# dabūt
## Latvian
### Etymology

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”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [dabûːt]
* Audio:(file)

### Verb

dabūt (transitive, 2nd conjugation, present dabūju, dabū, dabū, past dabūju)
* 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
* 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
* to get, to buy
    loterijas biļetes var dabūt visās iestādēs, uzņēmumos ― one can get lotery tickets in all institutions (and) enterprises
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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)
* 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
* 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)
* to get (to be damaged, harmed by something)
    pulkstenis dabūjis triecienu ― the clock got a shock, a blow
* (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)

#### Derived terms

    prefixed verbs:
* aizdabūt
* apdabūt
* atdabūt
* iedabūt
* izdabūt
* nodabūt
* padabūt
* pārdabūt
* piedabūt
* sadabūt
* uzdabūt

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “dabūt”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN