To ask for the bill in Spanish, say la cuenta, por favor (lah KWEHN-tah por fah-BOR). In Spanish bars it is just as natural to say ¿me cobras? (literally "will you charge me?"), or ¿nos cobra? to a waiter you address formally. In Spain the bill rarely arrives unasked, since that can feel like rushing you.
- The bill, please
- la cuenta, por favor
- Can I pay? (Spain, bars)
- ¿me cobras?
- Formal
- ¿nos cobra, por favor?
- Tip
- la propina
- Level
- A1
Should you say la cuenta or me cobras?
La cuenta, por favor is understood in every restaurant in the Spanish-speaking world. ¿Me cobras? comes from cobrar, to charge, and is what you hear at a bar counter in Spain when someone wants to pay and go. Catching a waiter's eye and miming a signature in the air works as well.
| Spanish | English | Where and when |
|---|---|---|
| La cuenta, por favor. | The bill, please. | Anywhere |
| ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor? | Could you bring us the bill, please? | Restaurants; usted |
| ¿Me cobras? | Can I pay? | Spain; bars and cafés, tú |
| ¿Nos cobra, por favor? | Could we pay, please? | Spain; usted |
| Cuando puedas, la cuenta. | The bill when you get a chance. | Relaxed; tú |
| ¿Cuánto es? | How much is it? | At the counter |
| ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card? | Anywhere |
How do you split the bill in Spanish?
Among friends in Spain, it is common for one person to pay a round and the next person to get the following one, or to divide the total evenly rather than item by item. The verb to know is invitar: in a bar it means to pay for someone, not just to invite them.
¿Pagamos a medias?
Shall we go halves?
Two people.
Pagamos a escote.
We'll split it evenly.
Spain; a group dividing the total.
¿Podemos pagar por separado?
Can we pay separately?
Hoy invito yo.
Today it's on me.
Te invito a un café.
Let me buy you a coffee.
Do you tip in Spain?
A tip is la propina. In Spain it is modest and optional: many people round up or leave the small change on the saucer, and leave more for a good meal or attentive service. Quédese con el cambio (keep the change) is the polite usted version; quédate con el cambio with tú.
In much of Latin America a tip is more expected than in Spain, and some restaurants add a service charge to the bill, so check before you tip twice. Before you pay, it helps to know how to ask how much it is in Spanish.
What mistakes do learners make with the bill?
British and American English disagree about "bill", and so does Spanish. The restaurant bill is la cuenta. An American bill, a banknote, is un billete, which also means a ticket. La factura is an invoice, for a business expense or a utility bill: ¿me hace factura? asks a shop for a proper invoice. Cuenta is also a bank account.
As you leave, a gracias, hasta luego to the staff is normal in Spain; more on that on how to say see you later in Spanish.
Read A1 Spanish stories set in bars, markets and cafés, and tap any word to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
What does ¿me cobras? mean?
Literally "will you charge me?". It is the everyday way to say you want to pay in a Spanish bar or café. With usted: ¿me cobra?
Do Spanish waiters bring the bill automatically?
Usually not. Lingering after a meal (the sobremesa) is normal in Spain, and bringing the bill unasked can feel like pushing you out. Ask when you are ready.
How do you say keep the change in Spanish?
Quédese con el cambio to someone you call usted, or quédate con el cambio with tú. Está bien así (that's fine as it is) also works when you hand over the money.
How do you say is service included?
¿El servicio está incluido? In Spain it usually is not added as a separate charge, but the question is always polite.
How do you say Can we pay separately?
¿Podemos pagar por separado? In Spain, groups often prefer to split the total evenly, which is pagar a escote.