Spanish · La cuenta / propina
You notice a mistake in the bill: what to say in Spanish
You notice a mistake on the bill.
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How it's done. If the bill has a mistake say calmly: Creo que hay un error en la cuenta; the waiter checks; always check the bill before paying.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, creo que hay un error en la cuenta.
Pehr-DOH-neh, KREH-oh keh igh oon ehr-ROR en lah koo-AYN-tuh.
Excuse me, I think there's a mistake on the bill.
THEY SAY
¿Dónde? Vamos a verlo.DOHN-deh? BAH-mos uh BEHR-loh.
Where? Let's see.
They might also say:
Déjeme comprobarlo. ¿Qué le parece que está mal?
DEH-kheh-meh kom-proh-BAHR-loh. Keh leh puh-REH-seh keh es-TAH mahl?
Let me check. What seems wrong to you?
2
YOU REPLY
Aquí pone dos postres y solo hemos pedido uno.
Uh-KEE POH-neh dos POS-tres ee SOH-loh EH-mos peh-DEE-doh OO-noh.
It says two desserts here and we only ordered one.
THEY SAY
Tiene razón. Lo corrijo ahora mismo.TYEH-neh ruh-SOHN. Loh kor-REE-khoh uh-OH-ruh MEEZ-moh.
You're right. I'll correct it right now.
3
YOU FINISH
Gracias. Y disculpe las molestias.
GRAH-syuhs. Ee dees-KOOL-peh lahs moh-LES-tyuhs.
Thanks. And sorry for the trouble.
THEY SAY
No pasa nada. Aquí tiene la cuenta corregida.Noh PAH-suh NAH-duh. Uh-KEE TYEH-neh lah koo-AYN-tuh kor-reh-KHEE-duh.
It's no problem. Here is the corrected bill.
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
creo
KREH-oh
verb
I think, I believe
hay
igh
verb
there is, there are
error
ehr-ROR
noun
mistake
cuenta
koo-AYN-tuh
noun
account
Vamos
BAH-mos
verb
let's go
29 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?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
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