Asumir Examples, Sentences & Quiz in Spanish

asumir means “to assume” in English, and this page shows you how it actually sounds in everyday Spanish — not just the conjugation table, but the verb in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make with it. Asumir means to assume, and it covers assuming a responsibility, assuming a cost, assuming a role and assuming that something is true. It is a formal verb of work, politics and reasoning, and it is a regular -ir verb. Below you will find twelve example sentences grouped by tense, two short dialogues, the most common mistakes with corrections, and a ten-question quiz with explained answers. If you want the full tables first, start with the full conjugation of asumir; if you want to study one tense in depth, see the asumir present tense page.

asumir in everyday use: examples with translations

In the present

Four sentences with asumir in the present tense, for habits, facts and things happening right now.

  1. Yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto. — I assume responsibility for the project.
  2. Él/Ella asume el coste de la reparación. — He assumes the cost of the repair.
  3. Nosotros/as asumimos el papel de portavoz. — We assume the role of spokesperson.
  4. Ellos/as asumen que todo saldrá bien. — They assume that everything will turn out well.

In the past

Four sentences with asumir in the past: the preterite for finished actions and the imperfect for habits and background.

  1. Ayer, Yo asumí el papel de portavoz. — Yesterday, I assumed the role of spokesperson.
  2. Antes, Nosotros/as asumíamos que todo saldrá bien. — Before, We used to assume that everything will turn out well.
  3. Ayer, Él/Ella asumió la responsabilidad del proyecto. — Yesterday, He assumed responsibility for the project.
  4. De niños, Ellos/as asumían el coste de la reparación. — As children, They used to assume the cost of the repair.

Plans, hopes and wishes

Four sentences with asumir in the future, the conditional, the subjunctive and the present perfect — for plans, hypotheticals and things that have just happened.

  1. Mañana, Tú asumirás la responsabilidad del proyecto. — Tomorrow, You will assume responsibility for the project.
  2. Yo asumiría el coste de la reparación. — I would assume the cost of the repair.
  3. Espero que él asuma el papel de portavoz. — I hope he assumes the role of spokesperson.
  4. Él/Ella ha asumido que todo saldrá bien. — He has assumed that everything will turn out well.

asumir in context: two short dialogues

Making plans

Ana: ¿Tú asumes la responsabilidad del proyecto mañana? — Are you going to assume responsibility for the project tomorrow? Luis: Sí, yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto todos los días. — Yes, I assume responsibility for the project every day. Ana: ¿Y mañana asumirás el coste de la reparación? — And tomorrow, will you assume the cost of the repair? Luis: Claro, mañana asumiré el coste de la reparación sin falta. — Of course, tomorrow I will assume the cost of the repair without fail. Ana: Perfecto. Yo asumiré el papel de portavoz también. — Perfect. I will assume the role of spokesperson too. Luis: Entonces quedamos mañana. ¡Hasta luego! — Then see you tomorrow. Bye!

Yesterday

Ana: ¿Qué hiciste ayer? — What did you do yesterday? Luis: Ayer asumí el papel de portavoz. — Yesterday, I assumed the role of spokesperson. Ana: ¿Y antes asumías que todo saldrá bien? — And before, did you use to assume that everything will turn out well? Luis: Sí, antes asumía que todo saldrá bien todos los días. — Yes, before, I used to assume that everything will turn out well every day. Ana: ¿Y tus hermanos asumieron la responsabilidad del proyecto? — And did your brothers assumed responsibility for the project? Luis: Sí, ellos asumieron la responsabilidad del proyecto por la tarde. — Yes, they assumed responsibility for the project in the afternoon.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo asume la responsabilidad del proyecto. — Right: Yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto. — The person matters: asume is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is asumo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Treating asumir and suponer as identical in every context. — Right: Asumir means to assume, while suponer means to suppose something. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: asumir fits sentences such as Asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto, while suponer belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  3. Wrong: Yo soy asumido el coste de la reparación. — Right: Yo he asumido el coste de la reparación. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he asumido, has asumido, ha asumido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  4. Wrong: De niño, yo asumí el papel de portavoz todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo asumía el papel de portavoz todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (asumía), not the preterite. The preterite (asumí) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on asumir in use. Choose the right answer, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Ellos/as ___ que todo saldrá bien. (present tense) A. asumen B. asumo C. asumes D. asume

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, Nosotros/as ___ la responsabilidad del proyecto. (preterite tense) A. asumí B. asumiste C. asumió D. asumimos

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, Tú ___ el coste de la reparación. (imperfect tense) A. asumíamos B. asumíais C. asumías D. asumía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, Él/Ella ___ el papel de portavoz. (future tense) A. asumiremos B. asumirá C. asumiré D. asumirás

  5. Complete the sentence: Nosotros/as ___ que todo saldrá bien. (conditional tense) A. asumiríamos B. asumiría C. asumirías D. asumiríais

  6. Complete the sentence: Hoy, Yo ___ la responsabilidad del proyecto. (present-perfect tense) A. has asumido B. ha asumido C. hemos asumido D. he asumido

  7. What does asumir mean in English? A. to disturb B. to address as tú C. to assume D. to suppose something

  8. Which of these sentences is WRONG? A. Ayer, Yo asumí el papel de portavoz. B. Yo asume la responsabilidad del proyecto. C. Yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto. D. Él/Ella asume el coste de la reparación.

  9. Which is the gerund of asumir, used with estar for the progressive? A. asumiendo B. asumido C. asumo D. asumí

  10. Which is the past participle of asumir, used with haber in the perfect tenses? A. asumiendo B. asumo C. asumí D. asumido

Answer key

  1. asumen — The correct form here is asumen.
  2. asumimos — The correct form here is asumimos.
  3. asumías — The correct form here is asumías.
  4. asumirá — The correct form here is asumirá.
  5. asumiríamos — The correct form here is asumiríamos.
  6. he asumido — The correct form here is he asumido.
  7. to assume — Asumir means to assume. Suponer means to suppose something, which is a different verb.
  8. Yo asume la responsabilidad del proyecto. — The first sentence is wrong: the correct form is Yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto.. The person matters: asume is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is asumo. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  9. asumiendo — The gerund of asumir is asumiendo: estoy asumiendo.
  10. asumido — The past participle of asumir is asumido: he asumido, has asumido, ha asumido.

Frequently asked questions

What does asumir mean?

Asumir means to assume. Asumir means to assume, and it covers assuming a responsibility, assuming a cost, assuming a role and assuming that something is true. It is a formal verb of work, politics and reasoning, and it is a regular -ir verb.

When do people use asumir most?

People use asumir most in everyday situations such as Yo asumo la responsabilidad del proyecto. and Ayer, Yo asumí el papel de portavoz.. Learn the present tense first, then the preterite and the imperfect, since those are the forms you will hear most often.

What is the difference between asumir and suponer?

Asumir means to assume, while suponer means to suppose something. They appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable — check the meaning you want before you choose.

How can I remember the forms of asumir?

Practise the present tense table first, then add the preterite and the imperfect. Use the full conjugation of asumir as your reference, the asumir present tense page for one tense in depth, and the Spanish Verb Quiz to test yourself.

Related links