How to Pay the Bill in Spanish
Coffee's done, time to go. Paying is the last beat of the café session our demo coach runs — and the phrases transfer to restaurants, taxis, and shops everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world. Here's the exact sequence, from asking for the bill to handling a declined card.
Quick answer
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
Works at cafés, restaurants, and bars everywhere. Follow-up: "¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?" — Can I pay by card? (PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tah)
1. Asking for the bill
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. | lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-VOHR |
| ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor? | Could you bring me the bill, please? | meh TRAH-eh lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-VOHR |
2. Asking the price
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Cuánto es? | How much is it? | KWAHN-toh ehs |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? | KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah |
3. Choosing how to pay
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card? | PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tah |
| ¿Aceptan tarjeta? | Do you take card? | ah-SEHP-tahn tar-HEH-tah |
| En efectivo. | In cash. | ehn eh-feh-TEE-voh |
| ¿Tiene cambio? | Do you have change? | TYEH-neh KAHM-bee-oh |
4. If something goes wrong
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| No funciona. | It doesn't work. (e.g. the card machine) | noh foon-SYOH-nah |
| ¿Puedo pagar en efectivo? | Can I pay cash instead? | PWEH-doh pah-GAHR ehn eh-feh-TEE-voh |
Common mistakes English speakers make
Saying "el bill" or "la factura" at a café
In a café or restaurant, the bill is "la cuenta". "La factura" is a formal invoice — right word for business contexts, wrong one for a coffee.
Word-for-word translating "Can I get the check?"
Use "¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?" — literally "could you bring me the bill". It's the polite, natural construction a native speaker uses.
Panicking when the card machine fails
Have "¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?" ready — it's the same grammar pattern you already know ("¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?"), just swapped.
Watch a beginner do it — live
The café session ends with the bill — see how the coach walks a real beginner through it. Tap for sound.
The moment it clicks: "¿Puedo pagar…?" is a template
Once you've said "¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?", you own a template: ¿Puedo + [verb] + [thing]? The coach's method is exactly this — learn one pattern, then swap the last word. Cash, card, the bathroom, a menu: "¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?", "¿Puedo ver el menú?".
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? — Can I pay by card? (swap the ending, keep the pattern)
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