hesap lütfen
/hesap lytfen/from spelling rules
In Turkish, "can I have the bill, please?" is expressed as hesap lütfen.
The phrase is used to politely request the total amount of money owed at a restaurant or cafe.
What does it mean word for word?
The word hesap literally means 'account' or 'calculation'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
hesap lütfen is a standard and formal way to ask for the bill. For a more grammatically complete and formal option, you can use Hesabı alabilir miyim lütfen? which translates to 'Could I have the bill, please?'
How do you pronounce it?
The sounds are similar to the English words: [h]ome for /h/, [s]end for /s/, [p]an for /p/, [f]ood for /f/ and [n]ot for /n/.
When do people say it?
In Turkey, it is customary to wait until you ask for the bill rather than having it brought automatically. In many Turkish restaurants, you do not need to wait for a waiter to pass by. You can catch their eye and say hesap lütfen or even just hesap to signal your intent.
Did you know?
- In Turkey, it is very common for a group of friends to insist on paying the whole hesap for one another, often leading to a polite but firm 'argument' over who gets to pay.
- While asking for hesap, it is common to make a slight writing motion in the air with your hand to signal the waiter.
- The word hesap is also used in Turkish to describe a 'reckoning' or 'settling of scores' in a figurative, more aggressive sense.
Examples in context
- Hesap lütfen.The bill, please.
- Müsait olduğunuzda hesap lütfen.The bill, please, when you are free.
- Garson bey, hesap lütfen.Waiter, the bill, please.
Example conversation
Emre and Merve are finishing their meal at a cafe.
- EmreÇok güzel bir yemekti.It was a very nice meal.
- MerveEvet, ben de çok beğendim.Yes, I liked it a lot too.
- EmreGarson, hesap lütfen.Waiter, the bill please.
- MerveBen ödüyorum, Emre.I am paying, Emre.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
