"Contado" is primarily used as a past participle and can also function as an adjective in Spanish.
/konˈtado/
"Contado" comes from the verb "contar," which means "to count" or "to tell." In its participial form, it refers to something that has been counted or a narrative that has been conveyed. In Spanish, it can imply an action that has already been completed.
Frequency of use tends to be moderate, and it can be found in both oral and written contexts. However, it is more prevalent in written forms, especially in narratives or legal documents where precision in numbers or statements is crucial.
El dinero que traía fue bien contado.
(The money I brought was well counted.)
Los acontecimientos fueron contados por el testigo.
(The events were told by the witness.)
Este mes he contado hasta diez muchas veces.
(This month I've counted to ten many times.)
While "contado" itself is less frequent in idiomatic expressions, the root verb "contar" forms part of several idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are some examples:
Contar con los dedos de una mano.
(To count on the fingers of one hand.)
(Meaning: To have only a few options or instances.)
Contar las horas.
(To count the hours.)
(Meaning: To eagerly anticipate something.)
Contar entre los favoritos.
(To count among the favorites.)
(Meaning: To be regarded as a favorite or a likely winner.)
Contar un secreto.
(To tell a secret.)
(Meaning: To reveal confidential information to someone.)
The word "contado" derives from the Latin "computatus," the past participle of "computare," which means "to count or calculate." This transformation reflects the common evolution of verbs in Spanish from their Latin roots.
Synonyms: - Contado (as in counted): enumerado (enumerated), contabilizado (accounted) - Contado (as in told): narrado (narrated), informado (informed)
Antonyms: - No contado (not counted), desconsiderado (unconsidered – in terms of counting), ignorado (ignored)
In summary, "contado" is a versatile term with important links to numbers and narratives, illustrated vividly through example sentences and idiomatic phrases. Its roots and synonyms help expand understanding in both spoken and written discourse in Spanish.