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atribuir

ah-tree-bwee-ratɾiˈβwiɾ

“atribuir” means “to attribute” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to attribute

Also: to credit, to blame
VerbB2irregular spelling change ir
A hand pointing a wooden arrow at a painter standing next to a canvas.
gerundatribuyendo
past Participleatribuido
infinitiveatribuir

📝 In Action

Muchos expertos atribuyen el éxito a la constancia.

B2

Many experts attribute the success to consistency.

No puedes atribuirle a ella toda la culpa del error.

B2

You can't blame her for the whole mistake.

Esta obra se atribuye a un pintor anónimo del siglo XVII.

C1

This work is attributed to an anonymous 17th-century painter.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • asignar (to assign)
  • achacar (to blame/impute (often negative))
  • imputar (to impute/charge)

Antonyms

  • negar (to deny)
  • desvincular (to disconnect/dissociate)

Common Collocations

  • atribuir el éxito a – to attribute success to
  • atribuir la autoría – to credit authorship
  • atribuir propiedades – to assign properties/qualities

to bestow

Also: to confer, to vest
VerbC1irregular spelling change irformal
A queen placing a golden crown on a knight's head.
gerundatribuyendo
past Participleatribuido
infinitiveatribuir

📝 In Action

La ley le atribuye facultades especiales al director.

C1

The law bestows special powers upon the director.

Se le atribuyen funciones de supervisión al comité.

C1

Supervisory functions are conferred upon the committee.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • atribuir competencias – to assign responsibilities/jurisdiction
  • atribuir facultades – to confer powers

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoatribuyera
túatribuyeras
él/ella/ustedatribuyera
nosotrosatribuyéramos
vosotrosatribuyerais
ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuyeran

Present Subjunctive

yoatribuya
túatribuyas
él/ella/ustedatribuya
nosotrosatribuyamos
vosotrosatribuyáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuyan

Indicative

Preterite

yoatribuí
túatribuiste
él/ella/ustedatribuyó
nosotrosatribuimos
vosotrosatribuisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuyeron

Imperfect

yoatribuía
túatribuías
él/ella/ustedatribuía
nosotrosatribuíamos
vosotrosatribuíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuían

Present

yoatribuyo
túatribuyes
él/ella/ustedatribuye
nosotrosatribuimos
vosotrosatribuís
ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuyen
View All Tenses & Moods →

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✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: atribuir

Question 1 of 3

Which is the correct way to say 'I attribute' in the present tense?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
atributo(attribute/quality) — Noun
atribución(attribution/power) — Noun
atribuible(attributable) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'attribuere', which is made of 'ad' (towards) and 'tribuere' (to assign or divide among tribes). It literally means to give something to someone as their share.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: attributeFrench: attribuerItalian: attribuire

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'atribuir' always mean something positive?

No, it is neutral. You can attribute success to hard work (positive) or a failure to bad luck (negative).

How do I know when to use the 'y'?

A good rule of thumb is that if the 'i' would be between two vowels during conjugation, swap it for a 'y'. For example: 'atribu-i-endo' becomes 'atribuyendo'.

Is 'atribuir' the same as 'dar'?

They are related, but 'atribuir' is more specific. While 'dar' is just 'to give', 'atribuir' means to specifically point out where something came from or to officially assign a role.