contó
/con-TOH/
told
In this context, 'contó' means 'told' (narrated a story or information).
contó(Verb (Past Tense))
told
?narrated a story or information
recounted
?formally narrated
,shared
?shared a secret or information
📝 In Action
Ella nos contó un secreto anoche.
A1She told us a secret last night.
¿Qué le contó usted sobre el viaje?
A2What did you (formal) tell him about the trip?
El presentador contó una anécdota divertida.
B1The host recounted a funny anecdote.
💡 Grammar Points
The Preterite Tense
This form ('contó') is used to describe an action—telling a story—that started and finished at a specific time in the past (e.g., 'yesterday,' 'last week').
Who Did the Action?
The ending '-ó' always means the action was done by 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (formal you).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong past tense
Mistake: "Usando 'contaba' (imperfect) instead of 'contó' (preterite) for a single completed event."
Correction: Use 'contó' when the telling is a closed event. 'Ella contó la historia' (She told the whole story, once).
⭐ Usage Tips
A Common Partner
When talking about sharing information, 'contó' often works with the preposition 'a' to show who the story went to: 'Me contó a mí' (He told me).
Alternatively, 'contó' means 'counted' (enumerated or tallied).
contó(Verb (Past Tense))
counted
?enumerated or tallied
calculated
?figured out a total
📝 In Action
El tesorero contó el dinero de la caja.
A2The treasurer counted the money in the register.
Ella contó las ovejas para poder dormir.
A1She counted the sheep to be able to sleep.
El profesor contó los errores en el examen.
B1The teacher tallied the mistakes on the exam.
💡 Grammar Points
Action in the Past
Like the English simple past ('counted'), 'contó' shows that the process of tallying or counting was finished at a specific point in the past.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'contar' and 'tomar en cuenta'
Mistake: "Saying 'contó la importancia' (He counted the importance) when meaning 'He took the importance into account.'"
Correction: Use 'tomó en cuenta' for considering something. 'Contar' is usually only for numbers or stories.
⭐ Usage Tips
Counting vs. Relying
The phrase 'contar con' means 'to rely on.' If you mean 'He relied on us,' you would say 'Él contó con nosotros,' using the same form but adding 'con.'
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: contó
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'contó' to mean 'to count'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'contó' an irregular verb?
'Contar' is a stem-changing verb in the present tense (o changes to ue, as in 'yo cuento'). However, in the past tense ('contó'), it follows the standard pattern for -ar verbs, meaning it is regular in this specific tense.
How do I know if 'contó' means 'told' or 'counted'?
Look at the word that follows it. If it’s a story, joke, or secret, it means 'told.' If it’s a number, object, or total, it means 'counted.' Context is key!