dobtenir

Dobtenir is a verb that appears in some dialects or historical texts as an alternative form for the standard Catalan verb obtenir, meaning “to obtain” or “to acquire.” In contemporary Catalan, obtenir is the preferred and widely used infinitive; dobtenir is not listed as a separate, standard verb in major dictionaries.

Etymology and cognates: The verb obtaining its meaning from Latin obtinēre, from ob- “toward” plus tenēre “to hold.” It is cognate with the French obtenir and the Spanish obtener. The form with an initial d, as in dobtenir, is not widely attested in modern standard Catalan and may reflect historical spelling variation, phonetic change, or transcriptional irregularities rather than a distinct lexical item.

Usage and register: When dobtenir appears, it is typically in older or regional writing and is generally understood to mean the same as obtenir. In current use, writers and editors prefer obtenir, and dobtenir is rarely recommended for new texts. The constructions remain those of obtenir, with related verbs and phrases used to express acquisition or attainment (for example, obtenir una beca, “to obtain a scholarship”). Learners of Catalan are advised to use obtenir as the standard infinitive.

See also: obtenir, obtenció, obtenir (French), obtener (Spanish).