Spanish · La cuenta / propina
You ask for the bill: what to say in Spanish
You ask for the bill.
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How it's done. You ask for the bill with a gesture or La cuenta, por favor; the waiter brings it to the table; you usually pay at the table or at the till near the exit.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Perdone, la cuenta, por favor.
Pehr-DOH-neh, lah koo-AYN-tuh, por fuh-BOR.
Excuse me, the bill, please.
THEY SAY
Ahora mismo se la traigo.Uh-OH-ruh MEEZ-moh seh lah TRIGH-goh.
I'll bring it right now.
They might also say:
Enseguida.
Ayn-seh-GEE-duh.
Right away.
2
YOU REPLY
Gracias.
GRAH-syuhs.
Thanks.
THEY SAY
Aquí tiene. Son treinta y dos euros.Uh-KEE TYEH-neh. Sohn TRAYN-tuh ee dos EH-oo-ros.
Here you are. That's thirty-two euros.
3
YOU REPLY
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Poo-EH-doh puh-GAHR kohn tuhr-KHEH-tuh?
Can I pay by card?
THEY SAY
Sí, claro. Ahora le traigo el datáfono.See, KLAH-roh. Uh-OH-ruh leh TRIGH-goh el duh-TAH-foh-noh.
Yes, of course. I'll bring the card machine now.
4
YOU FINISH
Muchas gracias.
MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs.
Thank you very much.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Spanish for life in Spain”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Perdone
Pehr-DOH-neh
verb
excuse me, sorry
cuenta
koo-AYN-tuh
noun
account
favor
fuh-BOR
noun
favour
Ahora
Uh-OH-ruh
adverb
now
mismo
MEEZ-moh
adjective
same
traigo
TRIGH-goh
verb
I bring
20 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh uh-BLAHR mahs des-PAH-syoh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
¡Gracias!
GRAH-syuhs!
Thank you!
Similar situations
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