Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Assumir often means take on or admit. Presumir is the clearer verb for presume.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
assumir
to assume, take on, or admit
Use assumir for taking responsibility, taking office, admitting something, or supposing in context.
presumir
to presume
Use presumir for supposing something from probability or legal presumption.
How to choose
- assumir: Choose assumir if the sentence points to taking responsibility, taking office, admitting something, or supposing in context.
- presumir: Choose presumir if the sentence points to supposing something from probability or legal presumption.
Examples
Ela assumiu a culpa.
She accepted the blame.
Presumo que ele ja saiba.
I presume he already knows.
Common trap
English "assume" is not always assumir. Many times achar, supor, or presumir is better.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with assumir, then once with presumir. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.