Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say "Accounting" in Spanish: Contabilidad and Contaduría
Contabilidad · noun (feminine) · kohn-tah-bee-lee-DAHD
Accounting in Spanish is contabilidad (the discipline and practice of keeping financial records). The profession/office is contaduría (Mexico, Colombia). An accountant is contador/contadora (Latin America) or contable (Spain).
kohn-tah-bee-lee-DAHD — five syllables, stress on DAHD.
Estudio contabilidad porque me gustan los números y las finanzas.
I study accounting because I like numbers and finance.
Accounting in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for accounting, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| contabilidad | accounting | kohn-tah-bee-lee-DAHD | Default, widely understood |
| contaduría | accounting | Mexico, Colombia (the profession/office) |
How Native Speakers Use Contabilidad
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Academic subject
La carrera de contabilidad tiene mucha demanda laboral.
The accounting degree has high job demand.
Contabilidad as the field of study — one of the most popular university programs in Latin America.
Professional context
Necesitamos contratar un despacho de contaduría para la auditoría.
We need to hire an accounting firm for the audit.
Despacho de contaduría (accounting firm) — the professional service context.
Daily business operations
La contabilidad del restaurante muestra que gastamos demasiado en proveedores.
The restaurant's accounting shows we're spending too much on suppliers.
Contabilidad as the actual books/records of a business.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Contabilidad
Confusing contabilidad with contable
Incorrect: Estudio contable en la universidad.
Correct: Estudio contabilidad en la universidad.
Contabilidad is the field/subject (accounting). Contable (Spain) is the person (accountant). In Spain, you study contabilidad and become a contable. In Latin America, you become a contador.
Using accountante as a false cognate
Incorrect: Mi hermana es accountante.
Correct: Mi hermana es contadora.
There is no word accountante in Spanish. The correct terms for accountant are contador/contadora (Latin America) or contable (Spain). Don't create false cognates from English.
Lock in Accounting Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Contabilidad used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using contabilidad in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Estudio contabilidad porque me gustan los números y las finanzas. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Accounting in Spanish
- How do you say accounting in Spanish?
- Accounting is contabilidad (the discipline) or contaduría (the profession/office). An accountant is contador/contadora (Latin America) or contable (Spain). A CPA equivalent is contador público certificado.
- What's the difference between contabilidad and contaduría?
- Contabilidad refers to the practice, principles, and system of keeping accounts. Contaduría refers to the profession, the accountant's office, or the department. In practice, they're often used interchangeably in casual speech.
- How do you say accountant in Spanish?
- Contador/contadora in Latin America, contable in Spain. A certified public accountant is contador público certificado (CPC) in Mexico or contador público autorizado (CPA) in other countries.