contare
Lemma: contare
Translation: to count; to matter; to be important; to rely on; to tell (a story) (verb)
Etymology: From Latin 'computare' meaning 'to calculate, to sum up', which is composed of 'com-' (together) and 'putare' (to reckon). This is the same Latin root that gave English words like 'compute', 'count', and 'account'. The semantic evolution shows how the act of numerical calculation expanded to include concepts of importance and significance.
Example Usage
Ho contato fino a venti.
I counted to twenty.
La tua opinione conta molto per me.
Your opinion matters a lot to me.
Posso contare su di te?
Can I count on you?
Mi ha contato una storia interessante.
He told me an interesting story.
Non conta quanto tempo ci vuole.
It doesn't matter how long it takes.
Mnemonics
- Think of an accountant counting money - 'contare' sounds like 'count'
- When something matters, it 'counts' (conta) in your decision
- Remember 'account' in English - related to the same Latin root as 'contare'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Italian culture, 'contare' extends beyond numerical counting to social influence. Saying someone 'conta molto' (counts a lot) means they have significant social influence or power. The expression 'contare fino a dieci' (counting to ten) is commonly used to advise someone to calm down before reacting.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Contare' means 'to count' or 'to matter', while 'cantare' means 'to sing'. They differ by just one vowel but have completely different meanings.
Notes: The stress in 'contare' is on the second syllable (con-TA-re), while in 'cantare' it's also on the second syllable (can-TA-re).
Mnemonic: ContAre is about Amounts (counting), while cAntAre is about Audio (singing).
Explanation: 'Contare' can mean 'to tell' in some contexts, but 'raccontare' specifically means 'to tell a story' or 'to narrate'. 'Raccontare' is actually derived from 'contare' with the prefix 'ra-'.
Notes: 'Raccontare' is more specific to storytelling, while 'contare' in the sense of telling is less common and more general.
Mnemonic: 'Raccontare' has 'ra' added to 'contare' - think of it as 'really counting' a story in detail.