The case for the indirect object, after certain verbs, and key prepositions.

• der → demmasculine article in the dative: der becomes demIch gebe dem Mann das Buch = I give the man the book
• das → demneuter article in the dative: das becomes demIch helfe dem Kind = I help the child
• die → derfeminine article in the dative: die becomes derIch danke der Frau = I thank the woman
• die (Plural) → den ...nplural article in the dative: die becomes den, and the noun adds an -nIch helfe den Kindern = I help the children
• ich → mirthe dative pronoun for ich is mir (to me)Gib mir das Buch = Give me the book
• du → dirthe dative pronoun for du is dir (to you)Ich helfe dir = I help you
• er → ihmthe dative pronoun for er is ihm (to him)Ich gebe ihm das Geld = I give him the money
• sie → ihrthe dative pronoun for sie (she) is ihr (to her)Ich danke ihr = I thank her
• es → ihmthe dative pronoun for es is ihm (to it)Es geht ihm gut = It is going well for him
• wir → unsthe dative pronoun for wir is uns (to us)Hilf uns = Help us
• ihr → euchthe dative pronoun for ihr is euch (to you all)Ich gebe euch das Buch = I give you the book
• sie/Sie → ihnen/Ihnenthe dative pronoun is ihnen (to them) / Ihnen (to you, formal)Ich danke Ihnen = I thank you
• mit + Dativwith — always takes the dativeIch fahre mit dem Auto = I go by car
• nach + Dativto (places/countries) / after — takes the dativeIch fahre nach dem Essen nach Hause = After the meal I go home
• aus + Dativout of / from — takes the dativeIch komme aus der Stadt = I come from the city
• bei + Dativat / near / at someone's place — takes the dativeIch wohne bei meiner Mutter = I live at my mother's
• von + Dativfrom / of — takes the dativeDas ist ein Geschenk von dem Mann = That is a gift from the man
• zu + Dativto (people/places) — takes the dativeIch gehe zu dem Arzt = I go to the doctor
• seit + Dativsince / for (time) — takes the dativeIch lerne seit einem Jahr Deutsch = I have been learning German for a year
• helfen + Dativto help — the person helped is in the dativeIch helfe dem Mann = I help the man
• danken + Dativto thank — the person thanked is in the dativeIch danke dir = I thank you
• gefallen + Dativto please / to like — the person who likes is in the dativeDas Buch gefällt mir = I like the book
• gehören + Dativto belong to — the owner is in the dativeDas Auto gehört meinem Vater = The car belongs to my father
• antworten + Dativto answer (someone) — the person answered is in the dativeIch antworte dem Lehrer = I answer the teacher
• in + Dativ = Ortin + dative shows LOCATION (where something is), not movementIch bin im Haus = I am in the house
• auf + Dativ = Ortauf + dative shows LOCATION (on, lying on a surface)Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch = The book is on the table
• an + Dativ = Ortan + dative shows LOCATION (at, on a vertical surface)Das Bild hängt an der Wand = The picture hangs on the wall
• Wechselpräposition: wo? → Dativtwo-way prepositions (in/auf/an...) take the DATIVE when answering 'wo?' (where/location)Wo bist du? — Ich bin in der Schule = Where are you? — I'm at school