contar el tiempo
/kontaɾ el tjempo/from spelling rules
The phrase 'count time' in Spanish is contar el tiempo.
This phrase is used to describe the act of tracking the passage of time or measuring the duration of an event or process.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb contar (to count) and the noun phrase el tiempo (the time).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the definite article el before tiempo, which is the standard way to refer to time as a general concept or a specific duration.
Did you know?
- While contar means 'to count' in this phrase, it is also the primary Spanish verb used to 'tell' a story.
- The word tiempo is used for both 'time' and 'weather', so contar el tiempo could be misinterpreted in a meteorological context.
- The word tiempo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'temperature', as both stem from a root meaning 'to stretch' or 'to extend'.
Examples in context
- Ven, vamos a echar el rato en el parque.Come on, let's pass the time at the park.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are waiting for a bus.
- SofíaHace cuánto que esperamos?How long have we been waiting?
- JavierNo he empezado a contar el tiempo.I haven't started counting the time.
- SofíaCreo que ya pasaron diez minutos.I think ten minutes have already passed.
- JavierEntonces yo voy a contar el tiempo ahora.Then I am going to track the time now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries contar, el, tiempo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
