contárselo
kon-TAR-seh-lo
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Tengo un gran secreto y quiero contárselo.
A2I have a big secret and I want to tell it to her.
Si descubres la verdad, vas a contárselo a tus padres.
B1If you find out the truth, you are going to tell it to your parents.
¿Puedes contárselo tú? A mí me da vergüenza.
B1Can you tell it to them? I'm embarrassed.
💡 Grammar Points
Why the 'se'?
Spanish changes 'le' (to him/her) to 'se' when it's right before 'lo' (it) to avoid a repetitive 'l' sound. It's much easier to say 'se lo' than 'le lo'.
The Accent Mark
When you attach little words like 'se' and 'lo' to the end of a verb, the word gets longer. We add an accent to the original 'a' in 'contar' to make sure we still emphasize the right syllable.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't say 'contárlelo'
Mistake: "Me gustaría contárlelo."
Correction: Me gustaría contárselo.
⭐ Usage Tips
Word Order
In 'contárselo', the order is always Person (se) then Thing (lo). You are telling the PERSON the THING.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: contárselo
Question 1 of 1
What does the 'lo' in 'contárselo' represent?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'contárselo' mean telling a secret to 'them' (plural)?
Yes! The 'se' in 'contárselo' is very flexible. It can mean to him, to her, to you (formal), or even to them.