Example Dialogue at a Restaurant: French Phrases for Paying the Bill

In restaurants in France and other French-speaking regions, it is reassuring to know some basic phrases for handling payment.

It is not enough to simply say “The bill, please.” Depending on the situation, you may also need to express things like “We’d like to split the bill” or “I’d like to pay by card.”

In this lesson, I will introduce essential French expressions for paying the bill and explain how to use them appropriately.

Dialogue

A

Excusez-moi, l’addition, s’il vous plaît.
(Excuse me, the bill, please.)

B

Bien sûr, je vous l’apporte tout de suite.
(Of course, I’ll bring it right away.)

A

Est-ce qu’on peut payer séparément ?
(Can we pay separately?)

B

Oui, pas de problème. Vous payez par carte ou en espèces ?
(Sure, no problem. Will you pay by card or in cash?)

A

Par carte, s’il vous plaît.
(By card, please.)

B

Très bien. Voici le terminal.
(Very well. Here is the terminal.)

Grammar and Expression Points

1. Asking for the Bill

The French word for “bill” is l’addition. When asking for the bill, you can use:

For a slightly more polite version:

2. Asking to Split the Bill

When dining with friends, it is common to split the bill (payer séparément).

Useful phrases include:

Here, the verb payer (to pay) is combined with séparément (separately) to convey the idea of splitting.

3. Indicating Payment Method

Servers will often confirm the payment method by asking:

Possible replies:

The word espèces means “cash.” In everyday French, liquide is also used with the same meaning:

4. Other Useful Expressions

Here are some additional phrases that may be useful in payment situations:

The word pourboire means “tip.” In France, service charges are usually included in the bill, so leaving a tip is not mandatory.

However, it is customary to leave a few coins or a couple of euros if the service was especially good.

Summary

泉（Izumi）

Author

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