cuenta
/KWEN-tah/
bill
The final bill presented after a meal.
cuenta(Noun)
bill
?in a restaurant, for a service
,check
?in a restaurant (especially in the Americas)
📝 In Action
La cuenta, por favor.
A1The bill, please.
La cuenta de la luz es muy alta este mes.
A2The electricity bill is very high this month.
Pagamos la cuenta a medias.
B1We split the bill.
⭐ Usage Tips
Your Go-To Restaurant Phrase
This is one of the first and most useful phrases you'll learn. To get the waiter's attention, you can simply make eye contact and say, 'La cuenta, por favor.' It works everywhere!
A digital account secured by a prominent lock icon.
📝 In Action
Necesito abrir una cuenta en el banco.
A2I need to open an account at the bank.
¿Cuál es tu cuenta de Instagram?
A2What's your Instagram account?
He olvidado la contraseña de mi cuenta de correo.
B1I've forgotten my email account password.
⭐ Usage Tips
Bank or Social Media
This meaning of 'cuenta' is your go-to for anything that requires a login or a financial record. Think of it as your personal space, whether at a bank or online.
Losing track while making a complex calculation or count.
cuenta(Noun)
calculation
?math, arithmetic
,count
?the total number
responsibility
?as in 'on my account'
📝 In Action
He perdido la cuenta de cuántas veces te lo he dicho.
B1I've lost count of how many times I've told you.
Según mis cuentas, nos deben dinero.
B1According to my calculations, they owe us money.
La cena corre por mi cuenta.
B2Dinner is on me (my responsibility).
💡 Grammar Points
The Super-Phrase: 'Darse Cuenta de'
This phrase is incredibly common and means 'to realize'. Remember the little word 'de' that often comes after it. For example, 'Me di cuenta de que no tenía mis llaves.' (I realized that I didn't have my keys.)
❌ Common Pitfalls
Realize vs. Realizar
Mistake: "'Realicé que era tarde.'"
Correction: 'Me di cuenta de que era tarde.' 'Realizar' looks like 'realize', but it actually means 'to carry out' or 'to make real'. To say 'I realize', always use 'me doy cuenta'.
The act of telling (or counting) a narrative.
cuenta(Verb)
he/she/it counts
?numbers
,he/she/it tells
?a story, a fact
you (formal) count/tell
?talking to 'usted'
📝 In Action
El niño cuenta hasta diez.
A1The boy counts to ten.
Ella siempre me cuenta chistes muy buenos.
A2She always tells me very good jokes.
¿Usted cuenta con tiempo libre esta tarde?
B1Do you (formal) have free time this afternoon? (Literally: Do you count on...)
💡 Grammar Points
A Shape-Shifting Verb
The verb 'contar' changes its shape in certain situations. The 'o' in the stem becomes a 'ue' in many present tense forms (like 'yo cuento', 'tú cuentas', 'él cuenta'). Notice how it goes back to a normal 'o' for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros'!
⭐ Usage Tips
Two Jobs: Counting and Telling
Remember that 'contar' does double duty. It can mean counting numbers (uno, dos, tres...) or telling a story/fact ('contar un secreto'). The situation usually makes it obvious which meaning is intended.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: cuenta
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'cuenta' to mean 'account'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'cuenta' and 'cuento'?
They look similar but are different! 'Cuenta' is usually a bill, an account, or a calculation. 'Cuento' (with an 'o' at the end) is a story or a tale, like a fairy tale ('cuento de hadas'). Also, 'cuento' is the 'I' form of the verb 'contar' ('Yo cuento' - I count/tell), while 'cuenta' is the 'he/she/it' form ('Él cuenta' - He counts/tells).
How do I use 'darse cuenta de' vs. 'tener en cuenta'?
'Darse cuenta de' is about a moment of realization, like a lightbulb turning on in your head: '¡Me di cuenta de que dejé las llaves en casa!' (I realized I left the keys at home!). 'Tener en cuenta' is about consciously considering or remembering something when making a decision: 'Debes tener en cuenta el tráfico para llegar a tiempo.' (You have to take the traffic into account to arrive on time.)