la cuenta
/la kwenta/from spelling rules
The English phrase "dinner check" is translated into Spanish as la cuenta.
In a restaurant setting, la cuenta is the standard way to refer to the bill or check. If you want to be specific and refer to the check specifically for a dinner, you can use la cuenta de la cena.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the feminine article la (the) and the noun cuenta (account or bill).
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is considered rude for a server to bring la cuenta before the guests explicitly ask for it, as it suggests the restaurant wants the guests to leave.
- In some regions, a gesture of mimicking writing in the air with a finger is used to signal the server for la cuenta without speaking.
- The word cuenta shares the same root as the verb contar, which means both 'to count' and 'to tell a story'.
Examples in context
- ¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?Could you bring me the check, please?
- Traiga la cuenta, por favor.Bring the check, please.
- ¿Nos puede traer la cuenta?Can you bring us the check?
- La cuenta está sobre la mesa.The check is on the table.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are finishing their meal at a restaurant.
- LucíaDaniel, ¿podemos pedir la cuenta?Daniel, can we ask for the check?
- DanielSí, voy a llamar al camarero.Yes, I am going to call the waiter.
- LucíaGracias, la cuenta llegó muy rápido.Thanks, the check arrived very quickly.
- DanielEs un servicio excelente.It is excellent service.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
