creditar

Credit ar is a Portuguese verb used to describe the act of placing funds into an account, as well as the act of attributing an achievement or action to someone. In financial contexts it is commonly used to indicate that an amount has been added to a balance, for example, a bank may credit a customer’s account. In accounting, creditar denotes recording a credit entry, which affects the right-hand side of accounts. Beyond finance, the verb is also used to mean attributing or ascribing something to someone, such as crediting a colleague with the project’s success or giving someone due credit for an idea.

Etymology and related forms: creditar derives from Latin creditum, meaning a loan or something entrusted, itself from credere, “to believe” or “to entrust.” The noun crédito (credit) and related terms such as credor (creditor) and credibilidade (credibility) share the same root. The verb is regular in its conjugation, with standard forms in the present tense such as eu credito, tu creditas, ele credita, nós creditamos, eles creditam; and past forms such as creditou and creditavam.

Usage notes: In banking and accounting, creditar is used with direct objects like a conta (the account) or a valores (amounts). In attribution contexts, it is common to say "creditar alguém com algo" or, more idiomatically, "dar crédito a alguém" to acknowledge a person's role or contribution. While the exact nuance can vary by country, the general meaning centers on adding value, trust, or acknowledgment to the recipient.

See also: crédito, credor, credibilidade, credenciamento.