. You'll also find a
few genitive verbs listed below the dative chart.

Dativ-Verben
Less Common Dative Verbs

Deutsch English Deutsch English

ähneln resemble gratulieren congratulate

befehlen command, order glücken be lucky

begegnen encounter, meet lauschen overhear

bleiben remain munden taste

dienen serve nützen be of use

drohen threaten passen fit, suit

einfallen occur to, think of raten advise

erlauben allow schaden harm

gehorchen obey schmecken taste

gelingen succeed schmeicheln flatter

misslingen fail

geraten turn out well trauen trust

vertrauen

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genügen be enough widersprechen contradict

geschehen happen winken wave at/to

gleichen be like zürnen be angry with

Zuhören (listen to), zulächeln (smile at), zujubeln (rejoice), zusagen (agree to), zustimmen (agree with), and other
verbs with a zu- prefix also take the dative. EXAMPLES: Stimmst du mir zu? (Do you agree with me?); Ich höre dir
zu. (I'm listening to you.)

Genitiv-Verben - Genitive Verbs

Verbs that take a genitive object

Deutsch English Deutsch English

bedürfen require sich vergewissern ascertain

sich erinnern remember sich schämen be ashamed

gedenken commemorate spotten scorn

Note: Verbs used with the genitive tend to be found in more formal writing (literature) or informal expressions. They
are rare in conversational German. For some of these verbs the genitive can be replaced by a prepositional phrase.

GENITIVE EXAMPLES

Ich bedarf deiner Hilfe. | I need your help.

Sie schämen sich ihres Irrtums. | They are ashamed of their error.

Wir treffen uns um jenes Mannes zu gedenken, dessen Werk so bedeutend war. | We meet to
commemorate the man whose work was so significant.

For reflexive verbs (sich), see our Reflexive Verbs glossary.

CITE

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