atribuísssem

atribuísssem is a conjugated form of the Portuguese verb atribuir, in the subjunctive imperfect mood (subjuntivo imperfeito). It corresponds to the third-person plural and is used in hypothetical or non-real past contexts, typically in subordinate clauses introduced by if clauses (se) or conditions (caso). The form expresses doubt, possibility, or attribution about a past event.

Morphology and variants: the standard imperfect subjunctive ending for this verb yields forms such as atribuíssem (eles atribuíssem). Some texts show an alternative spelling with a longer cluster, atribuísssem, though standard dictionaries usually list the former as the normative form in contemporary usage. Both stems are derived from atribui-, the root of atribuir, with the endings of the imperfect subjunctive (-íssem) attached to form the third-person plural.

Usage notes: as with other subjunctive forms, atribuísssem is used in clauses that express unreality, conjecture, or subjectivity in the past. It is common after conditional expressions or in reported speech that reflects a hypothetical attribution in the past.

Examples:

- Se eles atribuíssem o crédito à pesquisa de outra equipe, a reputação do grupo mudaria. (If they attributed the credit to another team, the group's reputation would change.)

- Caso os investigadores atribuíssem os resultados aos dados limpos, o artigo ganharia aceitabilidade. (If the researchers attributed the results to the clean data, the paper would gain acceptability.)

Etymology: from atribuir, derived from Latin attribuere, meaning to assign or allot.

See also: atribuição, conjugações do verbo atribuir, subjuntivo imperfeito.