Korean Restaurant Bill: Ask for the Check and Payment Methods
Learn to say 'The bill, please' and 'Can I pay by card?' in Korean, with the key phrase 계산서 주세요 and natural ways to call staff at the end of a meal.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
You have finished eating and want to pay. In Korean restaurants, the most direct and widely understood way to ask for the bill is 계산서 주세요 (gyesanseo juseyo). This lesson gives you that phrase plus two other practical patterns: one to ask whether card payment is possible, and one to call a staff member politely when you need service. You will also learn the difference between 계산서 (the bill) and 계산 (the act of paying), so you can choose the right word. The focus stays on ending a meal, not ordering, and all examples use Hangul with Revised Romanization.
By the end, you can…
- ask for the bill at a Korean restaurant using 계산서 주세요.
- ask whether I can pay by card and call a staff member politely.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
계산서 주세요.
The bill, please.
gye-san-seo ju-se-yo
The standard, direct way to request the check after a meal. Use it with staff at the table or at the counter.
카드로 계산할 수 있어요?
Can I pay by card?
ka-deu-ro gye-san-hal su i-sseo-yo
Asks whether card payment is accepted. 카드로 means 'by card'; 계산하다 means 'to pay'.
여기요.
Excuse me (to call a staff member).
yeo-gi-yo
A common, polite way to call a staff member's attention. Literally 'here', but it functions as 'excuse me' in restaurants.
계산해 주세요.
Please let me pay / I'd like to pay.
gye-san-hae ju-se-yo
Focuses on the action of paying. Useful when you are ready to settle the bill, often said at the counter.
현금으로 계산할게요.
I'll pay in cash.
hyeon-geum-eu-ro gye-san-hal-ge-yo
States your payment method. Use 카드로 계산할게요 for 'I'll pay by card'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [noun] + 주세요 (juseyo), which means 'please give me [noun]'. 계산서 주세요 is literally 'please give me the bill'. You can use the same pattern for other requests: 물 주세요 (mul juseyo, 'water, please'), 메뉴 주세요 (menyu juseyo, 'menu, please'). To ask about payment, use [method] + 로 계산할 수 있어요? (…ro gyesanhal su isseoyo?). 카드로 계산할 수 있어요? means 'Can I pay by card?' Replace 카드 with 현금 (hyeongeum, cash) to ask about cash: 현금으로 계산할 수 있어요? Note that 계산서 is the paper bill, while 계산 is the act of paying. If you say 계산 주세요, it sounds like 'please do the payment', which is also understood but less precise than 계산서 주세요.
When to use it
Use 계산서 주세요 when you want the bill brought to your table. If you are already at the counter, you can simply say 계산해 주세요 (gyesanhae juseyo) or 카드로 계산할게요 (kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo). To call a staff member from your seat, say 여기요 (yeogiyo) in a clear but friendly voice. It is polite enough for most restaurants. If you need to ask about card payment before ordering, you can still use 카드로 계산할 수 있어요? but it is more natural to ask when you are ready to pay. In many Korean restaurants, you pay at the counter on your way out, so you may not need to ask for the bill at the table. However, 계산서 주세요 is always understood if you prefer table service.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
여기요.
Excuse me.yeo-gi-yo네, 손님. 무엇을 도와드릴까요?
Yes, customer. How can I help you?ne, son-nim. mu-eo-seul do-wa-deu-ril-kka-yo?계산서 주세요. 카드로 계산할 수 있어요?
The bill, please. Can I pay by card?gye-san-seo ju-se-yo. ka-deu-ro gye-san-hal su i-sseo-yo?네, 카드로 계산하실 수 있어요. 카드를 여기에서 긁어 주세요.
Yes, you can pay by card. Please swipe your card here.ne, ka-deu-ro gye-san-ha-sil su i-sseo-yo. ka-deu-reul yeo-gi-e-seo geulgeo ju-se-yo.A little context goes a long way
In many Korean restaurants, you pay at the counter rather than at the table, so you may not need to ask for the bill. However, 계산서 주세요 is perfectly polite and useful when you want the bill brought to you. Calling 여기요 is common and not rude, but keep your tone friendly. Tipping is not customary in most Korean restaurants, and the price on the menu is what you pay.
One thing to watch for
Saying 계산 주세요 when you mean 'the bill, please'.
Try this instead: 계산 주세요 is not a serious error, but it literally means 'please do the payment', not 'please give me the bill'. For the physical bill, say 계산서 주세요. Example: 계산서 주세요. (gyesanseo juseyo) means 'The bill, please.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask for the bill at a Korean restaurant?
Show a sample answer
계산서 주세요.
This is the standard phrase. You could also say 계산해 주세요 if you are ready to pay, but 계산서 주세요 specifically asks for the bill.
2How do you ask if you can pay by card?
Show a sample answer
카드로 계산할 수 있어요?
This asks whether card payment is possible. You can also say 카드로 계산해도 돼요? (kadeuro gyesanhaedo dwaeyo?), which is slightly more casual but still polite.
3What can you say to call a staff member's attention?
Show a sample answer
여기요.
여기요 is a common and polite way to call a staff member. It literally means 'here', but in restaurants it works like 'excuse me'.
Use 계산서 주세요 for 'The bill, please' and 카드로 계산할 수 있어요? for 'Can I pay by card?' Call staff with 여기요. Remember that 계산서 is the bill, while 계산 is the act of paying.
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