bezahlen
/bəˈtsaːlən/
To pay in German is bezahlen. Wiktionary also lists zahlen and zale.
Meaning: to give money in exchange for goods or services (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bezahlen | /bəˈtsaːlən/ | |
| zahlen | /ˈtsaːln̩/ /ˈtsaːlən/ (Germany) |
|
| zale | Alemannic German |
The verbs used for this action mean to give money in exchange for goods or services. While these verbs refer to the act of paying, the noun Gehalt is used specifically for money given in return for work, such as a salary.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two main forms depends on what you are emphasizing. Use bezahlen when you specify the object being paid for or the person receiving the money. Use zahlen more generally to describe the act of paying itself, such as when asking how a person intends to pay.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic dialects, the form zale is used instead of the standard German bezahlen or zahlen.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of bezahlen is bezahlt, and the simple past form of zahlen is zahlte.
How do you pronounce it?
/bəˈtsaːlən/
Did you know?
- In many German restaurants, it is customary for the server to ask Zusammen oder getrennt?, meaning 'Together or separate?' This is because splitting the bill by individual items is a standard social practice.
- The German word for 'pay', zahlen, shares the same root as the English word 'tale', which originally meant a count or a reckoning.
- In traditional German cash culture, the phrase Bar zahlen refers to paying with cash. Even in a digital age, Germany remains significantly more dependent on physical currency for small payments than many English-speaking countries.
Examples in context
- Zahlen Sie in bar?Will you pay cash?This example shows how to use zahlen to ask about a method of payment.Tatoeba #2272199 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2270575 by _undertoad
- Wir bezahlen Tom gut.We pay Tom well.This sentence demonstrates using bezahlen to describe paying a person.Tatoeba #5952357 by Espi, translation #2856416 by Amastan
- Wo muss ich bezahlen?Where do I have to pay?This sentence shows the use of bezahlen when asking for a location to pay.Tatoeba #12187918 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11957795 by sundown
- Ich möchte bitte mit Karte bezahlen.I would like to pay by card, please.
- Bitte beachten Sie, dass Sie am Ende des Monats bezahlen müssen.Please note that you need to pay at the end of the month.
- Könnten Sie die Rechnung bitte begleichen?Could you please settle the bill?
- Wir möchten die ausstehende Summe begleichen.We would like to pay the outstanding amount.
- Können Sie mir sagen, wie viel ich zahlen muss?Can you tell me how much I need to pay?
- Der Kunde möchte bar zahlen.The customer wants to pay in cash.
- Lass mich bezahlen!Let me pay!
- Wer zahlt die Rechnung?Who will pay the bill?
- Musst du immer alles abdrücken?Do you always have to pay for everything?
- 606 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Lukas are at a cafe.
- LauraLukas, ich möchte gerne bezahlen.Lukas, I would like to pay.
- LukasNein, ich bezahle heute für uns beide.No, I am paying for both of us today.
- LauraDas ist sehr lieb von dir.That is very kind of you.
- LukasGerne, ich bezahle mit meiner Karte.You're welcome, I'll pay with my card.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pay” translations and entries bezahlen, zahlen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bezahlen, zahlen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
