Editing Manchu language (section)

=====Dative-locative=====
(''de''): indicates location, time, place, or indirect object.<ref name=":2" />

Its primary function is to indicate the semantic role of the recipient:

{{interlinear|indent=4
|ere niyalma '''de''' bu-mbi
|this man DAT give-IMPERF
|"(Someone) gives to this man"}}

It can also indicate a person who is in possession of something in the construction meaning "A has B", which is expressed literally as "To A (there) is B":

{{interlinear|indent=4
|ahun '''de''' bithe bi
|elder.brother DAT book COP
|"The elder brother has a book"}}

Another function is to indicate the instrument of action, making it play the role of an [[instrumental case]] as well:

{{interlinear|indent=4
|angga '''de''' hūla, mujilen '''de''' eje
|mouth DAT read(IMP) mind DAT memorize(IMP)
|"Use your lips to read and your brain to remember"}}

However, the genitive can often express the same instrumental meaning. It has been claimed that the genitive is used for the instrument of one's own actions as opposed to those of others (e.g. ''mini yasa '''i''' tuwa-ci'' "Seeing with my eyes" vs ''si yasa '''de''' tuwa-ki'' "You see with your eyes") and for non-past actions as opposed to past ones (''beye-i gala-'''i''' gaisu'' "take with your own hand" vs ''beye i gala '''de''' jafa-habi'' “(Someone) caught with his own hand”).

A related function is to express the agent of a verb in the passive voice:

{{interlinear|indent=4
|julergi gurun joo '''de''' wa-bu-fi
|senior ruling.house Zhao DAT kill-PASS-CVB
|"(They) were killed by the Senior Zhao ruling house"}}

The dative can also indicate the source of a statement or quotation, meaning roughly "according to", as in ''mini gūnin '''de''''' "in my opinion" and ''ejen i hese '''de''''' "according to the emperor's edict".

Finally, as already mentioned, it can express location in space or time, thus functioning as a [[locative case]]:<ref name=":2" />

{{interlinear|indent=4
|alin bujan '''de''' tomo-mbi 
|mountain forest DAT live-IMPERF
|“(They) live in mountains and forests.”}}