Nuts & Bolts of German (Explanations): Verbs with dative objects (B1)

A limited number of German verbs take a dative object instead of an accusative object, e.g.

 

ähneln (to be like somebody, to resemble somebody)

 

Deine Schwester ähnelt dir überhaupt nicht.

Your sister doesn't resemble you at all.

antworten (to answer somebody)

 

Warum kannst du mir nicht antworten?

Why can't you answer me?

befehlen (to order somebody to do something)

 

Der General hat den Soldaten befohlen, das zu tun.

The general ordered the soldiers to do that.

begegnen (to encounter somebody, to run into somebody, to meet [by chance])

 

Ich bin ihm bei meinen Spaziergängen nie begegnet.

I have never met him when I went out for my walks.

danken (to thank somebody)

 

Ich danke dir für all deine Hilfe.

I thank you for all your help.

einfallen (to occur to somebody, to come to somebody's mind)

 

Mir fällt nichts mehr ein.

Nothing else comes to my mind. / I can't think of anything else.

folgen (to follow somebody)

 

Folgen Sie der Frau!

Follow the woman!

gefallen (to please somebody, i.e somebody likes it)

 

Der Pullover gefällt mir nicht.

I don't like that jumper.

gehören (to belong to somebody)

 

Das Haus gehört meiner Tante.

That house belongs to my aunt.

gehorchen (to obey somebody)

 

Gehorchen Kinder immer ihren Eltern?

Do children always obey their parents?

gelingen (to succeed, to be successful)

 

 

Dem Häftling gelang die Flucht.

The prisoner succeeded in escaping. The prisoner managed to escape.

 

Der Kuchen ist mir nicht ganz gelungen.

The cake didn't turn out that well.

genügen (to be enough or sufficient for somebody)

 

Das genügt mir.

That's enough for me.

glauben (to believe somebody)

 

Ich glaube deiner Schwester.

I believe your sister.

gratulieren (to congratulate somebody)

 

Niemand hat mir gratuliert.

Nobody congratulated me.

helfen (to help somebody)

 

Können Sie uns helfen?

Can you help us?

nutzen/nützen (to be of use to somebody)

 

Das nützt den Geflüchteten nicht.

That's of no use to the refugees.

passen (to suit, to fit somebody)

 

Montagnachmittag passt mir nicht.

Monday afternoon doesn't suit me.

 

Die Hose passt mir nicht.

The trousers don't fit me.

raten (to advise somebody)

 

Was rätst du dem Studenten?

What do you advise the student to do?

schaden (to harm somebody, to be harmful to somebody)

 

Ein bisschen frische Luft schadet niemandem.

A bit of fresh air does no harm [to anybody].

schmecken (to taste [good])

 

Dein Kaffee schmeckt mir nicht.

I don't like the taste of your coffee.

schmeicheln (to flatter somebody)

 

Du willst deinem Chef nur schmeicheln.

You only want to flatter your boss.

trauen (to trust somebody)

 

Er traut seinem Kollegen nicht.

He doesn't trust his colleague.

vertrauen (to trust somebody)

 

Er vertraut mir nicht.

He doesn't trust me.

verzeihen (to forgive somebody)

 

Kannst du deinem Freund verzeihen?

Can you forgive your friend?

weh tun (to hurt, pain)

 

 

Er hat mir echt weh getan.

He really hurt me.

 

Wo tut es Ihnen denn weh?

Where do you feel the pain?

widersprechen (to contradict somebody) Warum widersprichst du ihm jedes Mal?

Why do you contradict him every time?

zuhören (to listen to somebody)

 

Hören Sie der Lehrerin gut zu!

Listen carefully to the teacher!

The dative object in each sentence is in bold print.