別々に払う
betsubetsu ni harau
The English phrase "pay separately" can be expressed in Japanese as 別々に払う (betsubetsu ni harau).
Use 別々に払う when you want to specify that each person should pay for their own specific portion of a bill rather than splitting a total amount. In a restaurant, you can use the shorter phrase 別々で (separately) followed by a request to imply your intention to pay separately.
Which one should you use?
While 別々に払う refers to paying for exactly what you ordered individually, the term 割り勘 is a common noun used to describe the practice of splitting a total bill equally among everyone in a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite for use with restaurant staff, change the dictionary form 払う to the polite form 払います to say "I will pay separately" as 別々に払います.
How do you pronounce it?
betsubetsu ni harau
Did you know?
- The concept of 割り勘 is often used in Japanese dating culture as a 'litmus test' for a relationship, where insisting on 別々に払う on a first date can signal a lack of romantic interest.
- While 別々に払う is a literal way to say you want to pay for your own items, using it in a business dinner could be a social blunder. In professional settings, the highest-ranking person is culturally expected to pay for the entire group.
- The word 勘 in 割り勘 originally refers to a 'calculation' or 'estimation', implying that the group is performing a shared mental calculation to divide the cost.
Examples in context
- お会計は、別々にお支払いいただけますか？Can we pay separately for the bill?
- お会計は、別々に払おうか？Should we pay separately for the bill?
- 別々に払えますか？Can we pay separately?
- 会計は別々に払う?Kaikei wa betsubetsu ni harau?Shall we pay separately?
- 友達と別々に払うことにした。Tomodachi to betsubetsu ni harau koto ni shita.I decided to pay separately from my friend.
- 申し訳ありませんが、別々に払うことはできますか？Moushiwake arimasen ga, betsubetsu ni harau koto wa dekimasu ka?I am sorry, but is it possible to pay separately?
Example conversation
At a cafe after finishing lunch.
- 美咲 Misaki今日は別々に払う？Kyou wa betsubetsu ni harau?Shall we pay separately today?
- 蓮 Renうん、別々に払うよ。Un, betsubetsu ni harau yo.Yeah, let's pay separately.
- 美咲 Misakiわかった、じゃあレジに行くね。Wakatta, jaa reji ni iku ne.Okay, I'll go to the register then.
- 蓮 Ren美咲さんは先にどうぞ。Misaki-san wa saki ni douzo.Go ahead, Misaki.
