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Verbs, Pronouns, and the Dative Case by Jeffery Donley, Ph.D.

Intransitive verbs coming after the dative case demand reflexive pronouns in the dative. The exception is when the accusative sich is used in the structures of the third person (singular and plural). Translate sich helfen as “to help oneself.”

Exercise 11

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of helfen, either helfe, helfen, hilfst, helft, or hilft, and then translate the German phrases into English.

<tgroup cols="4"> <colspec colname="col1" colnum="1" colwidth="25%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col2" colnum="2" colwidth="25%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col3" colnum="3" colwidth="25%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <colspec colname="col4" colnum="4" colwidth="25%" align="left" rowsep="0" colsep="0"/> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>1. <emphasis>sie</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>sich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>2. <emphasis>Sie</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>sich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>3. <emphasis>er</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>sich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>4. <emphasis>wir</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>uns</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>5. <emphasis>ich</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>mir</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>6. <emphasis>du</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>dir</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>7. <emphasis>ihr</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>euch</emphasis></p></td> <td><p>________________________________</p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Exercise 12</h2> <p>In the dative case, only <emphasis>mir</emphasis> and <emphasis>dir</emphasis> are unlike the other reflexive pronouns. eep in mind that you are frequently communicating possession with the reflexive pronouns, since you often translate the dative case, <emphasis>mir, dir</emphasis>, etc., by “for me,” “to me,” etc.</p> <p>Underline all of the verbs and then translate the following German sentences.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Ihr wascht euch die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie waschen sich die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie waschen sich die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ich wasche mir die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Er wäscht sich die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Du wäschst dir die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Wir waschen uns die Socken</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> </ul> <h2>Exercise 13</h2> <p>Examine and compare the following two sentences, then translate them.</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Sie kauft ihr eine Bluse</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Sie kauft sich eine Bluse</emphasis>.</p> <p>____________________________________</p></li> </ul> <!--/gc--> <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/reflexive-pronouns.htm" title="Reflexive Pronouns">Reflexive Pronouns</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/pronouns-reciprocal.htm" title="Pronouns: Reciprocal">Pronouns: Reciprocal</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/verbs-pronouns-and-the-dative-case.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Verbs, Pronouns, and the Dative Case - German Practice </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-practice/the-pronoun/reflexive-pronouns.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Reflexive Pronouns - German Practice </a></li> <li><a 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