Understanding dative

'Dem Mann gefallt das Hotel nicht' I don't understand why 'dem Mann' is dative in this example. It seems like it should be in the nominative case. Can someone please explain to me why 'dem Mann' qualifies as dative in this example?

I'll give it a shot, although I could be wrong. I think in this sentence Hotel is the subject. I think literally it is written as the "The hotel is not pleasing to the man." That can be translated as "The man doesn't like the hotel" but in the German construction, Mann is in the dative case. Am I right, Paul?

Maybe "Das Hotel gefallt dem Mann nicht." would be better? (to whom was the hotel pleasing? to the man) or perhaps "Das Hotel gefallt den Mann." (who was pleased? the man) Actually though, I think "Der Mann gefallt das Hotel nicht." would make the most sense. Paul, we need a little help here please!

Hi Bikephile, I think the first sentence is correct and is an alternate way of writing the original. "Mann" is still the object and not the subject. I think the 3rd would literally mean "the man does not please the hotel" and is not correct. However, I agree, we need Paul.

My partner's native language is german. He has difficulty explaining these things to me hence why i come to the forum but says that it has a lot to do with the word gefallt. Gefallt is happening to the man as opposed to the man making it happen. So it would be correct to say 'Der Mann macht das Hotel nicht' but if gefallt is in there, the sentence makes no sense. So i think your first answer is correct Byron! Would be great if Paul can clarify

"Das Hotel gefällt dem Mann nicht." The hotel doesn't please the man. or also correct "Dem Mann gefällt das Hotel nicht." You would ask: "To whom was the hotel not pleasing?" The appropriate article is "dem". The verb 'gefallen' is a dative verb. Female singular article "die" changes to "der". "Das Hotel gefällt der Frau nicht." Other examples for dative verbs are; danken=to thank, antworten= to answer, helfen=to help and gefallen=to like. Examples: "Das Hotel dankt dem Mann." "Das Hotel antwortet dem Mann." "Das Hotel hilft dem Mann." Paul