The Verb Dati for Permission
The verb dati ("to give") is frequently used as a permissive or causative verb meaning "to let" or "to allow".
| to let, allow | dati |
To express that someone is allowed (or not allowed) to do something, pair dati with an infinitive verb. The person receiving permission is placed in the dative case.
| The father does not let the teenager go out because he is disobedient. | Otac ne da tinejdžeru izaći jer je on neposlušan. |
This structure works in all tenses to set boundaries and household rules.
| I won't let you leave the room until you solve the task! | Neću ti dati izaći iz sobe dok ne riješiš zadatak! |
Using Dati with a Da Clause
Alternatively, follow dati with a da clause (da + present tense verb). The person receiving permission often remains in the dative case before the da clause.
| Parents will limit the internet in the household and won't let the children use it without supervision. | Roditelji će u kućanstvu ograničiti internet i neće djeci dati da ga koriste bez nadzora. |
You can also omit the dative and simply make that person the subject of the da clause.
| In this household, strict upbringing means that the parents do not let anyone doubt authority. | U ovom kućanstvu, strog odgoj znači da roditelji ne daju da itko sumnja u autoritet. |
The Double Da
Because the third-person singular present of dati is da, pairing it with a da clause puts the word da twice in a row. The first is the verb ("lets"), and the second is the conjunction ("that").
| A lenient teacher has no authority because he always lets the children play. | Popustljiv učitelj nema autoritet jer djeci uvijek da da se igraju. |
Dati in the Past Tense
When discussing the past, simply use the past tense of dati. The rest of the structure—whether you use an infinitive or a da clause—remains exactly the same.
| The mother did not let the child eat chocolate because she wanted to limit sugar for the sake of a healthy upbringing. | Majka nije dala djetetu jesti čokoladu jer je htjela ograničiti šećer zbog zdravog odgoja. |
| I would have punished him, but I am too lenient so I let him watch a film. | Bio bih ga kaznio, ali sam previše popustljiv pa sam mu dao da gleda film. |
