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BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE VERB

contar

to tell

  • #52 most used
  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: contando
  • Past participle: contado

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. eu I tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you tell
  3. nós we tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all tell

Past

Pretérito Perfeito · finished actions

  1. eu I told
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you told
  3. nós we told
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all told

Future

Futuro com ir · plans: “going to”

  1. eu I am going to tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you are going to tell
  3. nós we are going to tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all are going to tell

Imperfect

Pretérito Imperfeito · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. eu I used to tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you used to tell
  3. nós we used to tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all used to tell

Conditional

Futuro do Pretérito · “would”

  1. eu I would tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you would tell
  3. nós we would tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all would tell

Present subjunctive

Presente do Subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. eu (that) I tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (that) you tell
  3. nós (that) we tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas (that) you all tell

Past subjunctive

Imperfeito do Subjuntivo · “if I were”, “se …”

  1. eu (if) I told
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (if) you told
  3. nós (if) we told
  4. vocês, eles, elas (if) you all told

Future subjunctive

Futuro do Subjuntivo · “when” and “if” about the future

  1. eu (when) I tell
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (when) you tell
  3. nós (when) we tell
  4. vocês, eles, elas (when) you all tell

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders

  1. você tell!
  2. vocês tell! (all of you)

How to use contar

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Meu pai conta a mesma piada em toda festa.

    My dad tells the same joke at every party.

  2. Past

    Eu contei pra ela o que aconteceu.

    I told her what happened.

  3. Future

    Vou contar um segredo, mas não espalha.

    I'm going to tell you a secret, but don't spread it.

  4. Imperfect

    Minha avó contava histórias de assombração.

    My grandma used to tell ghost stories.

  5. Conditional

    Eu contaria tudo, mas prometi ficar quieta.

    I would tell everything, but I promised to keep quiet.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Quero que você me conte como foi a viagem.

    I want you to tell me how the trip went.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Se ele contasse a verdade, seria mais fácil.

    If he told the truth, it would be easier.

  8. Future subjunctive

    Quando você contar pra ela, me avisa.

    When you tell her, let me know.

  9. Imperative

    Conte comigo pro que precisar.

    Count on me for whatever you need.

Good to know

  • "Contar" is also to count: "Conta até dez." "Contar com" is to count on: "Pode contar comigo."

Where you hear contar

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Brazilian Portuguese · Beginner Level 3

  • Ela conta tudo para a mãe. She tells her mother everything.
  • Eu contei o segredo. I told the secret.
  • Eu vou contar para o Rafael. I'm going to tell Rafael.

Brazilian Portuguese · Intermediate Level 1

  • O Daniel conta histórias no café. Daniel tells stories at the cafe.
  • Eu contei tudo para a Carla. I told Carla everything.
  • Amanhã eu vou contar uma história. Tomorrow I'm going to tell a story.
21
Are You Two Together?

Beginner Level 3 · contar

Needs a subscription 20
The Most Beautiful Wedding I've Ever Seen

Intermediate Level 1 · conta

Needs a subscription 26
Not a Word to Anyone

Intermediate Level 1 · contei

Needs a subscription 27
Her Hand in Marriage

Intermediate Level 1 · contou

Needs a subscription 5
We'd Like You to Take Care of Everything

Intermediate Level 2 · contasse

Needs a subscription 18
You Never Stopped Being Brave

Intermediate Level 2 · contava

Needs a subscription 20
New Home, New Life

Intermediate Level 3 · você não me contou

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -ar verb.