On peut payer ?
To ask "Can we pay?" in French, say On peut payer ?
On peut payer ? asks whether you can pay now, for example in a café or shop.
Which one should you use?
Using on for we is much more common in everyday spoken French than the formal Pouvons-nous payer, s'il vous plaît? Adding Est-ce qu'on peut payer ? gives a standard neutral question, while Peut-on payer ? uses inversion and sounds more formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun on is used here as an informal way to mean we, and it takes the same verb form as he or she.
When do people say it?
In a restaurant it is more common to ask for the bill directly with L'addition, s'il vous plaît. than to ask whether you can pay.
Did you know?
- The verb payer shares an ancient root with the Latin word pacāre, which means 'to pacify' or 'to make peace'. Originally, paying was seen as the act of settling a dispute or bringing peace between two parties.
- In many traditional French cafés, it is considered rude for a waiter to bring the bill before you ask for it. Doing so would be interpreted as a signal that the establishment wants you to leave quickly.
- While On peut payer ? is grammatically correct, asking for the bill with L'addition is the standard social script in France. Asking if you 'can' pay may sound to a waiter like you are unsure if you have enough money.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are finishing their meal at a café.
- NathanOn peut payer ?Can we pay?
- LéaOui, je vais chercher l'addition.Yes, I will go get the bill.
- NathanMerci, c'est gentil.Thank you, that is kind.
- LéaJe reviens tout de suite.I will be right back.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries on, payer, peut, CC BY-SA 4.0.
