How to Say "to attribute" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to attribute” is “atribuir” — B2 level.
Examples
Muchos expertos atribuyen el éxito a la constancia.
Many experts attribute the success to consistency.
No puedes atribuirle a ella toda la culpa del error.
You can't blame her for the whole mistake.
Esta obra se atribuye a un pintor anónimo del siglo XVII.
This work is attributed to an anonymous 17th-century painter.
The 'Y' Rule
For verbs ending in '-uir', the 'i' changes to a 'y' when it sounds like it's stuck between two other vowels (e.g., 'atribuyo' instead of 'atribuio').
Connecting with 'a'
Always use the word 'a' to connect what you are attributing to the person or thing receiving the credit/blame.
Spelling it with 'i'
Mistake: “Yo atribuio.”
Correction: Yo atribuyo. Remember that between two vowels, the 'i' becomes a 'y'.
Missing the recipient link
Mistake: “Atribuyo el problema el clima.”
Correction: Atribuyo el problema AL clima. You need the 'a' to show where the attribution is going.
Related Translations
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