tell

∗ ≈

contar

∗ verb

tell
(pt & pp told [t??ld])
[tel]
verbo transitivo
1 decir (say) ; contar (story, joke, secret)
  • to tell somebody something, to tell something to somebody -> contarle algo a alguien
  • to tell the truth/a lie -> decir la verdad/una mentira
  • to tell you the truth… -> a decir verdad…
  • can you tell me the way to the station? -> ¿me puede decir cómo se va a la estación?
  • we are told that… -> se dice que…
  • I told you so! -> ¡te lo dije!
  • you're telling me! -> ¡a mí me lo vas a contar!
  • let me tell you, I was frightened! -> te confieso que estaba asustado
  • to tell the time -> indicar or dar la hora (clock)
  • to tell somebody the time -> decir la hora a alguien (person)
  • his expression told us the answer -> la expresión de su cara nos reveló la respuesta
2 ver, saber (discern) (attitude, mood)
  • we couldn't tell if he was angry or not -> no se sabía si estaba enfadado or (especialmente español de España) enojado o no (especialmente Am)
  • you can tell she's lived abroad -> se nota que ha vivido en el extranjero
  • there's no telling what she'll do next -> no hay manera de saber qué hará a continuación
3 distinguir (distinguish) (from de)
  • to tell two people/things apart -> distinguir entre dos personas/cosas
  • to tell right from wrong -> distinguir lo que está bien de lo que está mal
  • I can't tell the difference -> ne veo la diferencia
4 (order)
  • to tell somebody to do something -> mandar a alguien hacer algo, decir a alguien que haga algo
  • do as you are told! -> ¡haz lo que te dicen or mandan!
  • I'm not asking you, I'm telling you! -> no es una petición or pedido, ¡es una orden! (Am)
  • she wouldn't be told -> no hacía caso de lo que le decían
5 escrutar (política) (count)
  • all told -> en total
verbo intransitivo
6 (say)
  • please don't tell! -> ¡no te chives!
  • that would be telling! -> ¡eso sería contar demasiado!
7 (discern)
  • it's difficult or hard to tell -> es difícil de saber
  • it's too early to tell -> es demasiado pronto para saberlo
  • you never can tell -> nunca se sabe
8 hacerse notar (have effect)

Copyright © 2006 Chambers Harrap Publishers Limited

tell [tel]
verbo neutro (intransitivo)
1 (pret. y (n)
participio pasivo
2 TOLD).
3 Decir, principalmente cuando significa contar, mandar o adivinar (say).
  • Before I tell my story -> antes que yo diga o cuente mi historia
  • Nobody can tell what will happen tomorrow -> nadie puede decir o adivinar lo que sucederá mañana
  • He told me to call again -> me dijo o me mandó que volviera o que volviese
4 Decir, informar, hacer saber.
5 Descubrir, revelar o decir algún secreto.
  • It will tell in his favor or against him -> eso irá o será a su favor en su contra
6 Dar una orden o mandato a otro; disponer, ordenar.
7 Contar, numerar.
8
verbo neutro (intransitivo)
9 Producir efecto. (n)
  • He was told to do it -> se le mandó hacerlo
  • Every blow told -> cada golpe produjo efecto
  • Tell me another! -> ¡vaya
  • To tell a lie -> mentir
  • Tell that to the marines! -> ¡cuéntaselo a otro
  • I tell you that! -> ¡se me ocurre una idea

Velazquez® Spanish and English Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Velazquez® Press. All rights reserved.

tell [tel] told (past)
verb:transitive
1 [+story, experiences] contar; [+truth] decir; [+secret] contar; divulgar; (formal) (formally) comunicar; informar
to tell sb sth decir algo a algn; to tell sb whether/how/why etcetc decir a algn si/cómo/por qué etc;etc to tell sb that ... decir a algn que ...; I have been told that ... me han dicho que ...; se me ha dicho que ...; (formal) I am pleased to tell you that ... (formal) me complace comunicarle que ...; me es grato comunicarle que ...; I tell you it isn't! ¡te digo que no!; let me tell you, I didn't enjoy it si te digo la verdad, no me gustó nada; there were three, I tell you, three había tres, ¿me oyes?, tres; I tell myself it can't be true digo para mí que no puede ser verdad
I told him about the missing moneyabout le dije lo del dinero que faltaba; le informé acerca del dinero que faltaba; (formal)
tell me all about it cuéntame todo; I'll tell you all about it te (lo) diré todo
tell me another!another (informal) ¡cuéntaselo a tu abuela!; (informal)
he's no saint, I can tell you!can ¡no es ningún santo, te lo aseguro!
so much happened that I can't begin to tell you pasaron tantas cosas no sé por dónde empezar a contarte
I cannot tell you how pleased I amcannot no encuentro palabras para expresarle lo contento que estoy
I could tell you a thing or two about himcould hay cosas de él que yo me sé
don't tell me you can't do it!don't ¡no me vayas a decir no me digas que no lo puedes hacer!;or
to tell sb's fortunefortunetell sb the futurefuture decir a algn la buenaventura
to tell a lielie mentir
you're telling me!me (informal) ¡a quién se lo cuentas!; ¡a mí no me lo vas a contar!
I told you so!so ¡ya lo decía yo!
didn't I tell you so? ¿no te lo dije ya?
(I) tell you what, let's go nowwhat sabes qué, vámonos ya
I tell you what! ¡se me ocurre una idea!
marine
2 (order)
to tell sb to do sth decir a algn que haga algo; mandar a algn a hacer algo
do as you are told!as ¡haz lo que te digo!
he won't be toldbe no acepta consejos de nadie; no quiere hacer caso de nadie
I told you not tonot te dije que no lo hicieras
3 (indicate) [+sign, dial, clock] indicar
to tell sb sth indicar algo a algn; there was a sign telling us which way to go una señal nos indicaba el camino; the clock tells the quarter hours el reloj da los cuartos de hora
4 (distinguish) distinguir
I couldn't tell them apartapart no sabía distinguirlos
to tell the difference between A and Bdifference distinguir entre A y B
I can't tell the difference no veo la diferencia
to tell right from wrongright distinguir el bien del mal
time
5 (know, be certain) saber
you can tell he's a Germancan se (le) nota que es alemán
you can tell a horse's age by its teeth la edad de un caballo se sabe por los dientes; how can I tell what she will do? ¿cómo voy a saber lo que ella hará?; you can't tell much from his letter su carta nos dice bien poco
I couldn't tell how it was donecouldn't no sabía cómo se hizo
there is no telling what he will dono es imposible saber qué va a hacer
6 (count)
to tell one's beads rezar el rosario; 400 all told 400 en total
verb:intransitive
1 (speak)
to tell (of) hablar de; the ruins told of a sad history las ruinas hablaban de una triste historia
"did you love her?" — "more than words can tell"can —¿la amabas? —más de lo que pueda expresar con palabras
it hurt more than words can tell dolió una barbaridad; dolió lo indecible
I hear tell that ...hear dicen que ...
I hear tell of a disaster he oído que ha ocurrido una catástrofe; I have never heard tell of it no he oído nunca hablar de eso
2 (informal) (sneak, tell secrets)
please don't tell! ¡no vayas contándolo soplándolo por ahí!;or (informal) he told on me to my parents se chivó de mí a mis padres; (Esp) (informal) that would be telling! ¡es un secreto!
3 (know, be certain) saber
how can I tell? ¿cómo lo voy a saber?; ¿yo qué sé?; I can't tell (me) es imposible saberlo; no le puedo decir; no sabría decirle
we cannot tell
who can tell? ¿quién sabe?; there is no telling no se puede saber; you never can tell nunca se sabe
time
4 (have an effect)
every blow told cada golpe tuvo su efecto; stamina tells in the long run a la larga importa vale más la resistencia;or blood will tell la sangre cuenta
to tell against sbagainst obrar en contra de algn
the strain is beginning to tell on himon la tensión está empezando a afectarle

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Verb Conjugation for "tell"

Imperative
  • tell
  • you tell
  • he/she tells
  • we tell
  • you tell
  • they tell
Preterite
  • I told
  • you told
  • he/she told
  • we told
  • you told
  • they told
Present Continuous
  • I am telling
  • you are telling
  • he/she is telling
  • we are telling
  • you are telling
  • they are telling
Present Perfect
  • I have told
  • you have told
  • he/she has told
  • we have told
  • you have told
  • they have told
Past Continuous
  • I was telling
  • you were telling
  • he/she was telling
  • we were telling
  • you were telling
  • they were telling
Past Perfect
  • I had told
  • you had told
  • he/she had told
  • we had told
  • you had told
  • they had told
Future
  • I will tell
  • you will tell
  • he/she will tell
  • we will tell
  • you will tell
  • they will tell
Future Perfect
  • I will have told
  • you will have told
  • he/she will have told
  • we will have told
  • you will have told
  • they will have told
Future Continuous
  • I will be telling
  • you will be telling
  • he/she will be telling
  • we will be telling
  • you will be telling
  • they will be telling
Present Perfect Continuous
  • I have been telling
  • you have been telling
  • he/she has been telling
  • we have been telling
  • you have been telling
  • they have been telling
Future Perfect Continuous
  • I will have been telling
  • you will have been telling
  • he/she will have been telling
  • we will have been telling
  • you will have been telling
  • they will have been telling
Past Perfect Continuous
  • I had been telling
  • you had been telling
  • he/she had been telling
  • we had been telling
  • you had been telling
  • they had been telling
Paid English to Spanish translation

Word of the Day: superar

∗

to beat; to overcome, to surpass, to overtake