What do the Basque verb forms da, du, and dio express?

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In the Basque language, finite verbs function as a summary of the sentence's noun phrases by inflecting for tense, person, number, and mood. The forms da, du, and dio express the following meanings:

  • da: translates to "is."
  • du: translates to "he has it."
  • dio: translates to "he has it for him" (or "he gives it to him").

These forms illustrate the language's ability to incorporate multiple personal references—such as subject, direct object, and indirect object—directly into the verb structure.1