conté
/kon-TAY/
I counted
Visualizing 'I counted': The act of determining the total number of objects.
conté(verb)
I counted
?to determine the total number
I tallied
?formal counting
📝 In Action
Conté veinte personas en la sala.
A1I counted twenty people in the room.
Conté el dinero antes de guardarlo.
A2I counted the money before putting it away.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Yo' Form Past Tense
The accent mark on 'conté' is vital. It tells you this is the 'yo' (I) form in the simple past, meaning the action is finished.
Preterite vs. Imperfect
'Conté' (preterite) is used for a single, completed action in the past, like counting a specific set of items once.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Missing the Accent
Mistake: "Conte"
Correction: Conté. Without the accent, 'conte' is a form of the subjunctive (a special verb form used for wishes or doubts).
⭐ Usage Tips
Remember the Root
The infinitive is 'contar.' If you remember the 'ar' pattern for simple past, the 'yo' form is always '-é' (e.g., 'hablé,' 'bailé,' 'conté').
Visualizing 'I told': The action of narrating a story or sharing information.
conté(verb)
I told
?to narrate or inform
I recounted
?formal narrative
,I narrated
?storytelling
📝 In Action
Le conté toda la historia anoche.
A2I told him/her the whole story last night.
Conté mi secreto solo a mi mejor amiga.
B1I told my secret only to my best friend.
💡 Grammar Points
Using Indirect Objects
When you 'tell' something to someone, you often need an extra little word like 'le' or 'les' before the verb: 'Le conté' (I told him/her).
Two Main Meanings
Remember 'contar' means both 'to count' and 'to tell.' The context (numbers vs. stories) usually makes the meaning clear.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Contar' and 'Decir'
Mistake: "Usar 'Decir' para narrar historias largas."
Correction: 'Contar' is better for long narratives or stories, while 'decir' is usually for short statements or direct quotes.
⭐ Usage Tips
Telling a Story
Use 'conté' when you start a story or narrative, since it refers to the single completed action of delivering the information.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: conté
Question 1 of 2
Which English sentence correctly uses the 'counting' meaning of 'conté'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'contar' sometimes change to 'cuento' in the present tense?
'Contar' is a 'boot verb' or 'stem-changing verb.' This means that in the present tense, the 'o' in the middle changes to 'ue' when the stress falls on that part of the word (like in 'yo cuento'). However, in the past tense ('conté'), it goes back to 'o' and acts like a regular verb.
How do I say 'I was counting' instead of 'I counted'?
'Conté' means 'I counted' (a finished action). If you want to say 'I was counting' (an ongoing action in the past), you would use the imperfect tense: 'Yo contaba'.