cuenta
/ˈkwenta/
The Spanish word for check or bill is cuenta.
cuenta refers to a printed list of charges for food or services provided at a restaurant or hotel. When you wish to request your bill at a restaurant, a polite way to do so is to say La cuenta, por favor.
Which one should you use?
While cuenta is used for a restaurant bill, do not confuse it with cheque, which refers specifically to a bank check used for payment. For formal business transactions, the term la factura is used to mean a bill or an invoice.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and parts of Latin America, it is common to use el ticket to refer to the check or bill. In many Latin American countries, la boleta is also used to mean the bill.
How does it change in a sentence?
cuenta is a feminine noun. To form the plural cuentas, you follow the standard rule of adding -s.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkwenta/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you do not need to call a waiter over to ask for the bill. You can simply make a drawing of a signature in the air with your hand to signal that you are ready to pay.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is considered rude for a waiter to bring la cuenta before the customers explicitly ask for it, as it implies the restaurant is rushing them to leave.
- In some regions, the phrase pagar la cuenta can be used idiomatically to mean 'paying the price' for a mistake or a bad decision in life, not just paying for a meal.
Examples in context
- La cuenta, por favorThe check, please
- ¿Puede enviarme la factura, por favor?Can you send me the bill, please?
- ¿Podrías pedir la boleta, por favor?Could you ask for the bill, please?
- ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?Can you bring me the bill, please?
- La cuenta es correcta.The bill is correct.
- Queremos la cuenta para pagar.We want the bill to pay.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are finishing their meal at a restaurant.
- ElenaTodo estuvo delicioso, Alejandro.Everything was delicious, Alejandro.
- AlejandroSí, yo pediré la cuenta.Yes, I will ask for the check.
- ElenaGracias, yo pago el postre.Thanks, I'll pay for the dessert.
- AlejandroPerfecto, así dividimos la cuenta.Perfect, that way we split the bill.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cuenta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
