Questions & Answers about Dam jej ten bukiet.
Why do we use the Dative jej here instead of dla niej (for her)?
The verb dać (to give) involves a direct transfer of an object to a receiver, which always requires the Dative case (jej). You use dla + Genitive (dla niej) when you do a favor or get something for someone. If you said Mam dla niej ten bukiet (I have this bouquet for her), you would use dla, but the physical act of giving it to someone directly uses the Dative.
Is dam in the present or future tense?
It is future tense. Dać (to give) is a perfective verb, meaning it focuses on a single completed action. When you conjugate a perfective verb using present-tense endings, it actually creates the future tense. So dam means I will give. The present tense (I am giving) would use the imperfective verb dawać, making it daję.
Doesn't the thing being given need to be in the Accusative case? Why is it just ten bukiet?
It is in the Accusative case! Bukiet is a masculine inanimate noun. For masculine inanimate nouns (objects, not people or animals), the Accusative case form looks exactly the same as the basic Nominative dictionary form. That is why ten bukiet does not change its ending here.
Can I change the word order to Dam ten bukiet jej?