Inklingo

How to Say "accountant" in Spanish

English → Spanish

contable

/kon-TAH-bleh//konˈtaβle/

nounA2general
Use 'contable' when referring to the job title or profession of someone who keeps financial records, often within a company.
A friendly person wearing glasses sitting at a desk with a stack of papers and a small calculator.

Examples

Mi hermana es contable y trabaja para una multinacional.

My sister is an accountant and works for a multinational company.

Necesito hablar con el contable sobre mis impuestos.

I need to talk to the accountant about my taxes.

One word for both genders

This word doesn't change its ending for men or women. Use 'el contable' for a man and 'la contable' for a woman.

Avoiding 'contabla'

Mistake: “Using 'la contabla' for a female accountant.”

Correction: Always use 'la contable'. Words ending in -able do not change to -abla.

contador

/kon-tah-DOR//kontaˈðoɾ/

nounA2general
Use 'contador' when referring to a professional, often external, whom you hire to manage your money or taxes, like a tax advisor.
A professional person in a suit sitting at a desk with a stack of gold coins and a calculator.

Examples

Mi contador dice que debemos pagar los impuestos mañana.

My accountant says we must pay the taxes tomorrow.

Ella quiere ser contadora cuando termine la universidad.

She wants to be an accountant when she finishes university.

Changing for Gender

Even though this entry is for the masculine 'contador,' remember that if the person is female, you change it to 'contadora.'

Confusing with Computers

Mistake: “Using 'contador' to mean a personal computer.”

Correction: Use 'computadora' or 'ordenador' for the machine you type on. A 'contador' is a person or a measuring device.

Contable vs. Contador

Learners often confuse 'contable' and 'contador' because both relate to accounting. Remember that 'contable' is more about the job of keeping records, while 'contador' is more about the person you hire for financial advice or services.

Related Translations

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