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German verbs that take a dative object

When you learn German, you quickly learn that the direct receiver of an action goes in the accusative case. If you see an apple, it is den Apfel. If you call a friend, it is den Freund. Because this matches English so well, it is easy to assume it applies to every verb.

However, a specific group of German verbs breaks this expectation. Words like helfen, danken, and antworten require their object to be in the dative case. English speakers often accidentally use the accusative case here, which leads to grammatical errors with pronouns and articles.

Word list
antwortenA1 to answer jemandem antworten = to answer someone helfenA1 to help jemandem helfen = to help someone lauschenA1 to listen jemandem lauschen = to listen to someone zuhörenA1 to listen jemandem zuhören = to listen to someone folgenA2 to follow jemandem folgen = to follow someone glaubenA2 to believe jemandem glauben = to believe someone wehtunA2 to hurt jemandem wehtun = to hurt someone wehtunA2 to hurt Mir tut der Kopf weh = My head hurts zustimmenA2 to agree jemandem zustimmen = to agree with someone ähnelnB1 to look like jemandem ähneln = to resemble someone begegnenB1 to meet jemandem begegnen = to meet someone by chance beiwohnenB1 to attend einer Sitzung beiwohnen = to attend a meeting (formal) dankenB1 to thank jemandem danken = to thank someone entkommenB1 to escape jemandem entkommen = to escape someone folgenB1 to follow jemandem folgen = to follow someone gefallenB1 to please Das Bild gefällt mir = I like the picture gehörenB1 to belong jemandem gehören = to belong to someone gleichenB1 to look like jemandem gleichen = to resemble someone gut stehenB1 to suit Die Farbe steht dir gut = The color suits you mithelfenB1 to help jemandem bei etwas mithelfen = to help someone with something passenB1 to fit Die Hose passt mir = The trousers fit me ratenB1 to advise jemandem raten = to advise someone sich nähernB1 to approach sich jemandem nähern = to approach someone stehenB1 to suit Das Kleid steht dir = The dress suits you trauenB1 to trust jemandem trauen = to trust someone vergebenB1 to forgive jemandem etwas vergeben = to forgive someone for something vertrauenB1 to trust jemandem vertrauen = to trust someone verzeihenB1 to forgive jemandem etwas verzeihen = to forgive someone for something vorbeugenB1 to prevent einer Krankheit vorbeugen = to prevent a disease winkenB1 to wave jemandem winken = to wave to someone zuhörenB1 to listen jemandem zuhören = to listen to someone zuschauenB1 to watch jemandem zuschauen = to watch someone zusehenB1 to watch jemandem zusehen = to watch someone beistehenB2 to support jemandem beistehen = to stand by someone drohenB2 to threaten jemandem drohen = to threaten someone fehlenB2 to lack Mir fehlt die Zeit = I lack the time gehorchenB2 to obey jemandem gehorchen = to obey someone gratulierenB2 to congratulate jemandem gratulieren = to congratulate someone applaudierenC1 to applaud jemandem applaudieren = to applaud someone dienenC1 to serve jemandem dienen = to serve someone
The everyday dative verbs

Many of the most common verbs in German belong to this group. In English, you help him or thank her. In German, you must use the dative pronouns like ihm and ihr, or dative articles like dem and der.

Kannst du mir helfen?
(Can you help me?)
Ich danke dem Lehrer für den Unterricht.
(I thank the teacher for the lesson.)
Bitte antworte mir schnell.
(Please answer me quickly.)
Wir glauben der Frau nicht.
(We do not believe the woman.)

Another classic dative verb is begegnen. When you run into someone by chance, that person must be in the dative case.

Ich bin einem alten Freund begegnet.
(I ran into an old friend.)
Following, trusting, and paying attention

Verbs related to paying attention to someone, observing them, or giving them your trust also heavily feature the dative case. This includes zuhören, zusehen, zuschauen, and lauschen for watching or listening. It also applies to trauen and vertrauen for trusting, and folgen for following.

Die Kinder folgen ihm in den Garten.
(The children follow him into the garden.)
Ich vertraue dir komplett.
(I trust you completely.)
Hörst du mir überhaupt zu?
(Are you even listening to me?)

When you agree with someone or offer support, you also use the dative with verbs like zustimmen and beistehen.

Er stimmt seinem Kollegen zu.
(He agrees with his colleague.)
Watch out for mixed objects

While the person receiving the action is in the dative case, some of these verbs can take a second object. If you forgive a mistake, the person is dative, but the thing is accusative.

Ich verzeihe dir den Fehler.
(I forgive you for the mistake.)

With antworten, you answer the person in the dative case, but you answer a question using a prepositional phrase with auf.

Ich antworte ihm auf die Frage.
(I answer his question.)

Finally, remember that verbs like gratulieren, drohen, and applaudieren also require the dative case for the person you are congratulating, threatening, or applauding.

Wir gratulieren dem Gewinner.
(We congratulate the winner.)
Summary

Whenever you learn a new German verb, do not just memorize its basic English translation. If it is a dative verb, memorize it with a dative placeholder like jemandem helfen or jemandem danken so you automatically associate the action with the dative case.