The dative (indirect object) of the first declension has a singular form and a plural form.

The dative singular of the first declension looks a lot like the nominative plural of the first declension :

1) Estis nautae = You all are sailors.

2) Nautae scapham dō = I am giving a boat to the sailor

The first sentence contains “nautae” in the nominative plural of the first declension, and the second sentence contains “nautae” in the dative singular of the first declension. As you can see, with “nautae”, the dative singular and the nominative plural of the first declension ends in -ae.

The dative plural of the first declension is also the same as the ablative plural of the first declension :

1) Fēminae cum nautīs natant = The women are swimming with the sailors

2) Fēminae aquam nautīs dant = The women are giving water to the sailors

The first sentence uses nautīs in the ablative plural of the first declension, but the second sentence uses nautīs in the dative plural of the first declension. As you can see, the ablative plural and the dative plural of the first declension ends in -īs.

Here are some exercises for practice :

1) Puellīs tabulās nōn portāmus

2) Agricolae terram semper arās

Here are the answers :

1) We are not carrying writing tablets for the girls

2) You always plow the soil for the farmer