asumir
“asumir” means “to take on” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to take on, to assumeAlso: to undertake, to shoulder
📝 In Action
Ella asumió el liderazgo del equipo la semana pasada.
B1She took on the leadership of the team last week.
Si cometes un error, debes asumir la responsabilidad.
B2If you make a mistake, you must assume the responsibility.
Word Connections
to accept, to come to terms withAlso: to face
📝 In Action
Le costó mucho asumir la derrota después del partido.
B2It was very hard for him to accept the defeat after the game.
Ella tuvo que asumir que el proyecto no funcionaría.
C1She had to accept that the project wouldn't work.
Word Connections
to presume, to suppose
📝 In Action
Asumo que ya habrás leído el informe completo.
C1I presume you will have read the complete report by now.
Podemos asumir que el clima afectará el tráfico.
C1We can assume that the weather will affect traffic.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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Words that translate to "asumir" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: asumir
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'asumir' in the sense of 'to accept a difficult reality'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Latin verb *assumere*, which is a combination of *ad-* (meaning 'to' or 'toward') and *sumere* (meaning 'to take'). So, the original meaning is literally 'to take something toward oneself,' which perfectly reflects its modern usage of taking on a role or responsibility.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'asumir' the same as the English word 'assume'?
Yes, but be careful. While 'asumir' can mean 'to presume' (like the English 'assume'), it is far more commonly used in Spanish to mean 'to take on a responsibility or role,' which is a slightly different nuance than the primary meaning of 'assume' in English.
How do I choose between 'asumir' and 'suponer'?
Use 'asumir' when the action involves taking something upon yourself (a job, a consequence, a challenge). Use 'suponer' when you are simply making a guess or an intellectual deduction ('I suppose that...').