An unconjugated verb in this sentence

Question

Hello! I don't understand why the very contar is not conjugated in this sentence?

Also, how does 'me cuente' translate? Does the pronoun 'me' change it's meaning?

"Me gustaria conocer a alguien que me cuente y yo contarle de mis problemas."

"I would like to know somebody to tell me and I tell him/she/it about my problems" - fjfuentesh, Jul 14, 2011

*verb contar. - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 1

"Me gustaria conocer a alguien que me cuente y yo contarle de mis problemas."

I'd like to meet someone who can tell me their problems and (in return) I would tell them mine.

It is short for "..y me gustaría (por mi parte) contarle de mis problemas." "Me gustaría" has already been mentioned in the first part of the sentence and hence was not repeated in the second. That's the reason why contar stays as an infinitive and is not conjugated.

Saludos.

*Note: "in return" & "por mi parte" are similar but are not exact equivalents.

Thank you that makes perfect sense! - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 2

So then I only need to know why the verb 'contar' is not conjugated.

The first verb, contar, is conjugated to subjunctive.

The second verb, contar, is not conjugated only because the speaker has chosen to say it in infinitive. It could be spoken in subjunctive as the first verb, but then the whole sentence would sound a little wordy and redundant, ie: "Me gustaría conocer a alguien que me cuente y a quien yo le cuente de mis problemas."

What are the rules about when I can use infinitive? I never saw information about this in my grammar books. - pesta, Jul 14, 2011

Thank you! Yeah, a rule or 2 would be good. I have another example: "Si no yo hablarle porque yo tengo cosas que hacer." I have never been able to figure this sentence out and why it's ok to not conjugate 'hablar' - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

I would ask Lazarus about the rules - if there are any - 005faa61, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 3

Cuentéme una cuenta.....tell me a story.

Lets talk..shoot the breeze...let´s bull**** a little bit.

I would like to know someone that can tell me their problems and I can tell them mine. ¿Donde está el infinitivo?

"contarle" = infinitive + (indirect object) pronoun - samdie, Jul 14, 2011

Estaba podiendo usar un mandato como ¡Dámelo! o ¡No me lo des! - MattM, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 4

So then I only need to know why the verb 'contar' is not conjugated.

"Me gustaria conocer a alguien que me cuente y yo contarle de mis problemas."

Answer 5

"somebody to tell me"-->"alguien que me cuente" or "que alguien me cuente"

oh I should have been able to get that one.... thinking too much. Thank you! - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

You are very welcome! :) - fjfuentesh, Jul 14, 2011

¡Órale, tocayo! ¿Cuál es la pinche regla que me han pedido? - 005faa61, Jul 14, 2011

jajaja :) - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 6

It is short for "..y me gustaría (por mi parte) contarle de mis problemas." "Me gustaría" has already been mentioned in the first part of the sentence and hence was not repeated in the second. That's the reason why contar stays as an infinitive and is not conjugated.

Excellent answer

Gustaría is the leading verb , it takes infinitive.

Me gustaría conocer....

Me gustaría contarle....

Thanks Heidi.:) - Deanski, Jul 14, 2011

Answer 7

"Si no yo hablarle porque yo tengo cosas que hacer." I have never been able to figure this sentence out and why it's ok to not conjugate 'hablar'

It is not conjugated, but some context is needed to know what´s happening here.

In order for the verb to appear as an infinitive with a pronoun 'hablarle / contarle' does it need to first appear earlier in the sentence as it did in my original question? - Erin, Jul 14, 2011

I´m not sure what you are asking, but you can use this type of construction, ie: "Hay que hablarle por teléfono antes de salirnos" - 005faa61, Jul 14, 2011

I'm trying to figure out some 'rules'. I was thinking if the verb appears earlier in the sentence: "Me gustaria conocer a alguien que me cuente y yo contarle de mis problemas." then it's ok to use it as an infinitive later in the sentence. - Erin, Jul 14, 2011