Use of contar

Sarah E.B2Kwiziq community member

Use of contar

Why is the verb contar used instead of decir in the sentence  El dependiente me está contando 

Asked 1 year ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola Sarah 

We often use the verb contar instead of decir when what is being told has some details, like a little story or anecdote. In this case you could say "me está diciendo" as well, but the use of "contar" conveys that the person was not only saying something but "telling" with more detail -so everything that comes after is taken as "a few details about something" which clicks nicely with "contar". 

Here's a Kwiziq lesson on decir and contar where you have examples with both verbs and learn about the different scenarios where you'd tend to use one or the other. 

I hope it helps.

Saludos

Use of contar

Why is the verb contar used instead of decir in the sentence  El dependiente me está contando 

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