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atribuir

ah-tree-bwee-r/atɾiˈβwiɾ/

“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

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

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

present

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

indicative

preterite

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

imperfect

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

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesatribuyen
yoatribuyo
túatribuyes
vosotrosatribuís
nosotrosatribuimos
él/ella/ustedatribuye
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.