Dative case. Indirect object
The dative case is the case of the indirect object.
The indirect object answers the questions for whom? to whom? to what? and for what?
In English the indirect object can be preceded by the prepositions
to
and
for
:
I gave the book
to John
. I bought a present
for John
.
The same sentences can be expressed in English without a preposition:
I gave
John
the book. I bought
John
a present.
The indirect object is a person or thing that benefits from some action.
Not all verbs can have an indirect object.
Copyright ©.
George Mitrevski
. Auburn University. e-mail:
mitrege@auburn.edu