To ask for the bill in French, say L'addition, s'il vous plaît (lah-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLAY). In a French café or restaurant the waiter will not bring it until you ask, so catch their eye first. On peut avoir l'addition ? is a slightly fuller version. At a hotel, the bill is la note.
- The bill, please
- L'addition, s'il vous plaît
- Can we have the bill?
- On peut avoir l'addition ?
- Hotel bill
- la note
- Service included
- service compris
- Level
- A1
Why doesn't the waiter bring the bill in France?
Because bringing it unasked would feel like rushing you. A table in a French café or restaurant is yours for as long as you like, and lingering over a coffee after the meal is normal. When you are ready, make eye contact, raise a hand slightly, and ask. A small writing gesture in the air also works across a busy room.
| French | English | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| L'addition, s'il vous plaît. | The bill, please. | Standard, short and polite |
| On peut avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ? | Could we have the bill, please? | Polite, a little softer |
| Je peux avoir l'addition ? | Can I have the bill? | Eating alone |
| Vous pouvez nous apporter l'addition ? | Could you bring us the bill? | Polite |
| On va payer, s'il vous plaît. | We'd like to pay, please. | Casual; common at the counter |
| La note, s'il vous plaît. | The bill, please. | Hotels; sometimes heard in restaurants |
To call the waiter over, say s'il vous plaît or monsieur / madame. Shouting garçon ! belongs in old films and sounds rude today.
Addition, note, facture or ticket?
French has several words where English has "bill" or "receipt", and each belongs in its own place. L'addition is for food and drink. La note is the hotel bill. La facture is an invoice or a utility bill. In a shop, your receipt is le ticket (de caisse); a handwritten one is un reçu.
How do you pay and split the bill?
In many places the card machine comes to the table. If you want to treat someone, say so before the bill arrives.
Je peux payer par carte ?
Can I pay by card?
En espèces, s'il vous plaît.
In cash, please.
On paie séparément ?
Shall we pay separately?
C'est pour moi.
It's on me.
Je t'invite.
My treat.
To a friend; je vous invite with vous.
Gardez la monnaie.
Keep the change.
Do you tip in France?
Menu prices in France already include service, which is what service compris on the bill means, so a tip is optional. People often round up or leave a little change for good service, but nobody expects a percentage. Québec follows North American custom: a tip of around 15% is expected, and you will often hear la facture for the restaurant bill there.
Read A1 French stories set in cafés and bakeries, and tap any word to see its meaning.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce l'addition?
"lah-dee-SYOHN". The double d sounds like a single d, the ti sounds like "see", and the final on is nasal, with no n sound. Run l' and addition together as one word.
Is the bill in French l'addition or la note?
In restaurants and cafés, l'addition. At a hotel, la note. You will occasionally hear la note in a restaurant, and everyone will understand it.
Is it rude to ask for the bill in France?
No, it is expected. The rude thing, from a French point of view, would be the waiter bringing it before you asked.
How do you ask for a receipt in French?
Je peux avoir un reçu, s'il vous plaît ? works anywhere. In shops the cashier often asks you first: Vous voulez le ticket ? (Do you want the receipt?). Answer oui, merci or non, merci.