How to Ask for the Bill in Spanish: La Cuenta + Audio
Say La cuenta, por favor to ask for the bill in Spanish. Listen to the pronunciation, ask to pay by card and practise understanding the server’s reply.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr LearnYour first Spanish phrases
Listen to a phrase, then try saying it aloud. The full conversation is below.
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-BOHR¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tah¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Do you accept card?
ah-SEHP-tahn tar-HEH-tah
Ask for the restaurant bill with La cuenta, por favor, then check whether you can pay by card with ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? This lesson separates the customer’s requests from the server’s payment question and reply. Listen for the difference between Sí, aceptamos tarjeta (Yes, we accept card) in the dialogue and Solo efectivo (Cash only) in the phrase recordings, then rehearse the customer’s two recorded turns.
By the end, you can…
- ask for the restaurant bill politely.
- ask whether card payment is accepted.
- distinguish a card-accepted reply from cash only.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-BOHR
A widely understood way to request the restaurant bill. Por favor makes the short request polite.
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tah
Use this to ask if card payment is accepted. 'Tarjeta' can mean credit or debit card.
¿Aceptan tarjeta?
Do you accept card?
ah-SEHP-tahn tar-HEH-tah
A shorter, very common way to ask about card payment before you order or when the bill arrives.
¿Efectivo o tarjeta?
Cash or card?
eh-fehk-TEE-voh oh tar-HEH-tah
You may hear this from the server. It means they are asking how you want to pay.
Solo efectivo.
Cash only.
SOH-loh eh-fehk-TEE-voh
If the server says this, it means they do not take cards. You will need cash.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Ask for the bill, then ask about payment
La cuenta, por favor requests the bill. ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? asks whether you can pay by card; ¿Aceptan tarjeta? asks whether the business accepts cards. These questions check a payment option rather than guaranteeing it is available. In the dialogue, A is the customer and B is the server. A first requests the bill and then asks about card payment. Repeat those two recorded customer lines before playing the server’s part.
Listen to the server’s answer
¿Efectivo o tarjeta? means Cash or card? It asks the customer to choose a payment method. The dialogue ends with Sí, aceptamos tarjeta: Yes, we accept card. The separate phrase Solo efectivo means Cash only, so it gives different information. You can ask about accepted payment methods before ordering if that affects your choice. Request the bill when you want to settle up; the right moment depends on the setting and your plans.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.lah KWEHN-tah, pohr fah-BOHRClaro. ¿Efectivo o tarjeta?
Sure. Cash or card?KLAH-roh. eh-fehk-TEE-voh oh tar-HEH-tah¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tar-HEH-tahSí, aceptamos tarjeta.
Yes, we accept card.see, ah-sehp-TAH-mohs tar-HEH-tahA little context goes a long way
Payment arrangements differ between restaurants. The useful habit is to ask and listen rather than assume a card will be accepted. In this lesson, compare the server’s recorded Sí, aceptamos tarjeta with the separate Solo efectivo recording. Neither phrase tells you whether service is included or where payment takes place.
One thing to watch for
Treating the question ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? as confirmation that the restaurant accepts cards.
Try this instead: The question only asks. Sí, aceptamos tarjeta confirms card acceptance; Solo efectivo means cash only. Listen for the answer before deciding how to pay.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask for the check in Spanish?
Show a sample answer
La cuenta, por favor.
La cuenta, por favor requests the bill politely. Say the recorded phrase, then listen to the server’s next turn.
2How do you ask if they accept card payment?
Show a sample answer
¿Aceptan tarjeta?
This is a direct yes/no question. Another valid option is '¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?' Both work, but '¿Aceptan tarjeta?' is often used before ordering.
3Listen to Solo efectivo. Does it mean cash only or card accepted?
Show a sample answer
Cash only.
Solo efectivo means cash only. Compare it with the dialogue reply Sí, aceptamos tarjeta, which confirms card acceptance.
4Replay the dialogue. Who requests the bill, who asks Cash or card?, and which reply confirms card acceptance? Then say A’s two recorded lines.
Show a sample answer
A requests the bill: La cuenta, por favor. B asks Claro. ¿Efectivo o tarjeta? A asks ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? B confirms Sí, aceptamos tarjeta.
Keep A as the customer and B as the server. Rehearse the four turns in order, then recall the customer’s request and payment question without changing the recorded wording.
Ask for the bill with La cuenta, por favor and check card payment with ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? Listen for the reply: Sí, aceptamos tarjeta and Solo efectivo mean different things.
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