This is the 23rd most frequent Italian word.
ai
"Ai" in Italian is the contraction of "a" (to/at) + "i" (the, plural masculine), meaning "to the" or "at the."
The word 'ai' in this context is the contraction of 'a' (to) and 'i' (the, plural masculine), used to indicate the indirect object of the verb 'ho dato' (I gave).
Ho dato i compiti ai miei studenti.
I gave the homework to my students.
Here, 'ai' follows the same contraction rules and is used to connect the verb 'ho detto' (I said) with the indirect object 'i miei genitori' (my parents).
Ho detto di sì ai miei genitori.
I said yes to my parents.
In this sentence, 'ai' introduces the object of belief, combining 'a' (in) and 'i' (the, plural masculine) to point to 'tuoi sogni' (your dreams).