Let's look at 4 more ways to use the noun il conto in everyday conversation. The first two involve prepositions:

1) Per conto di

When we do something on someone's behalf, we use per conto di.

La leggenda racconta di miniere dove a scavare erano dei nani

The legend tells of mines where dwarfs were excavating

per conto del re Laurino.

on behalf of the king Laurin.

Captions 23-24, Meraviglie - EP. 5 - Part 10

 Play Caption

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Oltre a questo lavoro giornalistico più specifico,

Besides this more specific journalistic job,

lavoro anche come, come responsabile di uffici stampa

I also work as head of press offices

per conto di varie realtà.

on behalf of various organizations.

Captions 1-3, Francesca Vitalini - Fare la giornalista pubblicista

 Play Caption

An expression we might see in a contract about power of attorney is:

agire in nome e per conto di  (to act in the name of and on behalf of)

This expression can also mean "of one's own" and is used quite frequently as in the following example.

Perché la mi' figliola [mia figlia] c'ha già tanti problemi per conto suo.

Because my daughter has enough problems of her own.

Caption 37, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso

 Play Caption

It can also mean on one's own:

Non faccio in tempo a venire a casa per pranzo. Mangio per conto mio.

I don't have time to come home for lunch. I'll eat on my own.

2) Sul conto di 

If we use the preposition su (on) then it can mean "about." We usually use it in reference to people.

No, io devo smentire delle cattiverie che girano sul mio conto.

No, I have to prove wrong the maliciousness that's circulating about me.

Caption 11, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto

 Play Caption

Anche se ultimamente si dicono un sacco di cose sul suo conto...

Even though lately they've said a lot of things about her...

Caption 30, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto

 Play Caption

These next examples involve a verb plus conto:

3) Tener conto di

Mah, la libertà è una grossa parola,

Well, freedom is a strong word,

perché bisogna sempre tener conto

because we always have to take into account

delle persone che abbiamo intorno.

the people we're surrounded by.

Captions 22-23, Che tempo che fa - Monica Bellucci

 Play Caption

Here's an example using the particle ne (about it, of it) as well. It takes the place of di qualcosa (about/of something):

Tu vedrai che i giudici ne terranno conto, ascoltami.

You will see that the judges will take it into account, listen to me.

Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP3 - Delitto tra le lenzuola

 Play Caption

4) Fare conto

When someone is telling you to listen to how things add up, or how things fit together, they might say:

Fai conto... (take this into consideration, do the math..., let's see... figure this in...)

Like many expressions, there are some people who use this expression regularly, and others who never use it. It can be added into a sentence as is, on its own. Instead of doing the math oneself, the speaker is having you participate. It's a modo di dire.

Ci vogliono,  fai conto,  tre ore per andare da Pisa a Bologna in macchina. 

It will take — you should count — three hours to go from Pisa to Bologna by car.

Cammina, cammina. Sai quanti chilometri faccio io al giorno? 

Yeah, walk. You know how many kilometers I do per day?

-Quanti? -Fai conto tre pedinamenti, per dire, eh.

-How many? -Figure three tails, to give you an idea, huh.

Captions 14-15, Il Commissario Manara - S2EP6 - Sotto tiro

 Play Caption

Fare conto can also be used with che (that) to make a more complex sentence.

Fai conto che io faccio tanti kilometri al giorno.

Take into account that I do three kilometers per day.

Fare conto doesn't necessarily have to do with numbers or counting. It can also mean "to assume that" or even "to pretend that" in certain contexts and in this case it takes the subjunctive.

Fai conto che io sia tua madre (anche se sono la zia), e devi fare quello che dico io.

Think of me as your mother (even though I am your aunt) and you have to do as I say. 

We hope these ways for using il conto will be useful to you. Maybe you will hear them used in a movie, or when an Italian is explaining something to you. Now you know!

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Can you think of other ways this noun is used? Let us know at newsletter@yabla.com.