The pronoun “ihnen” explained easily
Here is a simple explanation: “ihnen” is dative, 3rd person plural (=to them). You use it when you give, show, or do something for several people.
Typical mistakes by learners
“Sie” instead of “ihnen”
Wrong: “Ich gebe Sie das Buch.” ❌
Correct: “Ich gebe ihnen das Buch.” ✅
“sie” instead of “ihnen” (accusative)
Wrong: “Ich helfe sie.” ❌
Correct: “Ich helfe ihnen.” ✅
Difference – “ihnen” vs. “sie”
ihnen = to them (dative plural)
sie = them (accusative plural)
💡 Tip: Look at the verb: e.g., “helfen” vs. “sehen”
Ich helfe ihnen → dative
Ich sehe sie → accusative
Overview: Table of pronouns accusative and dative
| Akkusative | Dative |
|---|---|
| mich | mir |
| dich | dir |
| ihn | ihm |
| sie | ihr |
| es | ihm |
| uns | uns |
| euch | euch |
| sie / Sie | ihnen / Ihnen |
Everyday examples with “ihnen”
- Ich gebe ihnen die Schlüssel. (I give Tina and Henry the keys)
- Wir zeigen ihnen die Stadt. (We show Mrs. Meier and Alex the city)
- Kannst du ihnen bitte helfen? (Can you please help Max and Julia?)
Mini exercise (with answers)
Fill in “sie” or “ihnen”:
- Ich helfe ___ bei den Hausaufgaben.
- Wir besuchen ___ morgen.
- Der Lehrer erklärt ___ die Grammatik.
- Kennst du ___?
- Ich kaufe ___ ein Geschenk.
Answers:
- ihnen
- sie
- ihnen
- sie
- ihnen
With these verbs you need “ihnen”
When you use these verbs, you always need the pronoun “ihnen” because they require a dative object. You must memorize these verbs. This way, you learn to use the 3rd person plural correctly.
| A1–A2 | B1–B2 | C1 |
| antworten | empfehlen | anvertrauen |
| danken | erlauben | entziehen |
| gefallen | erzählen | missfallen |
| gehören | folgen | misslingen |
| glauben | gratulieren | sich nähern |
| helfen | raten | sich widmen |
| passen | schaden | verhelfen |
| schmecken | schicken | verweigern |
| stehen | vertrauen | vorenthalten |
| wehtun | verzeihen | zugehören |
| zeigen | widersprechen | zuneigen |
| zuhören | wünschen | zustimmen |
👉 If you are still unsure how to use “ihr” or “ihr vs. euch” correctly, check these articles:
- How to use “ihr” correctly?
- How to use “ihr” vs. “euch” correctly?
Conclusion
- “ihnen” = dative plural, for several people.
- Always with verbs that require a dative object.
- Do not confuse with “sie”.
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