traer la cuenta
/tɾaeɾ la kwenta/from spelling rules
To bring the check in Spanish is traer la cuenta.
This phrase is a request made to a server at a restaurant to receive the bill for a meal. In a real restaurant setting, it is most natural and common to use the phrase as a question including por favor (please), such as ¿Me puede traer la cuenta, por favor? (Can you bring me the check, please?).
Which one should you use?
While la cuenta means the check or bill in a restaurant, be aware that it can also mean "the account" (such as a bank account). Context will determine which meaning is intended.
How does it change in a sentence?
Although traer la cuenta is the infinitive form, in a practical restaurant setting, you should use the imperative tráigame la cuenta to be polite to the server.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, instead of asking for 'la cuenta', diners simply make a writing motion in the air with their hand to signal the server. This non-verbal gesture is widely understood and avoids the need for a formal verbal request.
- The Spanish verb traer is an ancient relative of the English word 'train', as both descend from the Latin 'trahere', meaning 'to pull'.
- The word cuenta comes from contar, a verb that means both 'to count' numbers and 'to tell' a story.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿puede traer la cuenta, por favor?Excuse me, can you bring the check, please?
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
