La cuenta, por favor
/la ˈkwenta poɾ faˈboɾ/word by word
In Spanish, 'can I have the bill?' is expressed as La cuenta, por favor.
This phrase is a polite request used in a restaurant to ask for the total amount of money owed for a meal. While English speakers often use a full sentence like 'Can I have the bill?', the most natural and common way to say this in Spanish is the shorter noun phrase La cuenta, por favor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'The bill, please'.
Which one should you use?
The standard way to ask is La cuenta, por favor, but you can also use the more formal version ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?, which means 'Will you bring me the bill, please?'
How do you pronounce it?
/la ˈkwenta poɾ faˈboɾ/
When do people say it?
In many Spanish-speaking countries, it is considered impolite for a waiter to bring the bill before you ask for it, as it may feel like they are rushing you to leave.
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, you can signal for the bill by making a writing motion in the air with your hand instead of speaking at all.
- The word cuenta comes from the verb contar, which means both 'to count' and 'to tell a story'.
- While la cuenta refers to the bill, dar cuenta is an idiom meaning 'to realize' or 'to become aware'.
Examples in context
- ¿Podría traerme la cuenta, por favor?Could you bring me the bill, please?
- Disculpe, ¿me puede traer la cuenta?Excuse me, can you bring me the bill?
- Le agradecería si me pudiera traer la cuenta.I would appreciate it if you could bring me the bill.
- ¿Puedes traerme la cuenta, por favor?Can you bring me the bill, please?
- Oye, ¿me puedes traer la cuenta?Hey, can you bring me the bill?
- Cuando puedas, me traes la cuenta, ¿ok?When you can, bring me the bill, okay?
- Disculpe, ¿me puede traer la cuenta, por favor?Excuse me, can you bring me the bill, please?
- ¡Claro! Enseguida se la traigo.Of course! I'll bring it right away.
- Disculpe, ¿me trae la cuenta, por favor?Excuse me, could you bring me the bill, please?
- Queremos la cuenta, por favor.We want the bill, please.
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are finishing their lunch at a restaurant.
- DanielTodo estuvo delicioso, ¿verdad, Elena?Everything was delicious, right, Elena?
- ElenaSí, me gustó mucho la comida.Yes, I liked the food a lot.
- DanielLa cuenta, por favor.The bill, please.
- ElenaYo pagaré la cuenta hoy.I will pay the bill today.
