atingir

Atingir is a Portuguese verb with several related meanings, including to reach, to hit, to attain, and to achieve. It is used in both literal senses, such as atingir o alvo (to hit the target), and figurative ones, such as atingir metas or atingir um objetivo (to achieve goals or an objective). The verb can also express affecting or impacting someone or something, as in isso pode atingir a população.

Etymology and history: Atingir derives from the Latin attingere (to touch, to reach toward). It entered Portuguese through the Latin tradition and developed the modern set of senses related to reaching, achieving, and influencing.

Conjugation and forms: Atingir is a regular -ir verb with the stem ating-. In the present indicative, the standard forms are eu atinjo, tu atinges, ele/ela atinge, nós atingimos, vós atingis, eles atingem. The gerund is atingindo, and the past participle is atingido. Other tenses follow the regular -ir pattern, with standard variations according to person and number. The verb is widely used across Brazilian and European Portuguese, with regional preferences for some forms.

Usage notes: Atingir takes a direct object when used in the sense of reaching a target or achieving a goal (atingir o alvo, atingir metas). It can also be used transitively to express impact on people or things (isso pode atingir muitas pessoas). In everyday speech, it often appears in phrases about performance, outcomes, and measurements, as in atingir valores, atingir um recorde, or atingir uma audiência. In past tense, you commonly see atingiu (ele atingiu) and related forms.