Using the dative form in German....when to use it?

Question

Even after three classes of German, I still can't figure out when to use the dative form. Can anyone help me out? English doesn't have the dative and neither does Spanish (which I've taken before).

Answer 1

Although I feel cheeky answering after a German person, let me try all the same.

You use the Dative basically for three reasons (as the previous poster says):

1) To indicate indirect object: Give THE MAN an answer (Geben Sie DEM MANN eine Antwort).

2) After prepositions which require the Dative or that require either the Dative or the Accusative:

- MIT SEINEM SOHN (with his son)
- IN DER SCHULE (in the school/at school)

3) In certain expressions: IN EINER STUNDE "In an hour".

By the way, those are about the same reasons why you'd use the Accusative:

1) To indicate Direct object: Ich sehe DEN WAGEN (I see the car)

2) After Accusative prepositions and Wechselpräpositionen:

OHNE SEINEN SOHN (without his son)
IN DIE SCHULE (to the school)

3) In certain expressions:

JEDEN TAG (every day).

Answer 2

I think this question is too much in general. Some verbs demand the Dativ, some prepositions do. And may be in some cases it is just the meaning. I am afraid that doesn´t help a lot.