Portuguese Phrase
Conta o que você já tentou pra resolver isso.
Meaning
The speaker is asking the listener to explain the steps they have already taken in order to solve a particular problem. It conveys curiosity and a desire to understand what has been tried so far.
When to use
Use this informal phrase when you’re troubleshooting with a friend, colleague, or family member and you need to know what attempts have already been made. It’s typical in casual conversation, tech support among peers, or when helping someone with a DIY issue.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Contaoquevocêjátentoupraresolverisso.
Conta (imperative)
‘Conta’ is the affirmative imperative of the verb ‘contar’ (to tell, to recount) used with the second‑person singular.
já (already)
‘Já’ indicates that the action happened before the moment of speaking, adding the sense of ‘already’.
tentou (preterite)
‘Tentou’ is the third‑person singular preterite of ‘tentar’ (to try), matching the subject ‘você’.
pra (colloquial para)
‘Pra’ is the informal contraction of ‘para’, very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
resolver (infinitive)
The infinitive ‘resolver’ follows ‘para’ (or ‘pra’) to express purpose: ‘to solve’.
isso (demonstrative pronoun)
‘Isso’ points to a situation or problem that both speakers know about.
🗨In Conversation
Conta o que você já tentou pra resolver isso.
Tell me what you’ve already tried to fix this.
Já reiniciei o roteador, troquei o cabo e atualizei o firmware, mas nada funcionou.
I’ve already rebooted the router, changed the cable, and updated the firmware, but nothing worked.
✕Common Mistakes
Contar o que você já tentou pra resolver isso.
‘Contar’ is the infinitive; you need the imperative ‘Conta’ (or formal ‘Conte’) to give a command.
Conta o que você já tentou para resolver isso.
In informal speech ‘para’ is usually contracted to ‘pra’; using the full form can sound overly formal in a casual setting.
Conta o que você tentou pra resolver isso.
Leaving out ‘já’ removes the nuance that the attempts happened before now.
↔Alternatives
Me diga o que você já tentou para resolver isso.
Tell me what you have already tried to solve this.
O que você já fez para resolver isso?
What have you already done to solve this?
Fala pra mim o que já tentou fazer para resolver isso.
Tell me what you’ve already tried to do to fix this.
Cultural Tip
‘Conta’ is informal; it’s perfect with friends, peers, or anyone you address with ‘você’ in a relaxed setting. In a formal context you would use ‘Conte’ (imperative of ‘contar’) and replace ‘pra’ with ‘para’. Also, Brazilians often drop the final ‘r’ in ‘para’, turning it into ‘pra’, which signals a conversational tone.