assumere

Assumere is a transitive Italian verb with several related senses. It is used to mean taking on or accepting a role, responsibility, or position (for example, assuming a job or a leadership role); to hire or engage someone (assumere personale); to ingest or take a substance, such as medicine or vitamins; and to suppose or assume in formal reasoning (assumere che qualcuno sia d’accordo).

Etymology and related forms. The verb derives from Latin assumere, formed with ad- “toward” and sumere “to take.” It shares cognates with other Romance languages, such as French assumer and Spanish asumir. The noun assunzione denotes the act of hiring, the act of taking on responsibility, or the act of ingestion, and the adjective assuntivo is used in specific technical contexts.

Conjugation and usage notes. Assumere is a regular -ere verb in many of its forms, though its past participle is irregular in form: assunto. Present indicative forms are io assumo, tu assumi, lui/lei assume, noi assumiamo, voi assumete, loro assumono. The passato prossimo uses avere: ho assunto, hai assunto, ha assunto, abbiamo assunto, avete assunto, hanno assunto. Other tenses follow standard -ere verb patterns: assumo/assumevo/assumerò, with present subjunctive assuma, assumed person forms, and imperative: assumi, assuma, assumiamo, assumete, assumano.

Common usages and examples. You can hire someone: “L’azienda ha assunto nuovi dipendenti.” Take on responsibility: “Assumere la responsabilità.” In medicine or nutrition: “assumere una compressa.” In reasoning: “Assumiamo che i dati siano corretti.” The noun assunzione often means recruitment or the act of taking something into the body, depending on context.

See also. Assunzione, assuntivo, assumere versus supposare (to suppose) in formal writing.