A2 German GrammarObject Pronouns (Accusative & Dative)
Learn German object pronouns for both accusative (direct object) and dative (indirect object) cases. Master pronouns like mich, dich, mir, dir and understand when to use each case.
1Accusative Object Pronouns (Direct Object)
Accusative pronouns replace the direct object - the thing or person directly affected by the verb. These answer the question 'wen?' (whom?) or 'was?' (what?). Most pronouns change form from nominative to accusative, except 'er' which becomes 'ihn'.
Accusative Pronouns
| Nominative | Accusative | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mich | me |
| du | dich | you (informal) |
| er | ihn | him |
| sie | sie | her |
| es | es | it |
| wir | uns | us |
| ihr | euch | you (plural) |
| sie/Sie | sie/Sie | them/you (formal) |
Examples
Er sieht mich.
He sees me.
mich = direct object
Ich liebe dich.
I love you.
dich = informal 'you'
Kennst du ihn?
Do you know him?
ihn replaces masculine noun
Wir besuchen sie morgen.
We are visiting her/them tomorrow.
sie = her or them (same form)
2Dative Object Pronouns (Indirect Object)
Dative pronouns replace the indirect object - the recipient or beneficiary of an action. They answer 'wem?' (to whom?). The dative forms are quite different from accusative and must be memorized. Common verbs taking dative: geben, helfen, zeigen, sagen.
Dative Pronouns
| Nominative | Dative | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mir | to me |
| du | dir | to you (informal) |
| er | ihm | to him |
| sie | ihr | to her |
| es | ihm | to it |
| wir | uns | to us |
| ihr | euch | to you (plural) |
| sie/Sie | ihnen/Ihnen | to them/you (formal) |
Examples
Sie gibt mir das Buch.
She gives me the book.
mir = to me (recipient)
Ich helfe dir gern.
I gladly help you.
helfen always takes dative
Er zeigt ihm den Weg.
He shows him the way.
ihm = to him
Kannst du ihr das sagen?
Can you tell her that?
ihr = to her
3Accusative vs. Dative: How to Choose
Use accusative for the direct object (what is being given, seen, or affected). Use dative for the indirect object (who receives or benefits). Some verbs only take dative (helfen, danken, gefallen). When both objects appear, the dative usually comes before the accusative.
Common Dative-Only Verbs
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| helfen | to help | Ich helfe dir. |
| danken | to thank | Ich danke Ihnen. |
| gefallen | to please | Es gefällt mir. |
| gehören | to belong to | Das gehört mir. |
| glauben | to believe | Ich glaube dir. |
Examples
Ich gebe dir das Geschenk.
I give you the gift.
dir=dative, Geschenk=accusative
Das gefällt mir nicht.
I don't like that. (lit: That doesn't please me.)
gefallen + dative
Sie dankt ihm für die Hilfe.
She thanks him for the help.
danken + dative
Glaubst du mir?
Do you believe me?
glauben + dative
4Word Order with Two Pronouns
When both direct (accusative) and indirect (dative) objects are pronouns, the accusative comes FIRST, then the dative. This is opposite to when using nouns. Remember: pronoun accusative before pronoun dative.
Word Order Rules
| Objects | Order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 2 nouns | Dative - Accusative | Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. |
| Noun + Pronoun | Pronoun first | Ich gebe es dem Mann. |
| 2 pronouns | Accusative - Dative | Ich gebe es ihm. |
Examples
Ich gebe es dir.
I give it to you.
es (acc) before dir (dat)
Sie zeigt sie ihm.
She shows it/them to him.
sie (acc) before ihm (dat)
Kannst du es mir erklären?
Can you explain it to me?
es (acc) before mir (dat)
Er schickt sie uns.
He sends them/it to us.
sie (acc) before uns (dat)