Which one should you use?
While te pagaré means "I will pay you," you can also use other expressions to be more specific. Te devolveré el dinero specifically means "I will pay you back the money," and Voy a devolverte el dinero means "I am going to return the money to you." If you want to specify that you are paying back a particular thing, such as the money, you can add the pronoun lo (it) to say te lo pagaré, which means "I will pay it back to you."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Te pagaré is used in informal settings. If you are addressing someone in a formal setting or wish to show respect, use le pagaré.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, if you are promising to pay back a group of people you address as "vosotros", use os pagaré. In Latin America, or when using the formal "ustedes" in Spain, use les pagaré to address a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun used in the phrase changes based on who you are addressing. When speaking to someone formally using "usted", you must change the pronoun from te to le. To specify the object being paid back, such as "it", the direct object pronoun lo is often placed between the indirect object pronoun and the verb, resulting in te lo pagaré.
How do you pronounce it?
/te paɡaɾe/
Did you know?
- The verb pagar comes from the Latin 'pacare', meaning 'to pacify' or 'to make peace', suggesting that paying a debt is a way of restoring harmony.
- In Spanish, the act of paying for another person's meal is often called invitar, which translates to 'inviting' rather than simply 'paying'.
- While pagar means 'to pay', it is also used in the expression pagar los platos rotos, which means to take the blame for something you did not do.
Examples in context
- Le pagaré el dinero que le debo la próxima semana.I will pay you the money I owe you next week.
- Tranquilo/a, te devuelvo el dinero en un par de días.Don't worry, I will pay you back in a couple of days.
- Voy a pagarte mañana cuando nos veamos.I will pay you tomorrow when we see each other.
- Te pagaré mañana sin falta.I will pay you back tomorrow without fail.
- No te preocupes, te pagaré pronto.Don't worry, I will pay you back soon.
- Te pagaré el dinero la próxima semana.I will pay you back the money next week.
Example conversation
Mateo forgot his wallet at a cafe.
- MateoElena, ¿puedes pagar mi café?Elena, can you pay for my coffee?
- ElenaSí, claro, no hay problema.Yes, of course, no problem.
- MateoMuchas gracias, te pagaré ahora mismo.Thank you very much, I will pay you back right now.
- ElenaNo es necesario, me lo das luego.It's not necessary, give it to me later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
