por cuenta de la casa
/poɾ ˌkwenta de la ˈkasa/
The English phrase "on the house" is translated into Spanish as por cuenta de la casa.
The phrase por cuenta de la casa is used in restaurants, bars or hotels to indicate that a specific item or service is complimentary and will not be charged to the customer.
Meaning: free service (prep_phrase)
Which one should you use?
You may also encounter the colloquial expression ¡Invita la casa!, which literally translates to "The house invites!"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and some parts of Central America, De cortesía is used instead of A cortesía de la casa to mean 'on the house'.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾ ˌkwenta de la ˈkasa/
Did you know?
- If you use the colloquial ¡Invita la casa!, you are personifying the building as if the 'house' itself is a person making an invitation.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, receiving something por cuenta de la casa often implies a social bond or a gesture of goodwill rather than just a business promotion.
- While the phrase uses casa to mean 'house', the Latin root casa originally referred to a 'cottage' or small hut.
Examples in context
- Esta ronda de tragos es por cuenta de la casa.This round of drinks is on the house.
- Este postre es por cuenta de la casa.This dessert is on the house.
- No te preocupes, la bebida es por cuenta de la casa.Don't worry, the drink is on the house.
- El café de esta tarde es por cuenta de la casa.This afternoon's coffee is on the house.
Example conversation
Mateo is a waiter serving Elena at a restaurant.
- MateoAquí tiene su vino, señorita Elena.Here is your wine, Miss Elena.
- Elena¿Cuánto le debo por la copa?How much do I owe you for the glass?
- MateoNo se preocupe, es por cuenta de la casa.Don't worry, it is on the house.
- Elena¡Muchas gracias, Mateo!Thank you very much, Mateo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “on the house” translations and entries por cuenta de la casa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casa, cuenta, de, la, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
