Dëmto

Dëmto is an Albanian verb meaning to harm or damage. It is used to describe the act of causing injury, impairment, or degradation to a person, an object, or an abstract entity such as health, property, the environment, or reputation. The term derives from the noun dëm, which means harm or damage, combined with a productive verb stem in Albanian morphology. The past participle form is dëmtuar, which is used in perfect and passive constructions (for example, “është dëmtuar” meaning “has been damaged”).

Usage and grammar notes can vary by dialect, but dëmto is typically employed as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object to indicate what is harmed. It can also appear in passive voice or with auxiliary verbs to express different tenses and aspects. In everyday language, media discourse, and legal or policy contexts, the word frames the outcome of harmful actions or events, including physical harm, material damage, environmental impact, or reputational injury.

Related terms include dëm (harm, damage) and dëmtim (damage or injury), which help form a broader semantic field around harm and its consequences. The concept of dëmto is often discussed alongside measures for prevention, mitigation, and accountability in contexts ranging from health and safety to environmental protection and consumer rights.

See also dëm, dëmtim, dëmtues.