ਦੱਸੋ

What does dasso mean in Punjabi?

Dasso (ਦੱਸੋ) means 'tell' in Punjabi. It is the polite way of asking someone to tell you something, used with elders, strangers, or a group, and it comes from the verb dassna, 'to tell'. You will hear it in questions such as 'mainu dasso', tell me, and in requests such as 'apna naam dasso', tell me your name.

Where does dasso come from?

Dasso comes from the verb dassna (ਦੱਸਣਾ), meaning 'to tell', 'to say' or 'to explain'. Wiktionary traces dassna to Prakrit daṃsei and Sanskrit darśáyati, 'to show', from the root dṛś, 'to see'. The link is easy to follow: telling someone something is a way of showing them what you know. The verb's stem is dass, and dasso is the stem with the polite ending o added.

How do you use dasso politely?

Punjabi changes the verb ending to show respect. With tu, the familiar 'you' used for a close friend or a child, the command is the bare stem: dass, tell. With tusi, the polite 'you' used for elders and strangers, and for any group, the command is dasso. For still more respect, add ji after it, as in 'dasso ji', or begin with kirpa karke, 'please', as in 'kirpa karke dasso'. To ask someone not to tell something, put na after the verb: 'na dasso', do not tell.

What is the difference between dasso and dassna?

Dassna is the dictionary form of the verb, the infinitive 'to tell', while dasso is one of its command forms. You use dassna when you talk about telling in general, as in 'mainu dassna hai', I have to tell, and dasso when you ask someone directly to tell you something. The same form dasso also appears in the future and the subjunctive with tusi, as in 'tusi dasso ge', you will tell, so it is worth recognising in more than one place.