German Dative Verbs: The Verbs That Always Take the Dativ
A small group of German verbs always puts its object in the Dativ, even where English uses a plain object. You say Ich helfe dir (I help you), not dich, and Das gefällt mir (I like that) with the thing as the subject. This list collects the Dativ verbs (Verben mit Dativ) from the A1, A2 and B1 word lists in one place, each with its conjugation and an example sentence, so you can learn the verb and its case together.
to be missing, to lack
“Mir fehlt heute mein Schlüssel.”
I am missing my key today.
to fit, to suit
“Die Schuhe passen mir gut.”
The shoes fit me well.
to happen
“Was geschieht?”
What is happening?
to believe
“Ich glaube dir.”
I believe you.
to contradict
to please, to be liked by
“Der rote Ball gefällt mir.”
I like the red ball.
to accept, to confirm, to promise
to belong
“Das Buch gehört mir.”
The book belongs to me.
to suffice
“Das Geld genügt.”
The money is enough.
to cancel
“Ich sage den Termin ab.”
I cancel the appointment.
to resign, to cancel
“Ich kündige meinen Vertrag heute.”
I cancel my contract today.
to be useful
“Das Buch nützt mir.”
The book helps me.
to answer
“Ich antworte sofort.”
I answer immediately.
to succeed
“Die Aufgabe gelingt mir.”
The task works out for me.
to help
“Ich helfe dir gern.”
I like helping you.
to taste
“Der Apfel schmeckt gut.”
The apple tastes good.
to happen
“Was passiert heute?”
What is happening today?
to meet (by chance)
“Der Junge begegnet dem Mann.”
The boy meets the man.
to watch
to hurt
“Mein Kopf tut weh.”
My head hurts.
to congratulate
“Ich gratuliere dir zum Geburtstag.”
I congratulate you on your birthday.
to listen to
“Ich höre dir gut zu.”
I listen to you carefully.
to forgive
to suffice
“Das Wasser reicht aus.”
The water is enough.
to harm
“Rauchen schadet der Gesundheit.”
Smoking harms health.
to be able to help
“Ich kann dir heute helfen.”
I can help you today.
to follow
“Ich folge dir.”
I follow you.
to thank
“Ich danke dir.”
I thank you.
to stand out
“Ich falle mit meinem roten Hut auf.”
I stand out with my red hat.
to approach
“Ich nähere mich dem Haus.”
I am approaching the house.
to serve
“Ich diene dem König.”
I serve the king.
to hand; to be enough
“Die großen Flaschen reichen für die Klasse.”
The large bottles are enough for the class.
to trust
“Ich vertraue meiner Mutter.”
I trust my mother.
to agree
Practice with Games
Example Sentences
Kannst du mir bitte helfen?
Can you help me, please?
Das Fahrrad gehört meinem Bruder.
The bike belongs to my brother.
Die Suppe schmeckt den Kindern nicht.
The children do not like the soup.
Wir gratulieren dir zum Geburtstag.
Happy birthday to you.
Mir tut der Rücken weh.
My back hurts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dative verb in German?
Which German verbs take the dative?
How do I know if a verb takes the dative or the accusative?
Why is it "Das gefällt mir" and not "Ich gefalle das"?
Do dative verbs also work with nouns?
Continue Learning
Dative Verbs and Pronouns Guide
Why these verbs take the Dativ, the pronoun table, and the mich vs mir mistake
Dative and Accusative Verbs
Verbs like geben and zeigen that take a person and a thing
German Accusative Verbs
The much larger group of verbs that take a direct object
Dativ Prepositions Game
Practice the prepositions that also force the Dativ