payer en espèces
To pay with cash in French is to payer en espèces.
This phrase is used when you want to express the action of paying for an item or service using physical banknotes and coins.
What does it mean word for word?
The part en espèces literally translates to 'in specie', which refers to the use of physical money.
Which one should you use?
To express the opposite of paying with cash, you can use payer par carte (to pay by card).
How does it change in a sentence?
When giving a command or an instruction to a customer, the verb is often conjugated in the imperative form as payez en espèces.
Did you know?
- The word espèces in this context is a shortened form of the phrase espèces sonnantes et trébuchantes. This older expression translates to 'sounding and stumbling species', referring to the tactile and audible nature of heavy coins.
- The French word payer shares a root with the English word 'pay' but originally comes from the Latin pacāre, meaning 'to pacify'. This suggests that paying a debt was historically viewed as a way to bring peace between two parties.
- While payer en espèces is perfectly correct, you will often hear French people simply say payer en liquide. The word liquide literally means 'liquid', but in a financial context, it refers to cash.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais payer en espècesI would like to pay with cash
- Je souhaite régler en liquideI wish to pay with cash
- Je vais payer en liquideI'm going to pay with cash
- Je préfère payer en espèces sonnantes et trébuchantesI prefer to pay with cold, hard cash
- Puis-je payer en espèces, s'il vous plaît?Can I pay with cash, please?
- Je vais payer en liquide, ça vous convient ?I'm going to pay with cash, is that okay?
- Est-ce que je peux payer en espèces ?Can I pay with cash?
- Je préfère payer en espèces.I prefer to pay with cash.
- Il est plus simple de payer en espèces ici.It is simpler to pay with cash here.
Example conversation
At a small bakery counter.
- HugoBonjour, je voudrais une baguette, s'il vous plaît.Hello, I would like a baguette, please.
- ManonBien sûr. Ça fera un euro.Of course. That will be one euro.
- HugoJe vais payer en espèces.I am going to pay with cash.
- ManonTrès bien, merci beaucoup.Very well, thank you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, payer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
