Inklingo

How to Say "accounts" in Spanish

English → Spanish

cuentas

KWEHN-tas/ˈkwen.tas/

nounA1general
Use 'cuentas' when referring to bills (like utilities or credit cards), bank accounts, or email accounts.
A simplified illustration of a small, open ledger book with a pen resting on it, symbolizing financial accounts.

Examples

Mi cuenta bancaria tiene un saldo bajo.

My bank account has a low balance.

Necesito pagar mis cuentas de luz y agua.

I need to pay my electricity and water bills.

Tengo dos cuentas de banco, una de ahorro y otra corriente.

I have two bank accounts, one savings and one checking.

¡Pide las cuentas! Ya es tarde.

Ask for the check! It's already late.

It's always plural

Even if you only have one bill in front of you, you often talk about 'las cuentas' (the bills) in general.

Confusing 'Cuenta' and 'Historia'

Mistake: “Using 'cuento' or 'cuenta' when referring to a story or narrative.”

Correction: Use 'historia' or 'relato' for stories; 'cuenta' is mostly financial or mathematical.

informes

in-FOR-mehs/inˈfoɾmes/

nounA2formal
Use 'informes' when you need to refer to official records or reports, especially in a business or academic setting.
A tall, neat stack of official-looking documents and folders, representing reports, sitting on a clean wooden desk.

Examples

El contador preparó los informes anuales.

The accountant prepared the annual reports.

Necesito los informes financieros antes de la reunión.

I need the financial reports before the meeting.

Los informes meteorológicos predicen lluvia para mañana.

The weather reports predict rain for tomorrow.

Hemos recibido informes de varios testigos sobre el accidente.

We have received accounts from several witnesses about the accident.

Plural Form

This is the simple plural form of the masculine noun 'informe' (report). Remember to use the masculine plural article 'los' before it.

historias

ees-TOH-ryahs/isˈtoɾjas/

nounA1general
Use 'historias' when referring to narratives, tales, or stories, such as those read for entertainment or recounting events.
A child sitting and reading a book, with small, imaginary story characters floating out of the open pages.

Examples

Me encantan las historias de aventuras.

I love adventure stories.

Leemos muchas historias de fantasía antes de dormir.

We read many fantasy stories before bed.

Las historias de mis abuelos son fascinantes; vivieron muchos cambios.

My grandparents' stories are fascinating; they lived through many changes.

Hay muchas historias diferentes sobre cómo empezó la guerra civil.

There are many different accounts about how the civil war started.

Feminine Plural Agreement

Since 'historias' is feminine and plural, any words describing it must also be feminine and plural (e.g., 'historias interesantes,' not 'interesantes historias').

Using 'Historias' for the Subject History

Mistake: “Me gusta estudiar historias. (I like studying histories.)”

Correction: Me gusta estudiar historia. (I like studying history [the academic subject].) Only use 'historias' if you mean multiple individual narratives.

Confusing Bills with Stories

The most common mistake is using 'historias' for financial obligations or records. Remember that 'cuentas' refers to bills and financial accounts, while 'historias' is for narratives and tales. 'Informes' is specifically for official reports.

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