por mi cuenta
/poɾ mi kwenta/from spelling rules
In Spanish, the phrase "on me" is expressed as por mi cuenta.
The phrase por mi cuenta is used to indicate that you will pay the bill for someone else. While por mi cuenta is used to state that a bill is on you, the verb invitar is the most common way to express the action of treating someone to something, such as in the phrase Yo te invito.
Which one should you use?
While por mi cuenta is a standard way to say the bill is on you, in casual settings, people often use shorter versions like yo invito to mean "it's on me".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the informal expression Yo invito. is used to mean "I'll treat you" or "my shout".
Did you know?
- The word cuenta in por mi cuenta comes from the verb contar, which means both 'to count' numbers and 'to tell' a story.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone says yo invito and you insist on paying, it can be seen as a polite 'dance' of generosity rather than a literal disagreement over money.
- While por mi cuenta means 'on me' in a financial sense, it is also used to describe doing something independently, such as starting a business por mi cuenta.
Examples in context
- La cena va por mi cuenta.Dinner's on me.This sentence shows how to use por mi cuenta to say that dinner is being paid for by the speaker.Tatoeba #4948125 by Francisco_M, translation #2245264 by CK
- El almuerzo de hoy está a mi cargo.Today's lunch is on me.
- Invito yo, esta vez pago yo.It's on me, I'll pay this time
- Yo pongo las cervezas hoy.It's on me, I'll get the beers today.
- Hoy el café va por mi cuenta.Today the coffee is on me.
- No te preocupes, el postre va por mi cuenta.Don't worry, the dessert is on me.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are at a cafe after lunch.
- Elena¿Quieres pagar tú?Do you want to pay?
- MateoNo, no es necesario.No, it is not necessary.
- ElenaTodo va por mi cuenta hoy, Mateo.Everything is on me today, Mateo.
- Mateo¡Muchas gracias, Elena!Thank you very much, Elena!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
