To attribute means to assign the cause, authorship, or a quality to someone or something. It is used when we say who is responsible for something or what a result is due to. In many contexts it is translated as 'assign', 'credit', or 'ascribe' in English. It can also be used to indicate to whom an action or a saying is attributed.

Atribuir is a regular verb in imperfect and future, but it is irregular in present, preterite and subjunctive because it adds an accented i or changes the vocalization for orthographic reasons. It belongs to the third conjugation and is conjugated like construir in irregular tenses. The participle form is atribuido.

In the present indicative, the yo and tú forms maintain regular pronunciation, and the spelling protects the pronunciation of the u. It is used for habitual facts, opinions and general statements. The nosotros form is regular and does not add a -y.

In the simple past (preterite), the root changes to 'atribuí-' in the first person and to 'atribuyó' in the third person singular to maintain pronunciation and the accent rules. It is used for completed actions in the past. The plural forms keep 'atribui-' without the acute accent.

The past participle is 'atribuido' and is used with 'haber' to form perfect tenses. It also functions as an adjective when describing something that has been assigned or recognized. It does not change form for subject because it is regular.

In the present subjunctive, the yo and tú forms appear in singular and third-person plural to maintain pronunciation. It is used for expressions of doubt, desire, evaluation or influence. We and you all are regular forms within the subjunctive pattern.

Atribuir usually goes with a direct object and with 'a' to indicate to whom something is attributed. It can also go with 'a' to indicate the cause or reason associated with a result. The preposition 'a' marks the recipient of the attribution or the perceived cause.

In formal contexts, attribution is used to assign the authorship of a work, a saying, or an action. In everyday contexts, it is used to explain why something happened, pointing to a cause. The interpretation depends on whether the complement introduces a person or a factor.

Attribution often sounds more objective or analytical than blaming, because it can include explanations without judgement. In journalistic and academic texts it is used to indicate that information is associated with a source, sometimes with prudence. In conversation, attribution can alternate with thinking or believing when interpreting a cause.

Atribuir is conjugated with -y in present and subjunctive, and with -í in the preterite to maintain pronunciation. It is used with 'a' to introduce the person or the cause to which something is attributed. The precise use depends on the context: authorship, cause, or explanation of a result.