dóna

Dóna is the present indicative third-person singular form of the Catalan verb donar, meaning "to give." It is written with an acute accent on the o (dóna) to indicate stress, which distinguishes it from the noun dona, meaning "woman." The form dóna is specifically the verb form used when the subject is singular.

Etymology and related forms: Donar, the Catalan verb family to which dóna belongs, derives from Latin donare “to give.” In Catalan orthography, the verb forms are distinguished from the noun dona (woman) by the presence of the accent on the o in dóna. The verb’s present-tense paradigm includes dono, dones, dóna, donem, doneu, donen.

Conjugation and usage: In the present tense, the full set of forms for donar is: jo dono, tu dones, ell dóna, nosaltres donem, vosaltres doneu, ells donen. The third-person singular dóna means “he/she gives,” as in “Ella dóna diners a la caritat.” The verb can take a direct object referring to a gift, money, help, or other items.

Notes: The distinction between dóna and dona is orthographic and semantic: dóna is a verb form; dona without an accent is typically a noun meaning “woman.” The accent helps prevent confusion between these two common Catalan words in written text.

See also: donar, Catalan grammar, Catalan orthography.