contador
/kontaˈdoɾ/Latin America, masculine
The English word 'accountant' is contador in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists contable.
Meaning: one whose profession includes organizing, maintaining and auditing the records of another (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| contador | /kontaˈdoɾ/ | Latin America, masculine |
| contable | /konˈtable/ | Spain, feminine, masculine |
An accountant is a person whose profession involves organizing, maintaining and auditing the records of others.
Which one should you use?
In Latin America, the masculine form contador is standard. In Spain, the term contable is used for both masculine and feminine accountants.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In México, you can use either contador or contable to mean accountant. In some parts of Spain, the phrase administrativo contable may be used for an accountant.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are using the masculine form contador, the feminine form is contadora.
How do you pronounce it?
/kontaˈdoɾ/
Did you know?
- The word contador can also mean 'storyteller' in Spanish because contar also means 'to tell' a story.
- The term contador shares the same linguistic roots as the word computador, which is the Spanish word for 'computer'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, calling someone a contador implies they have a specific degree or professional title, rather than just someone who keeps books.
Examples in context
- Tom es mi contador.Tom is my accountant.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person's profession using contador.Tatoeba #11967714 by Eremon, translation #7733640 by CK
- Su novio es contador.Her boyfriend is an accountant.This sentence shows how to state a profession without an indefinite article using contador.Tatoeba #11967791 by Eremon, translation #8390503 by Amastan
- Su esposo es contador.Her husband is an accountant.Tatoeba #11967793 by Eremon, translation #8405530 by Amastan
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía is asking Mateo about his job during a coffee break.
- MateoYo soy contador en una empresa grande.I am an accountant at a large company.
- Sofía¿Te gusta trabajar como contador, Mateo?Do you like working as an accountant, Mateo?
- MateoSí, me gusta mucho mi trabajo.Yes, I like my job a lot.
- SofíaQué bueno que seas un contador exitoso.It is good that you are a successful accountant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “accountant” translations and entries contador, contable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries contable, contador, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
