The Conditional Mood of contar is used to express what you would do in a hypothetical situation, for example: Te contaría un chiste, pero no quiero ofenderte. (I would tell you a joke, but I don’t want to offend you.)

Contar is a regular verb in Spanish, meaning its conjugations in the Conditional follow the same pattern as other verbs with infinitives ending in -ar.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Contar (to count/tell) in the Conditional Mood tense (Castilian Spanish):

The conditional mood of contar is used to express hypothetical or potential situations, often with an implied condition.

To tell or relate a story: For example, Te contaría un chiste, pero no quiero ofenderte. (I would tell you a joke, but I don’t want to offend you).

To count or enumerate: For example, Contaría las ovejas para dormir mejor. (I would count sheep to sleep better).

To rely or depend on someone/something (idiomatic): For example, Contaría contigo para ayudarme con la mudanza. (I would count on you to help me with the move).

To include or consider (idiomatic): For example, No te contaría en mis planes de vacaciones. (I wouldn’t count you in my vacation plans).

To have sexual relations (slang, rude): For example, Contaría con esa chica si pudiera. (I would hook up with that girl if I could).

Examples

Examples of Contar in the Conditional Mood

Si contaría con más tiempo libre, contaría con nadar más a menudo. (If I had more free time, I would swim more often.)

Mis amigos contarían con que yo contaría con nadar en la playa durante nuestras vacaciones. (My friends would expect me to swim at the beach during our vacation.)

En la clase de natación, el instructor contaría con que todos contarían con nadar al menos una vuelta completa. (In the swimming class, the instructor would expect everyone to swim at least one full lap.)

Aunque no soy un gran nadador, contaría con nadar en el lago si hiciera mucho calor. (Although I’m not a great swimmer, I would swim in the lake if it were very hot.)

En el club deportivo, contarían con que todos contarían con nadar al menos media hora al día. (At the sports club, they would expect everyone to swim for at least half an hour a day.)

Si tuviera más energía, contaría con nadar por las mañanas antes de ir al trabajo. (If I had more energy, I would swim in the mornings before going to work.)

Mis padres contarían con que yo contaría con nadar en el río cuando era niño. (My parents would expect me to swim in the river when I was a child.)

Si fuera más joven, contaría con nadar en competencias de natación. (If I were younger, I would compete in swimming competitions.)

Si viviera cerca del mar, contaría con nadar en las olas todos los fines de semana. (If I lived near the sea, I would swim in the waves every weekend.)

Los entrenadores contarían con que los atletas contarían con nadar largas distancias durante su entrenamiento. (The coaches would expect the athletes to swim long distances during their training.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Contar (to count/tell) in the Conditional Mood tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Conditional mood is also known as the Simple Conditional, Conditional Simple, Would Tense, or Future of the Past in English, and as Condicional Simple, Pospretérito, Potencial Simple, or Condicional de Indicativo in Spanish.