Quick answer
Alegar presents a claim or justification, often open to verification; afirmar presents a statement as definite.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
alegar
to allege or cite as a reason
Use alegar for presenting a claim, defense, or justification that may still need proof.
afirmar
to state or assert
Use afirmar for expressing something positively and with confidence.
How to choose
- alegar: Choose alegar if the sentence points to presenting a claim, defense, or justification that may still need proof.
- afirmar: Choose afirmar if the sentence points to expressing something positively and with confidence.
Examples
A empresa alegou que cumpriu o contrato.
The company claimed that it fulfilled the contract.
A diretora afirmou que o prazo será mantido.
The director stated that the deadline will be maintained.
Common trap
The verb alone does not decide truth. Alegar signals argumentative status, while afirmar signals the speaker’s assertive stance.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with alegar, then once with afirmar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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