dát

Dát is the infinitive of the Czech verb meaning to give. In Slovak the equivalent is dať. The verb is part of a family of Slavic cognates that express the act of giving, with related forms in other languages such as Polish dać and Russian дать (dat’). Dát is used for a one-time or completed act of giving and is classified as a perfective verb; its imperfective counterpart is dávat.

Conjugation and forms vary by language. In Czech, present forms are dám, dáš, dá, dáme, dáte, dají; the past tense is formed with a dependent participle and auxiliary, such as dal (masc), dala (fem), dali (plural). The imperative singular is dej, and the plural or formal imperative is dejte. In Slovak, the corresponding present forms are dám, dáš, dá, dáme, dáte, dajú, with differences in some endings due to language specifics. The imperfective form dávať exists in both languages as the ongoing or repeated act of giving (dávám, dávaš, dáva, dávame, dávate, dávajú in Slovak; similar Czech forms with dávat).

Usage notes include combining dát with a direct object, for example, dát někomu něco (to give someone something). It also appears in semi-idiomatic phrases such as dát si pauzu (to take a break) or dát najevo (to reveal or express). In contrast, the imperfective dávat emphasizes habitual or repeated giving. In other languages, the cognates function similarly, though exact forms and nuances differ.

Overall, dát is a core Czech verb for the act of giving, with a clear perfective/aspect contrast to the imperfective dávat and with cross-linguistic cognates across Slavic languages.