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Quem deve assumir a culpa é o meu colega.

Quem deve assumir a culpa é o meu colega.
The one who must assume the blame is my colleague.
From Lesson 312:Emphasizing the subject (quem... é/foi)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Quem deve assumir a culpa é o meu colega.

Why does this sentence start with Quem if it isn't asking a question?
In this structure, Quem doesn't mean "Who?" but rather "The one who" or "The person who". This is a special sentence pattern used to put a spotlight on the subject at the very end of the sentence, which in this case is o meu colega.
Could I just say O meu colega deve assumir a culpa instead?
Yes, that is completely correct and means "My colleague must assume the blame". However, starting with Quem deve assumir a culpa é... adds strong emphasis. It heavily singles out your colleague over anyone else, exactly like saying "The one who must take the blame is..." in English.
Is assumir a culpa the normal way to say "take the blame" in Portuguese?
Yes! While English speakers usually say "take the blame", the Portuguese equivalent uses the verb assumir (to assume or take on). The word culpa translates directly to "blame" or "guilt".
Just as a refresher, why is there an o in front of meu colega?
In European Portuguese, you generally must use a definite article (o, a, os, or as) before a possessive word like meu (my). So, to say "my colleague", you literally say "the my colleague" (o meu colega).

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