atribuar

Atribuar is a Portuguese verb meaning to attribute, assign, or credit something to someone or to a cause. It is used transitively with a direct object that represents what is being attributed, and with a recipient or source expressed by a prepositional phrase (for example, a alguém, a uma causa, à responsabilidade). The construction commonly appears as atribuir algo a alguém or atribuir a alguém algo, and in passive or impersonal voice as a culpa foi atribuída ao gerente.

Etymology and status: Atribuir derives from Latin attribuere, meaning to ascribe or to assign. The standard infinitive in contemporary Portuguese is atribuir. The form atribuar exists only sporadically and is generally considered nonstandard, regional, or archaic; most dictionaries and style guides prefer atribuir.

Usage notes: The verb spans several domains, including law, journalism, science, and management. It can denote assigning blame, authority, credit, or characteristics, as well as attributing non-physical qualities like meaning or value. Verbs such as atribuir can take both active and passive constructions, for example: "A autoridade atribuiu a responsabilidade à equipe" and "A culpa foi atribuída ao gerente." In impersonal use, one may say "Vale atribuir aos dados a veracidade da hipótese," though more common expressions tend to emphasize the source or person to whom something is attributed.

See also: related terms include atribuição (the act of attributing or assignment) and atribuidor (one who attributes). In many contexts, synonyms include creditar, atribuir crédito, e atribuir responsabilidade.