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contado

kon-TAH-doh/konˈtaðo/

counted, told

Also: related
A single adult hand pointing at a small, neat row of five colorful wooden blocks, illustrating the action of counting or tallying.
infinitivecontar
gerundcontando
past Participlecontado

📝 In Action

Necesito saber si el dinero está contado.

A2

I need to know if the money has been counted.

Esa es una historia muy contada en mi familia.

B1

That is a very often-told story in my family.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • numerado (numbered)
  • relatado (related/narrated)

Common Collocations

  • tener el tiempo contado – to have limited time

cash, upfront

Two cartoon hands meeting over a counter, one hand is placing a small stack of colorful bills into the palm of the other hand, symbolizing a cash payment.

📝 In Action

Si pagas al contado, te hacemos un descuento.

B1

If you pay in cash, we'll give you a discount.

La venta fue hecha al contado.

B2

The sale was made in cash (paid upfront).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • en efectivo (in cash)
  • directo (direct)

Antonyms

  • a plazos (in installments)

Common Collocations

  • pago al contado – cash payment

scarce, few

Also: numbered
AdjectivemB2formal
A vast, empty field of green grass with only three small, isolated flowers blooming far apart, visually representing scarcity.

📝 In Action

Los recursos naturales del planeta son contados.

B2

The planet's natural resources are scarce (limited).

Su tiempo en la empresa estaba contado.

C1

His time at the company was numbered.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • escaso (scarce)
  • limitado (limited)

Antonyms

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: contado

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'contado' in the financial sense?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

'Contado' comes from the Latin verb *computare*, meaning 'to compute' or 'to calculate.' This explains both the modern Spanish meaning of counting numbers and the financial use ('al contado').

First recorded: 13th century (as part of the verb *contar*)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: contadoFrench: compter

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'contado' the same as 'cuenta'?

No. 'Contado' is the form of the verb 'to count' or 'to tell' (the past participle). 'Cuenta' is the noun form, meaning 'account,' 'bill,' or 'the count' itself.

How do I say 'in cash'?

Always use the full phrase 'al contado' or 'en efectivo'. You cannot use 'contado' by itself to mean cash.