contarle
“contarle” means “to tell him/her” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to tell him/her, to tell you (formal)
Also: to narrate to him/her
📝 In Action
Quiero contarle un secreto importante.
A1I want to tell him/her an important secret.
Es mejor no contarle toda la verdad todavía.
A2It's better not to tell him/her the whole truth yet.
¿Puedes contarle lo que pasó en la reunión?
A1Can you tell him/her what happened at the meeting?
to count for him/her, to count for you (formal)
Also: to include him/her
📝 In Action
Necesito contarle las monedas que recogimos.
B1I need to count the coins we collected for him/her.
Después de contarle las ovejas, el niño se durmió.
B2After counting the sheep for him, the child fell asleep.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: contarle
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'contarle' in the sense of 'to count'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin verb *computāre*, meaning 'to count' or 'to calculate'. This root gave rise to both the Spanish meaning of 'to count' and, through the sense of 'recount' or 'enumerate details', the meaning of 'to tell a story'.
First recorded: Around the 13th century (in its modern form).
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'contarle' have an accent mark but 'contar' doesn't?
The accent mark is added when you attach a pronoun like 'le' to an infinitive verb (like 'contar'). It ensures the stress stays on the last syllable of the verb, just like in the original form, helping you pronounce it correctly.
Is 'contarle' always used with the indirect object pronoun 'le'?
Yes. The 'le' in 'contarle' is mandatory and means 'to him,' 'to her,' or 'to formal you.' If you just want to say 'to tell' without specifying who, you would use the simple infinitive 'contar' (e.g., 'Contar es fácil').