Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While vous prenez la carte ? is a common way to ask, you can use more formal variations depending on your needs. Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit?, Est-ce que vous acceptez les paiements par carte? and Puis-je régler par carte? are all formal ways to ask if a business accepts credit cards or payments by card. In contrast, Est-ce qu'on peut payer par carte? is an informal way to ask if one can pay by card. Additionally, the term carte bleue is a common informal way to refer to both debit and credit cards.
How does it change in a sentence?
When asking this question, it is more formal to use the verb accepter (to accept) rather than prendre (to take). For example, est-ce que vous acceptez la carte ? is a formal construction.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly say vous prenez carte ? by forgetting the definite article la. You should always include la to be grammatically correct.
Did you know?
- While carte refers to a payment card here, the same word is used for a menu in a restaurant or a map for navigation.
- In France, the term carte bleue became a generic trademark because the original national payment system used a blue card.
- The word carte is a learned borrowing from the Latin charta, which originally came from the Ancient Greek word for papyrus.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit ici? Je préfère payer par carte.Excuse me, do you accept credit cards here? I prefer to pay by card.
- Quels types de cartes acceptez-vous?Which types of cards do you accept?
- Est-ce que vous prenez la carte ?Do you take card?
Example conversation
Emma is paying for a pastry at a small bakery.
- EmmaBonjour, vous prenez la carte ?Hello, do you take card?
- LucasOui, bien sûr, madame.Yes, of course, ma'am.
- EmmaParfait, merci beaucoup.Perfect, thank you very much.
- LucasJe vous en prie.You are welcome.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carte, la, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
