pagaré la cuenta
/paɡaɾe la kwenta/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I will pay the bill" is expressed as pagaré la cuenta.
The phrase is used to state that the speaker will cover the cost of a meal or a service. Depending on the context, you might use the present tense yo pago la cuenta to express a decision made at the moment of speaking, which functions similarly to the English "I'll pay the bill". If you are referring to a singular masculine item, you can use the informal phrase Te lo pago yo.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase pagaré la cuenta is the first-person singular future indicative form of the verb pagar (to pay).
Did you know?
- The word pagar is a relative of the English word 'pay', as both derive from the Latin pacare, which originally meant 'to pacify' or 'to make peace'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, it is common to avoid a direct-looking struggle over the bill by using the phrase Invito yo ('I invite/treat') instead of focusing on the payment itself.
- The word cuenta comes from the verb contar, which means both 'to count' and 'to tell a story'.
Examples in context
- Sí, yo me encargo de la cuenta, por favor.Yes, I will take care of the bill, please.
- No te preocupes, te lo pago yo.Don't worry, I'll pay for it.
- No te preocupes, pagaré la cuenta.Don't worry, I will pay the bill.
- Hoy es mi cumpleaños, así que pagaré la cuenta.Today is my birthday, so I will pay the bill.
- Yo pagaré la cuenta de la cena.I will pay the bill for dinner.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are finishing their lunch at a restaurant.
- ElenaLa comida estuvo deliciosa, ¿verdad?The food was delicious, right?
- AlejandroSí, estuvo genial. ¿Dividimos el costo?Yes, it was great. Shall we split the cost?
- ElenaNo es necesario, yo pagaré la cuenta.It is not necessary, I will pay the bill.
- AlejandroMuchas gracias, Elena. Eres muy amable.Thank you very much, Elena. You are very kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuenta, la, pagaré, CC BY-SA 4.0.
