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"Cuento" is a form of "cuento", a noun which is often translated as "story". "Cuenta" is a form of "cuenta", a noun which is often translated as "check". Learn more about the difference between "cuento" and "cuenta" below.
el cuento(
kwehn
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toh
)
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
masculine noun
a. story
Te voy a contar un cuento sobre un burro y una serpiente.I'm going to tell you a story about a donkey and a snake.
b. tale
El cuento comienza con "érase una vez".The tale begins with "once upon a time."
c. short story
Encontrarás el libro en la sección de cuentos de la biblioteca.You will find the book in the short story section of the library.
a. story
Se acabó; estoy harto de tus cuentos.That's it; I've had enough of your stories.
b. lie
¡No escuches sus cuentos, maestra!Don't listen to his lies, Miss!
a. joke
Se pasaron la noche contando cuentos malos.They spent the night telling bad jokes.
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la cuenta(
kwehn
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tah
)
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
feminine noun
a. check
Regionalism used in the United States
(United States)
Pedimos la cuenta después de pasar dos horas en el restaurante.We asked for the check after spending two hours at the restaurant.
b. bill
La cuenta era muy alta para dos pintas.The bill was a lot for two pints.
a. account
No he llevado las cuentas de mi cuenta de ahorro.I haven't kept the books for my savings account.
a. count
Estoy tan distraída que perdí la cuenta.I am so distracted that I lost count.
a. calculation
Sus cuentas comprobaron la teoría.His calculations proved the theory.
b. sum
¿Cuál es la cuenta de los dos números enteros?What is the sum of the two integers?
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
Cada uno por su cuenta.Each to his own.
Por mi cuenta, yo ya terminé la tarea.I already finished my homework on my own.
a. bead
Me dio una pulsera de cuentas rosadas.He gave me a bracelet made of pink beads.
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