Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| cuenta | /ˈkwenta/ | feminine |
| factura | /faɡˈtuɾa/ | feminine |
| compto (disused) | masculine |
Use cuenta when you are at a restaurant or cafe and need the check for your meal. Use factura when referring to a formal commercial invoice or a tax document.
Which one should you use?
cuenta is the common term used for a restaurant check, while factura is used for a formal commercial invoice.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina, it is common to say Mozo/Moza, la cuenta, por favor. to request the bill. In Mexico, it is common to use La cuentita, por favor. to request the bill.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both terms are feminine nouns. The plural of cuenta is cuentas, and the plural of factura is facturas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkwenta/
When do people say it?
The phrase La cuenta, por favor is the standard way to ask a waiter for the bill. For a more informal tone, you can say La cuenta, porfa. or use the question Me puedes traer la cuenta, por favor?
Did you know?
- In Argentina, a factura is not a bill but a sweet pastry. The name was coined by a baker's union to highlight the labor and cost involved in making them.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, gesturing by mimicking writing in the air is a common non-verbal way to ask for la cuenta without speaking.
- The word cuenta comes from the verb contar, which means both to count numbers and to tell a story.
Examples in context
- Tom pagó la cuenta.Tom paid the bill.This sentence shows how to say Tom paid the bill using cuenta.Tatoeba #1174944 by marcelostockle, translation #1164333 by CK
- Aquí está la cuenta.Here is the bill.This sentence shows how to say Here is the bill using cuenta.Tatoeba #6076467 by JRB, translation #1495898 by CK
- La cuenta, por favor.The bill, please.This sentence shows how to say The bill, please using cuenta.Tatoeba #2876 by Shishir, translation #462578 by lukaszpp
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are finishing their meal at a restaurant.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿podemos pedir la cuenta ahora?Alejandro, can we ask for the bill now?
- AlejandroSí, yo la pago hoy.Yes, I will pay it today.
- SofíaMuchas gracias por pagar la cuenta.Thank you very much for paying the bill.
- AlejandroNo hay problema, Sofía.No problem, Sofía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bill” translations and entries cuenta, factura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuenta, factura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
