Inklingo

How to Say "accounts" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “accounts” is “cuentas” — use this for personal bills like utilities, credit cards, or subscriptions, as well as digital accounts like email or social media.

English → Spanish

cuentas

KWEHN-tasˈkwen.tas

nounA1general
Use this for personal bills like utilities, credit cards, or subscriptions, as well as digital accounts like email or social media.
A simplified illustration of a small, open ledger book with a pen resting on it, symbolizing financial accounts.

Examples

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.

contabilidad

kon-tah-bee-lee-dahdkontabiliˈdad

nounB1formal
This refers specifically to the academic subject or professional field of accounting, or the internal financial records of a business.
A neat stack of leather-bound ledgers and a wooden abacus on a clean desk.

Examples

Ella decidió estudiar contabilidad para trabajar en un banco.

She decided to study accounting to work at a bank.

El departamento de contabilidad está en el segundo piso.

The accounting department is on the second floor.

Llevar la contabilidad de una pequeña empresa requiere mucha organización.

Keeping the books for a small business requires a lot of organization.

Always Feminine

Words that end in '-dad' are almost always feminine. You should always use 'la' or 'una' with this word.

The 'Llevar' Connection

In English, we say we 'do' the accounting. In Spanish, we use the verb 'llevar' (to carry/lead) to describe managing or keeping the books.

The 'Accountability' Trap

Mistake: “Él tiene mucha contabilidad en su trabajo.”

Correction: Él tiene mucha responsabilidad en su trabajo.

informes

in-FOR-mehsinˈfoɾmes

nounA2formal
Use this when referring to formal records or reports of events, especially in a business or academic context.
A tall, neat stack of official-looking documents and folders, representing reports, sitting on a clean wooden desk.

Examples

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-ryahsisˈtoɾjas

nounA1general
This translates to 'stories' and is used for narratives or accounts of events, often in a literary or informal sense.
A child sitting and reading a book, with small, imaginary story characters floating out of the open pages.

Examples

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.

Bills vs. Business Records

The most common confusion is between 'cuentas' (bills, personal accounts) and 'contabilidad'/'informes' (financial records, accounting). Remember that 'cuentas' is for what you pay or log into, while the others relate to the business of tracking money.

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