How to Say "to count" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to count” is “contar” — use 'contar' when you are enumerating numbers, items, or people, or when telling a story..
contar
cohn-TAR/konˈtaɾ/
Examples
Me gusta contar las estrellas en la noche.
I like to count the stars at night.
El niño está aprendiendo a contar hasta diez.
The child is learning to count up to ten.
¿Puedes contar cuántas sillas tenemos en total?
Can you count how many chairs we have in total?
Contamos veinte invitados, ni uno más.
We counted twenty guests, not one more.
The O-UE Change
In the present tense, the 'o' turns into 'ue' when the stress falls on the syllable, except for the 'we' (nosotros) and 'you all' (vosotros) forms.
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: “Yo conto (incorrect).”
Correction: Yo cuento (correct). Remember that 'o' changes to 'ue' in the singular forms.
valer
/bah-LEHR//baˈler/
Examples
En este juego, cada acierto vale un punto.
In this game, each correct answer counts for one point.
En este juego, los goles de cabeza valen doble.
In this game, header goals count for double.
Este billete ya no vale.
This ticket is no longer valid.
No vale usar las manos.
Using your hands is not allowed.
Using 'valer' for rules
You can use 'No vale' followed by an infinitive (verb in the -ar, -er, -ir form) to say something isn't allowed.
Contar vs. Valer for 'to count'
Related Translations
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