Lesson 9 of 24

To Whom? The Dative Case and States

The dative is the friendliest of the Russian cases: three endings in the singular, two in the plural, and no animacy to worry about. It names the person everything is aimed at — the one you help, ring, give, show and explain to — and it is the case of «Мне холодно», «Мне надо» and «Мне тридцать лет», three sentences with no subject and no verb at all.

⏱ About 55 minutes 26 phrases 34 exercises

A man handing a wrapped gift to a woman, with arrows pointing at her and the question «Кому?» above the sentence «Я даю книгу другу» under the heading «Дательный — to whom?».

What you will learn

Recognise the dative as the case of the person an action is aimed at, and know the questions it answers: Кому? Чему?
Form the dative singular and plural of nouns — -у / -ю, -е, -ам / -ям — including the -и of России and of the third declension
Use the seven dative pronouns мне, тебе, ему, ей, нам, вам and им, and know what changes after a preposition: ко мне, к нему, к ней
Say how you feel with мне plus a state word — холодно, жарко, скучно, интересно, плохо, хорошо, весело, грустно, трудно, легко — and put it in the past and future with было and будет
Use the verbs that demand the dative: помогать, звонить, давать, говорить, показывать, объяснять and нравиться
Use the two dative prepositions к and по — к врачу, по городу — say what you must, may and must not do, and ask and answer someone’s age

Quick review

Say these aloud before you start. They come from earlier lessons.

Я чита́ю кни́гу. I am reading a book. (accusative — Lesson 6) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я чита́ю кни́гу.
Я живу́ в Москве́. I live in Moscow. (prepositional — Lesson 5) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я живу́ в Москве́.
У меня́ нет вре́мени. I haven’t got any time. (genitive — Lesson 8) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У меня́ нет вре́мени.
Он идёт на рабо́ту. He is going to work. (accusative of direction — Lesson 6) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Он идёт на рабо́ту.
Мне нра́вится Москва́. I like Moscow. (the мне in it is already a dative — Lesson 4) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне нра́вится Москва́.
Как дела́? How are things? (Lesson 3) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Как дела́?

Theory

Кому? Чему? — the case of the person aimed at

The dative answers two questions, Кому? and Чему?, and it has one core idea: it names the person or thing an action is aimed at. English marks the same idea with "to" — or, more often, with nothing at all: "give me the book", "help him", "ring your mother". That is why the ending feels like an extra job. In Russian it is one ending and no preposition, and once you have it you have the recipient for every verb that needs one.

You have been using the dative since Lesson 4 without being told. The мне in «Мне нравится Москва» is the dative of я. So is the мне in «Мне холодно» and «Мне надо работать». Each of those was taught as an unanalysed chunk, and each was quietly doing the same grammatical work: putting the person who feels, likes or must at the receiving end of the sentence. Today the chunks open up.

There is good news about difficulty. This course introduces the cases in the standard order — nominative, prepositional, accusative, genitive, dative — and the dative is the easiest of the five you now have. Three endings in the singular, two in the plural, no animacy split, no fleeting vowels, and no preposition needed for its central meaning. The only real work is remembering which verbs and which state words ask for it.

Я даю́ кни́гу ма́ме. I am giving the book to Mum. (книга is accusative — the thing given; мама is dative — the person it goes to) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я даю́ кни́гу ма́ме.
Помоги́те мне, пожа́луйста. Help me, please. (the person helped is in the dative, with no preposition at all) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Помоги́те мне, пожа́луйста.
Мне хо́лодно. I am cold. (the person is in the dative; there is no verb) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне хо́лодно.
Мы идём к врачу́. We are going to the doctor’s. (к + dative for movement towards a person) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мы идём к врачу́.

The endings: -у / -ю, -е, -ам / -ям

In the singular, masculine and neuter nouns add -у or -ю: -у after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж, ш, ч and щ — стол → столу, город → городу, письмо → письму, врач → врачу — and -ю after any other soft consonant and after -й: музей → музею, учитель → учителю. Feminine nouns in -а and -я add -е: мама → маме, книга → книге, работа → работе. That is the whole of it, and if you know the gender and the ending of the nominative you already know which shape applies.

Two exceptions are worth learning now rather than unlearning later. Nouns in -ия, -ий and -ие take -и instead of -е or -ю: Россия → России, Италия → Италии, здание → зданию. But музей ends in -й, not in -ий, so it takes the regular -ю: музею. Third-declension feminines in a soft sign also take -и: жизнь → жизни, вещь → вещи, ночь → ночи, площадь → площади.

The plural is the easy half. Every noun, whatever its gender, takes -ам after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж, ш, ч and щ, and -ям after any other soft consonant and after -й: столам, врачам, мамам, окнам, but музеям, жизням, Россиям. What you cannot predict is the stress. Some nouns keep it on the stem — ма́мам, кни́гам, жи́зням — and some move it onto the ending — стола́м, врача́м, города́м. The singular behaves the same way: го́роду but столу́, дру́гу but врачу́. Learn the stress with each noun, out loud, and this stops being a rule and becomes a habit.

стол — столу́ — стола́м table — to the table — to the tables Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: стол — столу́ — стола́м
врач — врачу́ — врача́м doctor — to the doctor — to the doctors Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: врач — врачу́ — врача́м
ма́ма — ма́ме — ма́мам mum — to mum — to the mums Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: ма́ма — ма́ме — ма́мам
жизнь — жи́зни — жи́зням life — to the life — to the lives (third declension takes -и) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: жизнь — жи́зни — жи́зням

Verbs that demand the dative

Some verbs simply insist on a particular case. That insistence is called government, and it has to be learnt with the verb rather than worked out from English. Six of the most useful Russian verbs take the dative for their person: помогать "to help", звонить "to ring", давать "to give", говорить "to tell", показывать "to show" and объяснять "to explain". Add нравиться from Lesson 4 and you have the whole core set.

They divide into two groups. помогать, звонить and нравиться put their person in the dative and take no accusative object, so the English and the Russian line up almost word for word — "I help Mum", «Я помогаю маме» — minus the preposition that English does not use either. The other three carry two objects: the person in the dative and the thing in the accusative. «Я даю тебе книгу» — тебе is dative, книгу accusative. «Она объясняет мне это» — мне dative, это accusative.

The trap is that English hides the recipient. "I ring my mum" contains no "to", and neither does «Я звоню маме» — but the Russian noun still changes its ending, and if it does not, the sentence is simply wrong. One more pattern is worth knowing while you are here: говорить takes the dative for its listener and о + prepositional for its topic, which you met in Lesson 5 (говорить о работе). The "with someone" version, говорить с кем, needs the instrumental, and that is Lesson 10. One last thing, because the dialogues use it: a polite request is built on the perfective imperative — Помоги́те мне, Объясни́те мне — and not on the imperfective помога́йте and объясня́йте, which mean "keep on helping" and "keep on explaining". Perfective verbs arrive in Lesson 13; until then, learn those two request formulas whole.

Я помога́ю ма́ме. I am helping Mum. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я помога́ю ма́ме.
Она́ звони́т дру́гу. She is ringing her friend. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Она́ звони́т дру́гу.
У́читель объясня́ет нам э́то. The teacher is explaining it to us. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У́читель объясня́ет нам э́то.
Он пока́зывает мне письмо́. He is showing me the letter. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Он пока́зывает мне письмо́.

Мне + a state: the sentence with no subject

Russian says "I am cold", "I am bored" and "I feel awful" with no verb and no subject at all. The person goes into the dative and the state is an invariable word ending in -о: Мне холодно, Мне жарко, Мне скучно, Мне интересно, Мне плохо, Мне хорошо, Мне весело, Мне грустно, Мне трудно, Мне легко. Nothing conjugates and nothing agrees. It is the zero copula of Lesson 1 taken one step further — there the noun was missing, here the subject is too.

The dative person may be dropped when it is obvious, so «Холодно!» on its own already means "it is cold". And it may be anyone: Тебе скучно? Ему трудно? Ей весело? Нам хорошо? The state word does not change for gender or number, which is why «Ей было скучно» and «Им было скучно» share one скучно between them. Tense is carried by the copula coming back: было in the past, будет in the future, both neuter singular because there is no subject for them to agree with.

The same frame does obligation and permission, and you already know four of its words from Lesson 4: Мне надо работать, Тебе нужно читать, Нам можно идти, Здесь нельзя. Add an infinitive and the sentence says what may or must happen; leave the infinitive out and it is a general verdict on the situation. нельзя is the negative of можно, and it is its own word — there is no *неможно, and не надо means something gentler, "there is no need".

Мне хо́лодно. I am cold. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне хо́лодно.
Тебе́ ску́чно? Are you bored? Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Тебе́ ску́чно?
Нам на́до идти́. We have to go. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Нам на́до идти́.
Мне бы́ло тру́дно. I was finding it hard. (было carries the whole past tense) Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне бы́ло тру́дно.

к, по — and how old you are

к + dative is movement towards, and at this level almost always towards a person: Я иду к врачу, Мы идём к другу, Они идут к нам. Keep it apart from в + accusative, which is movement into a building or a town: Я иду в больницу but Я иду к врачу, Я еду в Москву but Я еду к сестре. Two small things to remember — before мне and a few other consonant clusters к becomes ко, giving ко мне, and after any preposition the third-person pronouns grow an н: к нему, к ней, к ним.

по + dative is movement spread over an area rather than aimed at a point: гулять по городу, ездить по России, ходить по парку. It is the preposition to reach for when the wandering matters more than the destination, and it survives in fixed chunks such as по телефону — звонить по телефону. по takes other cases with other meanings, "one each" and "after" among them; those come later, and the meaning taught here is always the dative.

Age uses the dative too, and it is worth learning whole rather than assembling. «Сколько тебе лет?» is literally "how many years to you?" — the person in the dative, the number, and лет, the genitive plural of год. The answer keeps the frame: «Мне тридцать лет». One word of honesty: which of год, года and лет a given number takes is the business of Lesson 11, where the numerals and their government arrive properly. Today, take the question and a couple of answers as fixed chunks and you will be right every time.

Мы идём к врачу́. We are going to the doctor’s. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мы идём к врачу́.
Они́ гуля́ют по го́роду. They are walking around the town. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Они́ гуля́ют по го́роду.
Ско́лько тебе́ лет? How old are you? Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Ско́лько тебе́ лет?
Мне три́дцать лет. I am thirty. (literally "to me thirty years") Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне три́дцать лет.

Кому? Чему? — the dative endings

Form	стол (m, hard)	музе́й (m, -й)	ма́ма (f, -а)	Росси́я (f, -ия)	окно́ (n, -о)
Кто? Что? — Nominative	стол	музе́й	ма́ма	Росси́я	окно́
Кому? Чему? — Dative singular	столу́	музе́ю	ма́ме	Росси́и	окну́
The ending	-у	-ю	-е	-и	-у
Кому? — Dative plural	стола́м	музе́ям	ма́мам	Росси́ям	о́кнам
The plural ending	-ам	-ям	-ам	-ям	-ам

Three endings carry the whole case in the singular: -у after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж ш ч щ, -ю after any other soft consonant and after -й, -е for feminines in -а and -я. Nouns in -ия, -ий and -ие take -и instead, hence России — but музею, because -й is not -ий. The plural is uniform: -ам after a hard consonant or a hissing one, -ям after any other soft consonant. Watch the stress: столу́ and окну́ put it on the ending, го́роду keeps it on the stem, and the plural is о́кнам but стола́м and врача́м.

The dative pronouns — семь слов

Form	я	ты	он	она́	мы	вы	они́
Nominative	я	ты	он	она́	мы	вы	они́
Dative — Кому?	мне	тебе́	ему́	ей	нам	вам	им
After к	ко мне	к тебе́	к нему́	к ней	к нам	к вам	к ним
In a sentence	Мне хо́лодно.	Тебе́ ску́чно?	Ему́ тру́дно.	Ей ве́село.	Нам на́до идти́.	Вам мо́жно.	Им хорошо́.

Seven short words, and between them they cover most of what the dative is for at this level. Two things happen when a preposition is added: к becomes ко before мне, and the third-person forms grow an н — к нему, к ней, к ним. Everything else in the sentence stays exactly where it was: the state word, надо, можно and нельзя never agree with anything.

Verbs that demand the dative

Form	помога́ть	звони́ть	дава́ть	говори́ть	пока́зывать	объясня́ть
я-form	помога́ю	звоню́	даю́	говорю́	пока́зываю	объясня́ю
Government	+ dative	+ dative	+ dative + accusative	+ dative + accusative	+ dative + accusative	+ dative + accusative
In a sentence	Я помога́ю ма́ме.	Я звоню́ дру́гу.	Я даю́ тебе́ кни́гу.	Я говорю́ врачу́. э́то.	Я пока́зываю ей письмо́.	Я объясня́ю вам э́то.

нравиться from Lesson 4 belongs in the same table: Мне нравится Москва. Learn each verb together with the case it demands, never the verb alone. говорить also takes о + prepositional for its topic — говорить о работе, Lesson 5 — and the "with someone" version, говорить с кем, needs the instrumental, which is Lesson 10.

Мне + state, Мне + надо + infinitive

Form	state word	на́до / ну́жно + infinitive	мо́жно / нельзя́ + infinitive
present	Мне хо́лодно.	Мне на́до рабо́тать.	Мне мо́жно чита́ть здесь?
past	Мне бы́ло хо́лодно.	Мне на́до бы́ло рабо́тать.	Мне мо́жно бы́ло чита́ть здесь?
future	Мне бу́дет хо́лодно.	Мне на́до бу́дет рабо́тать.	Мне мо́жно бу́дет чита́ть здесь?

The state word and the modal are invariable: the whole of the past and the future is carried by было and будет, exactly as the zero copula of Lesson 1 predicted. Both are neuter singular because there is no subject for them to agree with. The dative person may be dropped in every cell — Холодно, Надо работать, Здесь нельзя.

Vocabulary

Learn each word with its stress mark and its pronunciation. Nouns are given with their gender, animacy and their full six-case declension; verbs are given with their aspect and, where one exists, their partner verb.

Russian	English	Gender / aspect	Pronunciation	Audio
помога́ть imperfective	to help (someone — dative)	imperfective	/pəmɐˈɡatʲ/ puh-muh-GYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: помогать
звони́ть imperfective	to ring, to phone (someone — dative)	imperfective	/zvɐˈnʲitʲ/ zvuh-NEET	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: звонить
пока́зывать imperfective	to show (someone — dative, something — accusative)	imperfective	/pɐˈkazɨvətʲ/ puh-KAH-zih-vyut	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: показывать
объясня́ть imperfective	to explain (to someone — dative)	imperfective	/əbjɪsʲˈnʲatʲ/ ub-yih-SNYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: объяснять
боле́ть imperfective	to be ill; to ache	imperfective	/bɐˈlʲetʲ/ buh-LYET	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: болеть
голова́ feminine · inanimate	head	feminine · inanimate	/ɡəlɐˈva/ guh-luh-VAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: голова
го́рло neuter · inanimate	throat	neuter · inanimate	/ˈɡorlə/ GOH-rluh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: горло
ве́село adverb	fun, cheerful — мне весело = I am having a good time	adverb	/ˈvʲesʲɪlə/ VYEH-sih-luh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: весело
гру́стно adverb	sad — мне грустно = I feel sad	adverb	/ˈɡrusnə/ GROO-snuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: грустно
тру́дно adverb	hard, difficult — мне трудно = I am finding it hard	adverb	/ˈtrudnə/ TROOD-nuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: трудно
легко́ adverb	easy, light — мне легко = I find it easy	adverb	/lʲɪxˈko/ likh-KOH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: легко
к preposition	to, towards (a person or a thing) — takes the dative	preposition	/k/ K	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: к
по preposition	around, along (an area); by means of — takes the dative	preposition	/po/ POH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: по
хо́лодно adverb	cold — мне холодно = I am cold	adverb	/ˈxolədnə/ KHOH-lud-nuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: холодно
жа́рко adverb	hot — мне жарко = I am hot	adverb	/ˈʐarkə/ ZHAHR-kuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: жарко
пло́хо adverb	bad, badly	adverb	/ˈploxə/ PLOH-khuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: плохо
хорошо́ adverb	good, well, OK	adverb	/xərɐˈʂo/ khuh-ruh-SHOH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: хорошо
интере́сно adverb	interesting — мне интересно = I find it interesting	adverb	/ɪntʲɪˈrʲesnə/ in-tih-RYEH-snuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: интересно
ску́чно adverb	boring — мне скучно = I am bored	adverb	/ˈskuʂnə/ SKOOSH-nuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: скучно
на́до adverb	must, have to, need to — мне надо + infinitive	adverb	/ˈnadə/ NAH-duh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: надо
ну́жно adverb	must, need to — a shade more formal than надо	adverb	/ˈnuʐnə/ NOOZH-nuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: нужно
мо́жно adverb	may, it is allowed — можно? = may I?	adverb	/ˈmoʐnə/ MOHZH-nuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: можно
нельзя́ adverb	must not, it is forbidden, it is impossible	adverb	/nʲɪlʲˈzʲa/ nil-ZYAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: нельзя
нра́виться imperfective	to be pleasing — мне нра́вится means "I like"	imperfective	/ˈnravʲɪt͜sə/ NRAH-vih-tsyuh	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: нравиться
дава́ть imperfective	to give	imperfective	/dɐˈvatʲ/ duh-VYAT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: давать
говори́ть imperfective	to speak, to talk, to say	imperfective	/ɡəvɐˈrʲitʲ/ guh-vuh-REET	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: говорить
я pronoun	I	pronoun	/ja/ YAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: я
ты pronoun	you (informal, singular)	pronoun	/tɨ/ TIH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: ты
он pronoun	he	pronoun	/on/ OHN	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: он
она́ pronoun	she	pronoun	/ɐˈna/ uh-NAH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: она
врач masculine · animate	doctor	masculine · animate	/vratɕ/ VRAHCH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: врач
друг masculine · animate	friend (male); plural друзья covers both sexes	masculine · animate	/druk/ DROOKH	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: друг
го́род masculine · inanimate	city, town	masculine · inanimate	/ˈɡorət/ GOH-rut	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: город
год masculine · inanimate	year	masculine · inanimate	/ɡot/ GOHT	Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: год

Full six-case declension of the 6 nouns in this lesson

Each case is listed with the question word that selects it. Find the question you are answering and the ending follows.

Singular

Form	голова́ (f)	го́рло (n)	врач (m)	друг (m)	го́род (m)	год (m)
nom · Кто? Что?	голова́	го́рло	врач	друг	город	год
gen · Кого? Чего?	го́ловы	го́рла	врача	дру́га	города	го́да
dat · Кому? Чему?	го́лове	го́рлу	врачу	дру́гу	городу	го́ду
acc · Кого? Что?	го́лову	го́рло	врача	дру́га	город	год
instr · Кем? Чем?	голо́вой	го́рлом	врачом	дру́гом	городом	го́дом
prep · О ком? О чём?	го́лове	го́рле	враче	дру́ге	городе	го́де

Plural

Form	голова́ (f)	го́рло (n)	врач (m)	друг (m)	го́род (m)	год (m)
nom · Кто? Что?	го́ловы	го́рла	врачи́	друзья́	города́	года́
gen · Кого? Чего?	голо́в	горл	враче́й	друзе́й	городо́в	лет
dat · Кому? Чему?	голова́м	го́рлам	врача́м	друзья́м	города́м	года́м
acc · Кого? Что?	го́ловы	го́рла	враче́й	друзе́й	города́	года́
instr · Кем? Чем?	голова́ми	го́рлами	врача́ми	друзья́ми	города́ми	года́ми
prep · О ком? О чём?	голова́х	го́рлах	врача́х	друзья́х	города́х	года́х

Ready-to-use phrases

Мне хо́лодно.

I am cold.

IPA /mnʲe ˈxolədnə/

Say it muh-NYEH KHOH-lud-nuh.

The sentence of the lesson. There is no verb and no subject: the person who feels it is in the dative, and холодно is an invariable state word. Drop the Мне and «Холодно!» on its own still means "it is cold".

neutral dative impersonal feelings weather

Мне жа́рко.

I am hot.

IPA /mnʲe ˈʐarkə/

Say it muh-NYEH ZHAHR-kuh.

The opposite of холодно, built the same way. Both are about how a person feels, not about the weather: for "it is cold outside" Russian uses the same word with no Мне, or the adjective — На улице холодно.

neutral dative impersonal feelings weather

Мне ску́чно.

I am bored.

IPA /mnʲe ˈskuʂnə/

Say it muh-NYEH SKOOSH-nuh.

Remember the [шн] of скучно — the чн is pronounced [шн], so the word sounds like [ску́шно]. English "I am bored" has a subject and a participle; Russian has a person in the dative and one word that never changes.

neutral dative impersonal feelings

Мне интере́сно.

I am interested; I find it interesting.

IPA /mnʲe ɪntʲɪˈrʲesnə/

Say it muh-NYEH in-tih-RYEH-snuh.

One form covers both "I find it interesting" and "I am interested". Add an infinitive and it becomes a whole opinion: Мне интересно читать об этом.

neutral dative impersonal feelings study

Мне пло́хо.

I feel awful; I am not well.

IPA /mnʲe ˈploxə/

Say it muh-NYEH PLOH-khuh.

The word you learnt in Lesson 1 as "badly" doing impersonal work: Мне плохо covers feeling ill, feeling upset and feeling generally rotten. Its opposite is Мне хорошо.

neutral dative impersonal feelings health

Мне хорошо́.

I feel fine; I am comfortable here.

IPA /mnʲe xərɐˈʂo/

Say it muh-NYEH khuh-ruh-SHOH.

Three о, one stress, on the last: [xərɐˈʂo]. The first two reduce to [ə] and [ɐ]. Мне здесь хорошо is the natural way to say "I like it here".

neutral dative impersonal feelings

Мне ве́село.

I am having a good time.

IPA /mnʲe ˈvʲesʲɪlə/

Say it muh-NYEH VYEH-sih-luh.

New in this lesson, and the cheerful end of the same paradigm. Нам весело, Им весело, Ей весело — the state word does not move an inch.

neutral dative impersonal feelings

Мне гру́стно.

I feel sad.

IPA /mnʲe ˈɡrusnə/

Say it muh-NYEH GROO-snuh.

Say it [гру́сно]: the т of -стно disappears, exactly as in счастливо and чувство.

neutral dative impersonal feelings

Мне тру́дно.

I am finding it hard.

IPA /mnʲe ˈtrudnə/

Say it muh-NYEH TROOD-nuh.

Often followed by an infinitive: Мне трудно говорить по-русски. Here the д is genuinely pronounced, unlike the т in грустно — do not generalise the silent letter.

neutral dative impersonal feelings study

Тебе́ легко́.

You find it easy.

IPA /tʲɪˈbʲe lʲɪxˈko/

Say it tih-BYEH likh-KOH.

Proof that the person is not fixed to мне: тебе, ему, ей, нам, вам, им all slot into the same frame. Note the two stress marks in one short sentence — тебе́ and легко́ are both stressed on their final vowel.

neutral dative impersonal feelings study

Нам на́до идти́.

We have to go.

IPA /nam ˈnadə ɪˈtʲtʲi/

Say it NAHM NAH-duh ih-TEE.

надо + infinitive, with the person who has to in the dative. The дative is optional — Надо идти means the same thing more bluntly. Past: Нам надо было идти.

neutral dative impersonal motion

Мо́жно мне воды́?

May I have some water?

IPA /ˈmoʐnə mnʲe vɐˈdɨ/

Say it MOHZH-nuh muh-NYEH vuh-DIH?

можно + a dative person, and the thing asked for in the genitive you met in Lesson 8. воды is the ordinary genitive singular of вода doing partitive work — "some water", not "the water". This is the most useful polite request in the language: swap воды for кофе or чая and you have a whole toolkit.

polite dative impersonal politeness food

Я помога́ю ма́ме.

I am helping Mum.

IPA /ja pəmɐˈɡaju ˈmamʲe/

Say it YAH puh-muh-GAH-yoo MAH-myuh.

помогать + dative, no preposition. маме is the dative of мама — the feminine -а becomes -е. Stress in помогает stays on the а of the suffix, as in every form of this verb.

neutral dative government family

Помоги́те мне, пожа́луйста.

Help me, please.

IPA /pəmɐˈɡʲitʲe mnʲe pəˈʐalujstə/

Say it puh-muh-GEE-tyuh muh-NYEH, puh-ZHAH-luy-stuh.

The вы imperative, which is also how you address any adult you do not know; to one friend or child use the ты form, Помоги мне. Note that Помогите is not built on помогать — that verb gives помогайте, "keep on helping". Помогите comes from the perfective помо́чь, because a request asks for one completed act. Aspect is Lesson 13; until then, take Помогите! whole. On its own it is a cry for help.

polite dative government politeness emergency

Он звони́т дру́гу по телефону́.

He is ringing his friend on the phone.

IPA /on zvɐˈnʲit ˈdruɡʊ pə tʲɪlʲɪˈfonu/

Say it OHN zvuh-NEET DROO-goo puh tih-lih-fuh-NOO.

Two datives in one sentence and neither has a preposition of its own: другу is the person rung, телефону is inside the fixed chunk по телефону. Stress the endings — звони́т, телефону́.

neutral dative government communication

Она́ объясня́ет мне э́то.

She is explaining it to me.

IPA /ɐˈna əbjɪsʲˈnʲajet mnʲe ˈɛtə/

Say it uh-NAH ub-yih-SNYAH-yit muh-NYEH EH-tuh.

The person in the dative, the thing in the accusative: мне and это. Russian does not need "to" or "it to" — the endings carry the direction.

neutral dative government study

Он пока́зывает нам письмо́.

He is showing us the letter.

IPA /on pɐˈkazɨvəjet nam pʲɪsʲˈmo/

Say it OHN puh-KAH-zih-vuh-yit NAHM pih-SMOH.

Same two-object pattern: нам is dative, письмо accusative. показывать keeps its stress on the first а through every form.

neutral dative government objects

Я даю́ тебе́ кни́гу.

I am giving you the book.

IPA /ja dɐˈju tʲɪˈbʲe ˈknʲiɡʊ/

Say it YAH duh-YOO tih-BYEH kuh-NEE-goo.

давать was Lesson 6 with an accusative object; today you add the recipient. тебе is the dative of ты and книгу the accusative of книга — the two cases sitting side by side.

neutral dative government objects

Я иду́ к врачу́.

I am going to the doctor’s.

IPA /ja ɪˈdu k vrɐˈtɕu/

Say it YAH ih-DOO k vruh-CHOO.

к + dative for movement towards a person, and the stress jumps onto the ending: врач, but врача́, врачу́, врачо́м. Compare Я иду в больницу — into the building, accusative.

neutral dative motion health

Мы идём к ма́ме.

We are going to Mum’s.

IPA /mɨ ɪˈdʲom k ˈmamʲe/

Say it MIH ih-DYOHM k MAH-myuh.

идём needs no stress mark because ё is always stressed. ма́ме keeps the stress on the stem, unlike врачу́, which moves it onto the ending — Russian does not let you predict this by rule, only by learning each noun. The same sentence with a masculine noun gives «Мы идём к дру́гу», also stem-stressed.

neutral dative motion family

Они́ иду́т к нам.

They are coming to our place.

IPA /ɐˈnʲi ɪˈdut k nam/

Say it uh-NEE ih-DOOT k NAHM.

к + a dative pronoun: к нам, к вам, к ним, к нему, к ней. The third person grows an н after any preposition; the first and second do not.

neutral dative motion family

Мы гуля́ем по го́роду.

We are walking around the town.

IPA /mɨ ɡʊˈlʲajɪm pə ˈɡorədʊ/

Say it MIH goo-LYAH-yim puh GOH-ruh-doo.

по + dative for movement spread over an area — the town is not a destination here, it is the space you wander through. городу keeps the stem stress of го́род; the plural, though, is города́.

neutral dative motion city

Ско́лько тебе́ лет?

How old are you?

IPA /ˈskolʲkə tʲɪˈbʲe lʲet/

Say it SKOHL-kuh tih-BYEH LYET?

Literally "how many years to you?" — the person is in the dative and there is no verb at all. To someone you address as вы: Сколько вам лет? лет is the genitive plural of год.

informal dative questions numbers

Мне три́дцать лет.

I am thirty.

IPA /mnʲe ˈtrʲitsət lʲet/

Say it muh-NYEH TREE-tsit LYET.

The answer is the same frame: person in the dative, number, лет. тридцать is pronounced [ˈtrʲitsət] — the дц collapses into a single [ц]. Which of год, года and лет a number takes is Lesson 11; today, learn the whole answer as one chunk.

neutral dative numbers introductions

У меня́ боли́т голова́.

I have got a headache.

IPA /ʊ mʲɪˈna bɐˈlʲit ɡəlɐˈva/

Say it oo mih-NYAH buh-LEET guh-luh-VAH.

Two cases in four words: у + genitive for the owner, and голова in the nominative because the head is what does the aching. Say голова́, with the stress on the end.

neutral dative genitive health

У меня́ боли́т го́рло.

I have got a sore throat.

IPA /ʊ mʲɪˈna bɐˈlʲit ˈɡorlə/

Say it oo mih-NYAH buh-LEET GOH-rluh.

Exactly the same frame, and горло is neuter — which changes nothing, because болит agrees with a singular subject whatever its gender. For several things that ache use болят.

neutral dative genitive health

Dialogues

Tom is not well

Anna meets Tom in the street on a Monday morning. They are friends, so they use ты.

Anna
Привет, Том! Как дела?

Hi Tom! How are things?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Привет, Том! Как дела?
Tom
Плохо. Я болею.

Not good. I am ill.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Плохо. Я болею.
Anna
Что болит?

What aches?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Что болит?
Tom
У меня болит голова и болит горло.

I have got a headache and a sore throat.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: У меня болит голова и болит горло.
Anna
Тебе надо идти к врачу.

You need to go to the doctor’s.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Тебе надо идти к врачу.
Tom
Да, я иду к врачу сейчас.

Yes, I am going to the doctor’s now.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, я иду к врачу сейчас.
Anna
Хорошо. Звони мне!

Good. Ring me!
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. Звони мне!
Tom
Хорошо. Спасибо!

I will. Thanks!
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. Спасибо!

A favour at the office

Ivan asks his colleague Marina for help with a letter. They are not close, so they use вы.

Ivan
Марина, помогите мне, пожалуйста.

Marina, help me, please.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Марина, помогите мне, пожалуйста.
Marina
Да, я помогаю вам. Что вам надо?

Yes, I am helping you. What do you need?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, я помогаю вам. Что вам надо?
Ivan
Объясните мне это письмо, пожалуйста.

Explain this letter to me, please.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Объясните мне это письмо, пожалуйста.
Marina
Хорошо. Я показываю вам письмо.

All right. I am showing you the letter.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Хорошо. Я показываю вам письмо.
Ivan
Спасибо! Вы очень хорошо объясняете.

Thank you! You explain very well.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Спасибо! Вы очень хорошо объясняете.
Marina
Пожалуйста! Вам трудно?

You are welcome! Are you finding it hard?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Пожалуйста! Вам трудно?
Ivan
Да, мне трудно. А вам?

Yes, I am finding it hard. And you?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, мне трудно. А вам?
Marina
Мне легко. И мне интересно.

I find it easy. And I find it interesting.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне легко. И мне интересно.

How old are you?

Marco and Nina have only just been introduced at a language club, so they use вы. Marco has not learnt the numbers yet — he uses the whole age sentence as a chunk.

Marco
Нина, сколько вам лет?

Nina, how old are you?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Нина, сколько вам лет?
Nina
Мне тридцать лет. А вам?

I am thirty. And you?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне тридцать лет. А вам?
Marco
Мне тридцать пять лет.

I am thirty-five.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне тридцать пять лет.
Nina
Вы из Италии?

Are you from Italy?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Вы из Италии?
Marco
Да, я из Италии. А вы?

Yes, I am from Italy. And you?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да, я из Италии. А вы?
Nina
Я из России, из Москвы. Вы работаете здесь?

I am from Russia, from Moscow. Do you work here?
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я из России, из Москвы. Вы работаете здесь?
Marco
Да. И мне здесь очень хорошо.

Yes. And I feel very good here.
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Да. И мне здесь очень хорошо.
Nina
И мне здесь хорошо. Очень приятно!

I feel good here too. Very nice to meet you!
Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: И мне здесь хорошо. Очень приятно!

Exercises

Answer actively — try to recall the Russian before you look at any hint.

Case Choice Exercise 1

Choose the correct form of мама.

Я помогаю ___ . (мама)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: ма́ма ма́мы ма́му ма́ме

ма́ме

Hint: feminine -а → -е

помогать governs the dative, with no preposition at all. мама is a feminine noun in -а, and feminines in -а and -я take -е in the dative: маме. The accusative маму would be the object of a transitive verb, and helping is not done "to" anyone.

Case Choice Exercise 2

Choose the correct form of врач.

Он идёт к ___ . (врач)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: врач врача́ врачу́ враче́

врачу́

Hint: masculine consonant → -у

к governs the dative: you go towards a person. врач is masculine and ends in the hissing ч, so the dative adds -у — and the stress moves onto that ending, врачу́. The prepositional враче́ would mean "about the doctor", the accusative врача́ "the doctor" as an object.

Case Choice Exercise 3

Choose the correct form of друг.

Она звонит ___ . (друг)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: друг дру́га дру́гу дру́ге

дру́гу

Hint: звонить + dative

звонить takes the dative for the person rung: звонить кому. A masculine noun in a hard consonant adds -у, and друг keeps its stem stress — дру́гу — where врач does not: врачу́. Stress has to be learnt with each noun.

Case Choice Exercise 4

Choose the correct form of сестра.

Я даю книгу ___ . (сестра)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: сестра́ сестры́ сестру́ сестре́

сестре́

Hint: the recipient is always dative

давать carries two objects: the thing given in the accusative (книгу) and the person who receives it in the dative. сестра́ is feminine in -а, so the dative is сестре́, with the stress on the ending.

Case Choice Exercise 5

Choose the correct form of город.

Мы гуляем по ___ . (город)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: го́род го́рода го́роду го́роде

го́роду

Hint: по + dative

по meaning "around, along an area" governs the dative: по го́роду, по Росси́и, по па́рку. Note that го́роду keeps the stress on the stem, while its own dative plural города́м does not — stress has to be learnt with each noun.

Case Choice Exercise 6

Choose the correct plural form of студент.

Учительница говорит ___ . (студенты)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: студе́нты студе́нтов студе́нтам студе́нтах

студе́нтам

Hint: plural dative → -ам / -ям

The plural dative ending is -ам after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж, ш, ч and щ, and -ям after any other soft consonant and after -й: студе́нтам, ма́мам, врача́м, but музе́ям and жи́зням. студе́нт and ма́ма keep their stress on the stem throughout, whereas врач and стол move it onto the ending: врача́м, стола́м.

Ending Choice Exercise 7

Choose the ending.

Dative singular of «письмо»: письм___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -у -ю -е -ом

-у

Neuter nouns take the same dative ending as masculines: -у after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж ш ч щ, -ю after any other soft consonant and after -й. письмо has a hard м, so письму́, with the stress on the ending. Compare окно́ → окну́ and музе́й → музе́ю.

Ending Choice Exercise 8

Choose the ending.

Dative singular of «Россия»: Росси___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -и -е -ю -я

-и

Hint: -ия nouns are the exception

The one real exception in the singular: nouns ending in -ия, -ий and -ие take -и, not -е and not -ю. Росси́и, Ита́лии, аудито́рии. But музе́й ends in -й, not -ий, so it takes the regular -ю: музе́ю.

Ending Choice Exercise 9

Choose the ending.

Dative plural of «врач»: врач___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -ам -ям -ем -у

-ам

The plural dative has two shapes: -ам after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж, ш, ч and щ, -ям after any other soft consonant and after -й. врач ends in the hissing ч, so it takes -ам, and the stress moves onto that ending: врача́м.

Ending Choice Exercise 10

Choose the ending.

Dative singular of «жизнь»: жизн___

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: -и -е -ю -ь

-и

Third-declension feminines — the nouns in a soft sign such as жизнь, вещь, ночь, площадь — take -и in the genitive, the dative and the prepositional alike. So жизни serves three cases at once, which is one reason this declension is easier than it looks. The plural dative is жи́зням.

Conjugation Exercise 11

Write the verb form.

«помогать» — the «мы» form of the present tense

Show answer and explanation

помога́ем

Hint: -ать verb, first conjugation

помогать is a first-conjugation verb in -ать, so the endings are -ю/-ешь/-ет/-ем/-ете/-ют: помогаю, помогаешь, помогает, помогаем, помогаете, помогают. Stress never leaves the а of the suffix.

Conjugation Exercise 12

Write the verb form.

«звонить» — the «они» form of the present tense

Show answer and explanation

звоня́т

Hint: second conjugation → -ят

звонить is second conjugation, so the «они» form ends in -ят: звоня́т. The stress is on the ending in every form of this verb — звоню́, звони́шь, звони́т, звоня́т — which is the single most commonly got wrong stress in Russian.

Conjugation Exercise 13

Write the verb form.

«болеть» — the «она» form of the past tense

Show answer and explanation

боле́ла

Hint: past tense: infinitive minus -ть plus -ла

The past tense has one form for every person and changes only for gender and number: болел, болела, болело, болели. Add -ла to the infinitive minus -ть. Stress stays on the е of the suffix throughout.

Pronoun Choice Exercise 14

Choose the correct form of я.

___ холодно.

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: Меня Мне Мной Я

Мне

Hint: state words take the dative

A state word such as холодно puts the person who feels it in the dative: мне, тебе, ему, ей, нам, вам, им. There is no subject in this sentence at all. Меня is genitive and accusative, мной is instrumental — neither can be the person in a state.

Pronoun Choice Exercise 15

Choose the correct form of она.

Я звоню ___ . (to her)

Show answer and explanation

Choose from: её ей о ней она́

ей

Hint: no preposition → no н

The dative of она is ей. After a preposition it becomes ней — к ней, о ней — but with a verb there is no preposition, so just ей. её is genitive and accusative, and would mean "her" as an object or as a possessive.

Fill Gap Exercise 16

Fill the gap.

Мне ___ работать. (must)

Show answer and explanation

на́до

Hint: the everyday obligation word

надо + infinitive, with the person who has to in the dative. Its fuller twin is нужно; the negative of both is нельзя or не надо, which do not mean the same thing — нельзя is "it is forbidden", не надо is "there is no need".

Fill Gap Exercise 17

Fill the gap with the right preposition.

Мы гуляем ___ городу. (around)

Show answer and explanation

по

Hint: around an area

по + dative spreads movement over an area: гулять по городу, ездить по России, ходить по парку. в would make the town a destination you enter, and о would make it the topic of a thought.

Fill Gap Exercise 18

Fill the gap with the state word.

Ему ___ говорить по-русски. (hard)

Show answer and explanation

тру́дно

Hint: the opposite of легко

State words are invariable: ему трудно, ей трудно, им трудно, мне было трудно. Only the dative person and the tense of было or будет ever change. Its opposite is легко́.

Translate To Russian Exercise 19

Translate into Russian.

I am cold.

Show answer and explanation

Мне хо́лодно.

Hint: dative of я + the state word

Not «Я холодно» and not «Я холодный». Russian makes the person the receiver of the state, so the person goes in the dative and the state word never changes. The same frame gives Мне жарко, Мне скучно, Мне плохо.

Translate To Russian Exercise 20

Translate into Russian.

I am ringing Mum.

Show answer and explanation

Я звоню́ ма́ме.

Hint: звонить + dative of мама

звонить governs the dative and takes no preposition: звонить кому. The verb is second conjugation and end-stressed — я звоню́ — and мама becomes маме.

Translate To Russian Exercise 21

Translate into Russian.

We are going to the doctor’s.

Show answer and explanation

Мы идём к врачу́.

Hint: к + dative of врач

Movement towards a person uses к + dative, not в + accusative: к врачу. You would say в больницу for the building, and к врачу for the person. The stress of врачу lands on the ending.

Translate To Russian Exercise 22

Translate into Russian.

How old are you? (to one person you know well)

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Ско́лько тебе́ лет?

Hint: сколько + dative + лет

Literally "how many years to you?" — the person is in the dative, лет is the genitive plural of год, and there is no verb. To someone you address as вы the question becomes Сколько вам лет? Which form of год a number takes is Lesson 11.

Translate To Russian Exercise 23

Translate into Russian.

I have got a headache.

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У меня́ боли́т голова́.

Hint: у меня + болит + nominative

The owner goes behind у + genitive and the thing that aches is the subject, in the nominative: literally "at me aches the head". Note the stress — меня́, боли́т, голова́.

Translate To English Exercise 24

Translate into English.

Мне гру́стно.

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I feel sad.

мне is the dative of я and грустно is an invariable state word, so the sentence has no verb and no subject. Pronounce it [ˈɡrusnə] — the т is silent.

Translate To English Exercise 25

Translate into English.

Она́ пока́зывает нам письмо́.

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She is showing us the letter.

нам is the dative of мы — the people shown to — and письмо is the accusative, the thing shown. Russian present tense covers both "is showing" and "shows".

True False Exercise 26

Answer true or false.

«Я звоню мама» is correct Russian.

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false

звонить governs the dative, so the noun has to change: Я звоню маме. Leaving it in the nominative is the most common beginner error with dative verbs, and it sounds as wrong to a Russian ear as "I am ringing she" does in English.

Word Order Exercise 27

Put the words in order.

Build the sentence: "I am ringing Mum now."

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Я звоню́ ма́ме сейча́с.

Hint: subject, verb, person, time

The neutral order is subject, verb, dative person, then the time adverb. книга is a perfectly good Russian word but it belongs to a different sentence — and it would have to be accusative anyway. Russian word order is freer than this, so «Сейчас я звоню маме» and «Я сейчас звоню маме» are both correct and put slightly more weight on what comes first.

Match Pairs Exercise 28

Pair the verbs.

Match each verb with what follows it.

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помогать маме, звонить другу, давать тебе книгу, объяснять вам это, показывать ей письмо, нравиться мне

All six put their person in the dative and none of them needs a preposition. Three of them — давать, объяснять, показывать — also carry a thing in the accusative, and that thing is what English word order tends to put first. Learn each verb with its case, not on its own.

Sentence Transform Exercise 29

Keep the meaning, change the tense.

Rewrite this sentence in the past: «Мне холодно.»

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Мне бы́ло хо́лодно.

Hint: add the neuter past of быть

The state word never changes; only the copula appears. было is neuter singular because there is no subject for it to agree with, and the future is the same trick with будет — Мне будет холодно. This is the zero copula of Lesson 1 coming back with a tense attached.

Sentence Transform Exercise 30

Negate the sentence.

Make this sentence negative: «Я звоню маме.»

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Я не звоню́ ма́ме.

Hint: не before the verb; the case does not change

не goes straight in front of the verb and nothing else moves — in particular the dative stays a dative. Compare Lesson 8: there, нет forced the noun into the genitive (У меня нет книги). Here the verb is simply negated, so the case is untouched. That difference is worth understanding rather than memorising.

Stress Choice Exercise 31

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in «звонит»?

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Choose from: зво́нит звони́т

звони́т

On the ending, and in every other form too: звоню́, звони́шь, звони́т, звони́м, звони́те, звоня́т, звони́л, звони́ла. Stressing the о is the classic learner error and the classic native-speaker irritation — say it once, correctly, and repeat.

Stress Choice Exercise 32

Choose the correctly stressed form.

Where does the stress fall in the dative singular of «врач»?

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Choose from: вра́чу врачу́

врачу́

On the ending: врачу́. вра́чу would be the nominative stress carried over, and that is exactly the mistake to avoid — врача́, врачу́, врачо́м, враче́ all stress the ending, and so does the whole plural: врачи́, врача́м, врача́ми.

Listen And Type Exercise 33

Play the audio and type what you hear.

Listen and type the sentence.

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Мне на́до идти́ к врачу́.

Listen for [mnʲe ˈnadə ɪˈtʲtʲi k vrɐˈtɕu]. Three reductions in nine sounds: the unstressed о of надо is [ə], the first vowel of идти is [ɪ], and the о of врачу is [ɐ] because the stress has moved to the у. The к stays hard before в.

Flashcard Self Rating Exercise 34

Recall the meaning and the case, then rate how well you knew it.

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to, towards (a person) — takes the dative

к + dative is movement towards, usually a person: к врачу, к другу, к маме, к нам. Before мне it becomes ко — ко мне. After it, third-person pronouns grow an н: к нему, к ней, к ним. Keep it apart from в + accusative, which is movement into a building or a town.

Speak now

Say each sentence aloud three times: slowly, at normal speed, then from memory. Then change the person in the dative — мне, тебе, ему, ей, нам, вам, им — and say the whole frame again each time. The state word and the modal never change, so once you have the seven pronouns the whole lesson is yours.

Мне интере́сно. I find it interesting. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне интере́сно.
Мне на́до рабо́тать. I have to work. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне на́до рабо́тать.
Я помога́ю ма́ме. I am helping Mum. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я помога́ю ма́ме.
Я иду́ к врачу́. I am going to the doctor’s. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Я иду́ к врачу́.
Мы гуля́ем по го́роду. We are walking around the town. Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мы гуля́ем по го́роду.
Мне три́дцать лет. I am thirty. — now say your real age Listen in Russian: Slow in Russian: Мне три́дцать лет.

Lesson checkpoint

Before you move on, make sure you can do all of this without looking:

Give the dative singular of стол, врач, мама, письмо, музей and Россия, out loud, without looking
Give the dative plural of the same six, and say out loud which of them move the stress onto the ending
Say seven sentences about how you feel, each beginning with a different dative pronoun — Мне холодно, Тебе скучно?, Ему трудно, Ей весело, Нам хорошо, Вам интересно, Им жарко
Take six verbs you know and say whether each governs the dative: помогать, звонить, давать, говорить, читать, смотреть
Ask someone how old they are, answer for yourself, and then say how old three people you know are — all in the dative
Say «Я иду к врачу» and «Я иду в больницу», then explain out loud why the two prepositions differ

Remember this

The dative answers Кому? Чему? and names the person or thing an action is aimed at. It has three endings in the singular — -у after a hard consonant and after the hissing ж ш ч щ, -ю after any other soft consonant and after -й, -е for feminines in -а and -я — and two in the plural, -ам and -ям, split the same way.
Nouns in -ия, -ий and -ие take -и in the dative singular — России, Италии — and so do third-declension feminines in a soft sign: жизни, вещи, ночи, площади. музей is not one of them, because -й is not -ий: музею.
помогать, звонить, давать, говорить, показывать, объяснять and нравиться all put their person in the dative, with no preposition. Three of them also take the thing in the accusative. Learn each verb together with the case it governs.
мне + a state word makes a sentence with no subject and no verb: Мне холодно, Мне трудно, Мне весело. The state word never changes for gender, number or person; only the dative pronoun and the copula move — было in the past, будет in the future.
надо, нужно, можно and нельзя take an infinitive and a dative person: Мне надо идти, Вам можно читать. нельзя is its own word, not a negation of можно, and не надо means "there is no need" rather than "it is forbidden".
к + dative is movement towards a person — к врачу, к другу, ко мне, к нему — while в + accusative is movement into a building or a town. по + dative spreads movement over an area: по городу, по России. Age is a dative: Сколько тебе лет? — Мне тридцать лет.

Go deeper: The dative case · Verb government: which case each verb demands · Impersonal constructions · Modal verbs and modal expressions · Prepositions and the cases they take · Pronoun declension: the full paradigm

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