This is the 56th most frequent Italian word.
dai
"Dai" means "Come on!" or "Go on!" and can also mean "from the" (preposition + article).
Here, 'dai' is used as an interjection to encourage or urge someone to do something quickly.
Dai, sbrigati o perderemo il treno!
Come on, hurry up or we will miss the train!
In this sentence, 'dai' is used to refer to duties or taxes, though this is considered an archaic use in modern language.
Mio padre mi ha parlato dei dai che esistevano come obbligo in passato.
My father talked to me about duties that existed as obligations in the past.
Here, 'dai' is used as a discourse particle to suggest or softly urge an action, creating a collaborative and friendly tone.