dabūt

Borrowed from Russian добы́ть (dobýtʹ, “to get, to obtain”), itself derived from быть (bytʹ, “to be”). Given its archaic form dabuit (attested in 17th-century dictionaries), this borrowing must have happened before the 13th century, when ы had the sound ui. A different (minority) opinion is that dabūt was not borrowed, but is related to dobt (“to hollow out”) and to dialectal dābt (“to hit, to cut”).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [dabûːt]

• Audio:

  (file)

dabūt (transitive, 2nd conjugation, present dabūju, dabū, dabū, past dabūju)

1. to get, to obtain (to become the holder, possessor of something)

   dabūt biļetes uz koncertu ― to get, obtain tickets to the concert

   dabūt aizdoto naudu atpakaļ ― to get the loaned money back

   dabūt labu palīgu, darbu ― to get good help, a job

   dabūt vīru, sievu ― to get a husband, a wife

   turi, meita, godu savu, tu vairs citu nedabūsi ― keep, daughter, your honor, you will not get anything else

2. to get, to find

   kur jūs dabūjāt šos ziedus? ― where did you get these flowers?

   šo grāmatu vairs nekur nevar dabūt ― this book cannot be found anywhere anymore

3. to get, to buy

   loterijas biļetes var dabūt visās iestādēs, uzņēmumos ― one can get lotery tickets in all institutions (and) enterprises

4. to get a result, to succeed in getting

   dabūt telefona savienojumu ― to get a telephone connection

   ātri dabūt tālsarunu ― to get a long-distance call

   dabūt no vietnieka parakstu ― to get a signature from the deputy

5. to get, to receive

   dabūt vēstules ― to get, receive letters

   dabūt labu atzīmi ― to get a good grade

   dabūt dāvanu ― to receive a present

   cik dabūji par sviestu? ― how much (money) did you get for the butter?

   savu nosaukumu Galariji ir dabūjuši no tā, ka atradās pašā ciema galā ― the Galaraji got their name from the fact that they are located at the very end of the village

6. to get, to become sick with (a disease)

   dabūt iesnas ― to get a cold

   pasaule runāja, ka viņš savā laikā pārdzēries un no tā dabūjis iekšās audzēju ― the world (= people) say that he drank too much in his time and from (= because of) this he got a visceral tumor

7. to get, to accomplish (some physical work, usually with effort)

   dabūt kurpi kājā ― to get the shoes on (one's) feet

   dabūt logu vaļā ― to get the window open

   dabūt vārtus ciet ― to get the gates shut, closed

   dabūt skapi pa durvīm iekšā ― to get the cupboard in through the door

   dabūt kastei vāku nost ― to get the lid off the box

   dabūt bērnu gultā ― to get the child in bed

   dabūt prom ziņkārīgos ― to get the curious (to move) away

   dabūt rokas tīras ― to get (one's) hands clean

   dabūt cietušo pie samaņas ― to get the victim conscious (= to make him/her regain consciousness)

8. to get the chance, the opportunity (to do something)

   dabūt nosnausties ― to get (the chance) to take a nap

   dabūt dzirdēt jauno ziņu ― to get to hear the new message

   dabūt zināt ― to get to know

   viņš nedabūja nobeigt, jo mūsu meitenes sacēla tādu brēku, ka Ādolfam neatlika nekas cits kā iesākto domu pavedienu pārtraukt ― he didn't get to finish, because our girls raised such noise that Ādolfs had no choice but to stop (his) ongoing thread of thought

9. to get (to be subjected to some physical or emotional effect)

   dabūt triecienu ― to get a shock

   dabūt pļauku ― to get a slap

   dabūt pērienu ― to get a beating

   dabūt rājienu ― to get a reprimand

   dabūt sodu ― to get a punishment

   dabūt pa pirkstiem ― to get (= be hit) on the fingers

   es dabūju tādu belzienu pa kaklu, ka acīs man satumsa ― I got such a blow on the neck that my eyes (= vision) went black

   Māri, beidz pļāpāt muļķības! pateikšu vecmāmiņai, tad tu dabūsi! ― Māris, stop blabbering nonsense! I'll tell grandmother, then you will get it (= punishment)

10. to get (to be damaged, harmed by something)

    pulkstenis dabūjis triecienu ― the clock got a shock, a blow

11. (colloquial) to get to, to have to (to feel forced, pressured to do something)

    dabūju iet atpakaļ uz mājām ― I got to, had to go back home

    dabūju nogaidīt līdz vēlam vakaram ― I got to, had to wait until late at night

    par to man dabūsi samaksāt! ― for this you will get, have to pay me!

    zēns dabūjis uzdevumu pārrakstīt ― the boy got to, had to rewrite his task (= homework)

prefixed verbs: