Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| conta | /ˈkõ.tɐ/ (Brazil) /ˈkõ.tɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
| fatura | /faˈtu.ɾɐ/ (Brazil) /faˈtu.ɾɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
In Portuguese, the word you choose depends on what kind of bill you are referring to. Use conta for a general utility bill or when requesting the check in a restaurant. The related verb cobrar means to charge or to enter something in a bill.
Which one should you use?
conta is the common term used for a restaurant check or general utility bills. In contrast, fatura is used for more formal commercial invoices or credit card statements.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, fatura is specifically used to refer to a bill in business or official contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both words are feminine nouns. The plural of conta is contas and the plural of fatura is faturas.
How do you pronounce it?
The word conta is pronounced /ˈkõ.tɐ/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When you are dining out and wish to request the check, you can ask for a conta.
Did you know?
- Beyond being a 'bill', the word conta is also used to describe a single bead on a necklace or a rosary.
- If you are 'settling a score' or getting revenge in Portuguese, you use the phrase acertar as contas, which literally means 'to settle the bills'.
- The word fatura is a learned borrowing from the Latin factūra, making it a doublet of the Portuguese word feitura, which refers to the way something is made.
Examples in context
- Tom pagou a conta.Tom paid the bill.This sentence shows how to use conta when talking about paying a bill.Tatoeba #1644682 by alexmarcelo, translation #1164333 by CK
- Ele tirou a conta.He withdrew the bill.This sentence shows a way to use conta regarding withdrawing a bill.Tatoeba #6176691 by User75171, translation #6176474 by Hartvi
- Ela pagou a conta.She has paid the bill.This sentence demonstrates the use of conta in the context of having paid a bill.Tatoeba #10651513 by malafaya, translation #8910230 by sundown
- Eu gostaria de pagar a conta, por favor.I would like to pay the bill, please.
- Podemos enviar a fatura para o endereço fornecido?Can we send the bill to the provided address?
- Peça a comanda, por favor.Ask for the bill, please.
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Mariana are at a restaurant finishing their meal.
- RodrigoMariana, você pode pedir a conta?Mariana, can you ask for the bill?
- MarianaSim, eu vou chamar o garçom.Yes, I will call the waiter.
- RodrigoA conta está muito cara hoje.The bill is very expensive today.
- MarianaRealmente, mas a comida estava ótima.Indeed, but the food was great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bill” translations and entries conta, fatura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conta, fatura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
