Dative prepositions in Russian: What are they and how to use them?

The most common preposition that you will see used with the dative case is по[pa] which can have a variety of translations, including “according to,” “along,” “about,” or “around.” This preposition can be challenging to memorize and use because it can be used in so many ways and can’t be translated directly from Russian to English. There is no single word in English that fulfills all of the uses of this tricky preposition!

Let’s look at the different ways to use the preposition по with the dative case!

• Describing motion on top of a surface

  Пo[pa] is commonly used before a noun for a surface that someone or something moves on top of. This preposition is not very specific about whether the motion is in one direction or in many directions.

  Some common English translations for this use of пo[pa] include: “on,” “along,” “by,” “down,” “around,” “over” and “all over,” and “across” and “all across.”

  prepositiondative case

  Вера побежала по коридору навстречу отцу.

  VYEra pabiZHAla pa kariDOroo naFSTRYEchoo aTSOO.

  Vera ran along the hall towards her father.

  Из Европы в США можно добраться только по морю или по воздуху.

  iz yivROpy f sesheA MOZHna daBRAtsa TOLka pa MOryu EEli pa VOZdookhoo.

  One can travel from Europe to the USA only by sea or by air.

  Группа сейчас в туре по стране.

  GROOpa siyCHAS f TOOrye pa straNYE.

  The band is now on a tour around the country.

• Before a noun giving the usual time or repeated location of some action

  Пo[pa] is also used to indicate the time where something usually happens or a place where something happens or has happened repeatedly. This preposition is commonly used when describing the “where” and “when” of habitual activities.

  Some common English translations for this use of пo[pa] include: “on,” “at,” “in,” “all across,” or “to.”

  prepositiondative case

  По утрам Александр обычно принимал контрастный душ.

  pa ootRAM alikSANDR aBYCHna priniMAL kanTRASnyi doosh.

  In the mornings Alexander usually took a contrast shower.

  По субботам у нас проводятся конкурсы караоке.

  pa sooBOtam oo nas praVOditsa KONkoorsy karaOkye.

  On Saturdays we have karaoke contests.

  Увольнения происходят по университетам нашей страны.

  oovalNYEniya praisKHOdyat pa oonivyersiTYEtam NAshey straNY.

  Firing is happening across universities in our country.

• Before a noun that was distributed, one to each person

  If a group of nouns are distributed so that each person gets exactly one, use по[pa] before the word for the distributed item. In English, you might follow these nouns with the word “apiece.”

  prepositiondative case

  Бабушка подарила каждому внуку по игрушке.

  BAbooshka padaREEla KAZHdamoo VNOOkoo pa igROOSHkye.

  Grandma gave each of her grandchildren a toy (apiece).

  Каждый из нас заказал по пицце в ресторане.

  KAzhdyi iz nas zakaZAL pa PEEtse f ristaRAne.

  Each of us ordered a pizza (apiece) in the restaurant.

  Important

  If each person receives more than one object, you can still use the preposition ​​пo[pa], but you won’t follow it with the dative. Instead, follow this pattern:

  по

  pa

  Number

  Nominative

  Noun

  Genitive

  Каждый сотрудник получил по три тысячи рублей.

  KAzhdyi saTROODNik palooCHEEL pa tree TYsichi roobLYEY.

  Each staff member got three thousand rubles (apiece).

• Before a noun for something that gets hit or struck

  You can also use по[pa] before nouns describing things that get hit. In translation, you will often see locational preposition like “on,” “at,” “against,” or “in,” but the object of по will sometimes just be translated as the direct object of the verb.

  prepositiondative case

  Отец похлопал сына по плечу.

  aTYETS paKHLOpal SYna pa pliCHOO.

  Dad patted his son on the shoulder.

  Биатлонисты прекрасно стреляют по мишеням.

  biatlaNEESty priKRASna striLYAyut pa miSHEnyam.

  Biathletes shoot at targets very well.

  Коля случайно меня ударил по лицу.

  KOlya slooCHAYna miNYA ooDAril pa liTSOO.

  Kolya accidentally hit me in the face.

• Before a noun describing an area or expertise or specialization

  The preposition по[pa] can be used to introduce a trade, specialization, or area of focus. In this use, по is most often translated using “in,” “on,” or “of.” For example:

  prepositiondative case

  Мой брат - чемпион республики по шахматам.

  moy brat chimpiON risPOOBliki pa SHAKHmatam.

  My brother is the republic chess champion.

  Анна завтра постарается сдать экзамен по архитектуре.

  Ana ZAftra pastaRAitsa zdat igZAmyen pa arkhitikTOOrye.

  Anna will try to pass an architecture exam tomorrow.

• To introduce the plan or scheme for something else

  Use по[pa] before a noun for a plan, model, schedule, or idea that someone is following. Some possible translations for this use include “in accordance with,” “on,” “with,” “based on,” “according to,” or “along with.”

  prepositiondative case

  Российские железные дороги всегда работают по расписанию.

  raSEEYskiye zheLYEZnyye daROgi fsigDA raBOtayut pa raspiSAniyu.

  The Russian Railroad always operates in accordance with a schedule.

  Фильм снят по книге Толстого.

  feelm snyat pa KNEEgye talSTOva.

  The film is based on Tolstoy’s book.

• Before the reason for or cause of something else

  In formal Russian (mostly written documents), по[pa] can come before the reason or cause of an event. This is roughly equivalent to “due to” in English, but might also be translated as “because of,” “through,” or “by.”

  prepositiondative case

  По случаю траура все праздничные мероприятия были отменены.

  pa SLOOchiyu TRAoora fsye PRAznichnyie mirapriYAtiya BYli atminiNY.

  Due to mourning, all festivities have been canceled.

  По ошибке я опоздал на самолет.

  pa aSHYPkye ya apazDAL na samaLYOT.

  I missed my plane by mistake.

The prepositions ко[ka] and к[k] are also very common prepositions followed by the dative case.

These prepositions are two versions of the same word, meaning “toward,” “up to,” or “to.” Ко typically comes before words starting with consonant clusters (two or more consonants back-to-back), whereas к is used for all other words.

Let’s look at some of the most common ways to use ко and к with the dative case!

• Before a destination or a goal of movement

  The preposition к(о) can be used to introduce the destination or goal of movement. К(о) can mean either “to” or “towards” — there is no distinction in Russian.

  prepositiondative case

  Автомобиль поехал к стадиону.

  aftamabEEL paYEkhal k stadiOnoo.

  The car drove to the stadium. / The car started moving towards the stadium.

  When used before animate nouns, it can mean you’re going to visit that person.

  prepositiondative case

  В воскресенье мы пойдем в гости к Марии.

  v vaskreSYENye my paiDYOM f GOsti k maREEi.

  On Sunday we will go to Maria’s place.

• To give the time when something ends

  The preposition к(о) is also used to refer to the period by which something is done or completed. In this use, it’s usually translated as “to,” “until,” or “by.”

  prepositiondative case

  К августу они собрали уже три тонны яблок.

  k AVgoostoo aNEE saBRAli ooZHE tree TOny YABlak.

  By August, they had already harvested three tons of apples.

  К вечеру пойдет снег.

  k VYEchiroo payDYOT snyek.

  By the evening, it will snow.

• Before a noun someone or something is touching

  The preposition к(о) can also be used to introduce a noun that another noun comes into contact with, most often when neither thing is “on top” of the other. Some common English translations include “against,” “alongside,” “up to,” “up against,” or “on.”

  prepositiondative case

  Мне пришлось прислониться к стене, чтобы не упасть.

  mnye prishLOS prislaNEEtsa k stiNYE SHTOby nye ooPAST.

  I had to lean against the wall in order not to fall.

  For example, this is used with the verbs:

  • прикоснуться[prikasNOOtsa](to touch)

  • прислониться[prislaNEEtsa](to lean against)

  • припасть[priPAST](to drop (on); to get closer to)

  • приложить[prilaZHYT](to attach)

• To name the group a noun is part of

  Finally, you can use к(о) before a noun describing the category or group to which some other noun belongs.

  prepositiondative case

  Он принадлежит к нашей политической партии.

  on prinadliZHYT k NAshey paliTEEcheskay PARtii.

  He belongs to our political party.

And just like that, we’ve covered the two most common dative prepositions in Russian! Now, let’s look at a few that are a little more advanced.

Like по, согласно[sagLASna] can be used to mean “according to” or “in accordance with,” and is followed by the corresponding noun in the dative form. But unlike по, which is used all the time in spoken Russian, согласно is only used in formal texts and in the media.

The preposition вопреки[vapriKEE] means “despite” or “in spite of.” The noun that follows it is something that might have been a limitation or challenge to some circumstance, but did not prevent that circumstance from coming about.

The preposition благодаря[blagadaRYA] is used just like the phrase “thanks to” in English. We use благодаря before a noun that describes a person, circumstance, or event that contributes towards a usually positive outcome.

The final word that triggers the dative case that we will look at is the preposition наперекор[napiriKOR], which has a meaning very similar to вопреки(despite), which we looked at above, but is stronger and shows more force. It can best be translated as “in defiance of.”