was telling, was counting
Eso sí, él no contaba nada, a nadie.
Mind you, he didn't tell anything to anyone.
— Los lunes al sol (2002)
El congresista nos contaba de cuando le robaron.
The congressman told us about a time he was robbed.
Mi padre a menudo nos contaba acerca de sus días de estudiante.
My father often told us about his student days.
Mi padre me tenía sobre sus rodillas mientras me contaba canciones de su tierra.
My father held me on his lap while he sang me songs from his homeland.
Escoba y gato negro, como me contaba mi bisabuela.
Broom and black cat, as my great-grandmother told me.
— Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja (1989)
Por si contaba con su aparición.
Just in case I was counting on her appearance.
— El paciente inglés (1996)
Teníamos un acuerdo, contaba contigo.
We had an agreement, I was counting on you.
— Las invasiones bárbaras (2003)