contestar
Lemma Details
Translation: to answer; to reply; to respond; to talk back
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'contestari', which meant 'to call to witness' or 'to begin a legal action by calling witnesses'. It combines 'con-' (with, together) and 'testari' (to testify, bear witness). The English words 'contest', 'testimony', and 'testify' share the same Latin root, though 'contestar' in Spanish evolved to focus on the communicative aspect of responding or answering.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of a 'contest' where people answer questions.
- Con-TEST-ar: You need to answer a test.
- Sounds like 'contest' - imagine a back-and-forth contest of words.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking cultures, how one answers (contestar) can reflect social hierarchy and respect. Answering back to elders or authority figures (contestar mal) is considered particularly disrespectful. The phrase 'no me contestes' (don't talk back to me) is commonly used by parents to children.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'contestar' means 'to answer/reply', 'contar' means 'to count' or 'to tell (a story)'.
Confused word:
Voy a contar hasta diez.
I'm going to count to ten.
Notes: Both are regular -ar verbs but have different meanings despite similar spelling and pronunciation.
Mnemonic: ContEstar has an E for 'echo' (response), while contAr has an A for 'amount' (counting).
Explanation: 'Contestar' means to answer or reply, while 'contactar' means to contact or get in touch with someone.
Notes: Both verbs involve communication but at different stages of the process.
Mnemonic: ContActar has 'act' in it - you take action to reach someone; contestar has 'test' - you respond to a test or question.