Spanish Phrase
Cuéntame qué has intentado para solucionarlo.
Meaning
The speaker is asking the listener to describe the steps they have already taken in order to fix a problem. It conveys curiosity and a desire to build on what has already been tried.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are troubleshooting a technical issue, helping a colleague with a task, or simply wanting to know what actions someone has already attempted before you suggest a new solution.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cuéntamequéhasintentadoparasolucionarlo
Cuéntame (imperative + pronoun)
‘Cuéntame’ is the informal affirmative imperative of ‘contar’ with the enclitic pronoun ‘me’, meaning ‘tell me’.
qué (interrogative pronoun)
‘qué’ introduces a direct‑object question: ‘what’. It is always written with an accent.
has intentado (present perfect)
The present perfect of ‘intentar’ (to try) formed with the auxiliary ‘haber’ (has) + past participle ‘intentado’.
para (purpose preposition)
‘para’ introduces the purpose of the action, equivalent to ‘in order to’.
solucionarlo (infinitive + clitic)
‘solucionar’ (to solve) + direct‑object pronoun ‘lo’ (it) forms a single word ‘solucionarlo’.
🗨In Conversation
Cuéntame qué has intentado para solucionarlo.
Tell me what you have tried to solve it.
He reiniciado el router, borrado la caché del navegador y probado con otro cable Ethernet.
I have restarted the router, cleared the browser cache, and tried another Ethernet cable.
✕Common Mistakes
Cuenta qué has intentado para solucionarlo.
Missing the accent and the enclitic pronoun; ‘Cuéntame’ is the correct imperative form with ‘me’.
para solucionar.
The direct‑object pronoun ‘lo’ is required to refer to ‘it’.
Cuéntame que has intentado para solucionarlo.
Learners often drop the accent on ‘qué’ or use the simple past ‘intentaste’ which changes the nuance.
↔Alternatives
Dime qué has probado para arreglarlo.
Tell me what you have tried to fix it.
Explícame los pasos que seguiste para solucionarlo.
Explain the steps you followed to solve it.
¿Qué intentaste para resolver el problema?
What did you try to resolve the problem?
Cultural Tip
‘Cuéntame’ is informal and works well with friends, classmates, or coworkers you have a friendly rapport with. In a formal setting (e.g., speaking to a client or a senior manager) you would use ‘Cuénteme’ or a more neutral phrasing like ‘¿Podría indicarme…?’