drīkstēt

From an earlier drīstēt (still dialectally attested) with an epenthetic k, the intensive form of an older verb *drīst, from a stem *drīs-, from Proto-Baltic *drins-, from the (nasalized) zero grade form *dʰr̥ns- of the Proto-Indo-European stem *dʰers-, *dʰres-, *dʰros- (“to dare, to be brave, to attack”) (whence also Latvian drošs (“brave, safe, sure”), q.v.). Cognates include Lithuanian drį̇̃sti, Sanskrit धृष्णोति (dhṛṣṇóti, “to be brave, to be courageous, to dare”).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [dɾìːkstɛ̂ːt]

• Audio:

  (file)

drīkstēt (transitive, 3rd conjugation, present drīkstu, drīksti, drīkst, past drīkstēju)

1. may; be allowed, authorized, have the right (to do something)

   vai drīkstu ienākt? ― may I come in?

   vai tu drīksti iet peldēt? ― are you allowed to go swimming?

   tu nedrīksti to darīt ― you may not, are not allowed to do that

   slimnieks vēl nedrīkst celties ― the patient is not allowed to get up yet

   vai nu es drīkstēju tos kokus cirst, un tad man nekas nav jāmaksā, vai es viņus nedrīkstēju cirst, un tad es esmu zaglis? ― either I was allowed, had the right to cut (down) those trees, and then I don't have to pay anything, or then I was not allowed, didn't have the right to cut (them), and then I am a thief?

2. can; to be possible, desirable

   tu esi jau pieaudzis, tāpēc es domāju, ka drīkstu to atstāstīt ― you are already a grownup, so I think that I now may, am allowed to retell it (= tell that story again)

   Ozols saprata, ka ilgāk nedrīkst vilcināties, jāatklāj sapulce, kaut arī reģistrācija vēl nebija sagatavota ― Ozols understood that he could not hesitate any longer, it was necessary to open the meeting, even though the registration had not yet been prepared

3. to dare, to encourage oneself (to do something)

   vai drīkstētu viņu traucēt, ieiet izrunāties? ― would he have time (lit. could he be disturbed) to be visited to talk it over?

   arī pats Bite nebija nekāds runātājs, bet tā iedresēts, ka sievas un meitas klātbūtnē drīkstēja tikai piebalsot ― by himself Bite wasn't a big talker, and he was trained in such a way that in the presence of his wife and daughter he dared only agree

• uzdrīkstēt, uzdrīkstēties