Zahlen, bitte
/ˈtsaːln̩ ˈbɪtə/word by word
To say "check, please" in German, use Zahlen, bitte.
Zahlen, bitte is used specifically to request the bill/invoice at the end of a meal in a restaurant or cafe.
How does it change in a sentence?
While Zahlen, bitte is a common elliptical shorthand, the full grammatically complete imperative form is Zahlen Sie, bitte.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtsaːln̩ ˈbɪtə/
Did you know?
- The verb zahlen actually shares its roots with the English word 'tale', in the sense of a 'told' number or a story that is recounted.
- In Germany, it is common for a server to ask Zusammen oder getrennt?, meaning 'together or separate?' This reflects a strong cultural preference for splitting bills exactly by what each person ordered.
- Tipping in Germany is handled differently than in the US. When you zahlen, you typically round up to the nearest whole euro or tell the server the total amount you want them to keep.
Examples in context
- Entschuldigen Sie, könnten Sie mir bitte die Rechnung bringen?Excuse me, could you please bring me the bill?
- Entschuldigung, könnten Sie bitte die Rechnung bringen?Excuse me, could you please bring the bill?
- Entschuldige bitte, könntest du mir die Rechnung bringen?Excuse me, could you bring me the bill?
- Griaß Di, kriag i bitte die Rechnung?Hello, can I have the bill, please?
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are finishing their coffee at a cafe.
- MaximilianSarah, möchten wir zahlen?Sarah, shall we pay?
- SarahJa, ich rufe den Kellner.Yes, I will call the waiter.
- MaximilianZahlen, bitte.Check, please.
- SarahDer Kellner kommt sofort.The waiter is coming right away.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (zahlen, bitte) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bitte, zahlen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
