The short answer
Learning how to ask for the bill in different languages takes one phrase per country, and the pattern is almost always “the bill, please.” In Spanish it’s la cuenta, por favor; in French, l’addition, s’il vous plaît; in Italian, il conto, per favore; in German, die Rechnung, bitte; in Japanese, okaikei onegaishimasu. Add a second phrase for paying separately, and learn one rule: in much of Europe the bill won’t arrive until you ask for it. If words fail, catching the server’s eye and miming a signature in the air works almost everywhere.
How to ask for the bill in different languages: 20-language table
The table below gives the most common polite way to ask for the bill in each language, plus a phrase for paying separately where a natural one is well established. Pronunciation hints are approximate, written for English speakers. Where a language has its own script, we’ve given a romanized version you can read aloud.
| Language | “The bill, please” | Say it roughly like | “Can we pay separately?” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | La cuenta, por favor. | lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VOR | ¿Podemos pagar por separado? |
| French | L’addition, s’il vous plaît. | lah-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLEH | On peut payer séparément ? |
| Italian | Il conto, per favore. | eel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh | Possiamo pagare separatamente? |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | A conta, por favor. | ah KOHN-tah, poor fah-VOR | Podemos pagar separadamente? |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | A conta, por favor. / Pode fechar a conta? | POH-jee feh-SHAR ah KOHN-tah | Dá para dividir a conta? |
| German | Die Rechnung, bitte. / Zahlen, bitte. | dee REKH-noong, BIT-teh | Getrennt, bitte. |
| Dutch | De rekening, alstublieft. | duh RAY-kuh-ning, ALS-too-bleeft | Kunnen we apart betalen? |
| Swedish | Kan vi få notan? | kahn vee foh NOO-tahn | Kan vi betala var för sig? |
| Danish | Må vi bede om regningen? | moh vee BEH om RYE-ning-en | Kan vi betale hver for sig? |
| Norwegian | Kan vi få regningen? | kahn vee foh RYE-ning-en | Kan vi betale hver for oss? |
| Polish | Poproszę rachunek. | po-PRO-sheh rah-HOO-nek | Czy możemy zapłacić osobno? |
| Czech | Zaplatím, prosím. | ZAH-plah-teem, PRO-seem | Zvlášť, prosím. |
| Greek | To logariasmó, parakaló. | toh lo-ghar-yaz-MO, pa-ra-ka-LO | Xorista, parakaló. |
| Turkish | Hesap, lütfen. | heh-SAHP, LEWT-fen | Ayrı ayrı ödeyebilir miyiz? |
| Russian | Schyot, pozhaluysta. | SHCHYOT, pa-ZHAL-sta | Mozhno razdel’no? |
| Japanese | Okaikei onegaishimasu. | oh-kai-KAY oh-neh-guy-shee-MAHS | Betsubetsu de onegaishimasu. |
| Korean | Gyesanhae juseyo. | gyeh-SAN-heh JOO-seh-yo | Ttaro gyesanhae juseyo. |
| Mandarin Chinese | Mǎidān. | my-DAHN | Kěyǐ fēnkāi fù ma? |
| Thai | Chek bin, khrap / kha. | check BIN, krup (men) / kah (women) | Point to your items and ask the server |
| Arabic (widely understood) | Al-hisaab, min fadlak. | al-hee-SAAB, min FAD-lak | Point to your items and ask the server; wording varies by dialect |
A few notes on the table. In German-speaking countries, the server will often ask you “Zusammen oder getrennt?” (together or separate?) before you have to say anything, which our guide to splitting the bill in Germany covers in detail. In Brazil, fechar a conta literally means “close the bill” and is the everyday way to ask in bars. In Thai, the polite particle changes with the speaker: men end with khrap, women with kha.
The gesture that works almost everywhere
If you forget every phrase on this page, one gesture will still get you the bill in most restaurants: catch your server’s eye, then mime signing your name in the air with an imaginary pen. It’s widely understood across Europe, the Americas and much of Asia. For more phrases, travel site Matador Network has a roundup of how to ask for the bill in major languages.
A few habits help the gesture land politely:
- Make eye contact first. Wait until your server looks your way rather than waving across the room.
- Don’t snap, whistle or call out. These read as rude almost everywhere.
- Raise a hand slightly if the room is busy; in many places that’s the normal way to get attention.
- Smile and add the local “please”, even if it’s the only word you know.
In Japan, you may see diners cross their index fingers into a small X to signal they’re ready to pay, but the gesture is casual and better suited to izakaya than formal restaurants; saying okaikei onegaishimasu is clearer and always polite.
Why the bill doesn’t come until you ask
Visitors from the US and Canada are often surprised to sit for twenty minutes after dessert with no check in sight. In much of Southern and Western Europe, bringing the bill before the guests ask for it can feel like hurrying them out. The table is yours for the evening, and the server is waiting for your signal, not ignoring you.
That’s why the phrase matters more abroad than at home. In Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and Greece in particular, expect to ask. Our country guides go deeper: paying the bill in Spain explains la cuenta and the bar-counter tab, and paying the bill in Italy walks through the coperto and the cash desk.
Timing tips that help:
- Ask a little earlier than you’re ready. If you have a train or a show, ask for the bill with dessert or coffee.
- Ask for the card machine at the same time. In many countries the server brings a portable terminal to the table; saying you’ll pay by card avoids a second trip.
- Don’t take the wait personally. It’s hospitality, not slow service.
Paying separately: the second phrase you need
Once you can ask for the bill, the next question is usually how to split it. The phrases in the table’s last column ask to pay separately, but how splitting works also changes by country:
- Germany, Austria and Switzerland: separate payment is routine. Each person tells the server what they had and pays for it on the spot.
- Italy: friends often split the total evenly, called pagare alla romana. Our explainer on the alla romana meaning covers the phrase and its variations.
- Spain: splitting evenly is pagar a escote; one person often pays and the others settle up afterwards.
- Japan: betsubetsu means separate payments at the register; warikan means dividing the total equally among the group. Our guide to Japanese bill splitting (warikan) explains when each one is used.
- Korea: splitting is often called “Dutch pay,” a borrowing from English; ttaro means separately.
- China: splitting is often called “AA,” and many groups let one person pay and transfer shares by phone.
Wikipedia’s article on going Dutch collects many of these national terms in one place. If you’re splitting on a date rather than with friends, our guide to going Dutch on a date covers how to suggest it.
One tip for large groups anywhere: ask about splitting before you order. Some busy restaurants won’t divide a big bill into many parts at the end of the night, and it’s much easier to arrange up front.
Table, counter or cash desk?
Asking for the bill is only half the routine. Where you actually pay changes from country to country:
| Where you pay | Common in | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| At the table, card machine brought to you | Most of Europe, the UK, Australia | Ask for the bill, then say “card” so the server brings the terminal |
| At the table, cash counted with the server | Germany, Austria, Czech Republic | Tell the server the total you want to pay, including any tip |
| At the register by the door | Japan, Korea, many diners and cafés | Take the bill or table number to the counter when you leave |
| At the cash desk first | Italian coffee bars, some Spanish bakeries | Pay at the cassa, then show the receipt at the counter |
| Bar tab settled at the end | Spanish tapas bars, pubs in some countries | The bartender keeps track; ask for the total when you leave |
Asian languages: a closer look
East and Southeast Asian restaurants often work differently from Western ones, so the phrase is only part of the picture.
Japanese
Okaikei onegaishimasu (the bill, please) is the standard phrase. Okanjō onegaishimasu is also common, especially in izakaya. In many restaurants the bill is placed face down on your table early; you take it to the register when you leave. There’s no need to tip.
Korean
Gyesanhae juseyo means “please calculate it for me.” Many restaurants have you pay at the counter on your way out, and some have a call button on the table to summon staff. Ttaro gyesanhae juseyo asks for separate payments.
Mandarin Chinese
Mǎidān is the everyday word for the bill, and you can get a server’s attention by saying fúwùyuán (server). Jiézhàng is a slightly more formal alternative. Many restaurants in mainland China are now heavily geared to mobile payments, so ask whether they take cards if you don’t use a Chinese payment app.
Thai
Chek bin is borrowed from English “check bill,” so it’s easy to remember. Add khrap or kha for politeness.
Saying thank you after you pay
A local thank-you after paying is noticed and appreciated everywhere. A few that go beyond the basics:
- Japanese: Gochisōsama deshita, said to the staff as you leave, thanks them for the meal.
- Korean: Jal meogeosseumnida, “I ate well,” is the warm way to thank whoever paid or served you.
- Italian: Grazie, era tutto buonissimo, “thanks, everything was delicious.”
- Spanish: Muchas gracias, todo muy rico, used widely in Spain and Latin America.
- German: Danke, es war sehr lecker, “thanks, it was very tasty.”
- Greek: Efcharistó, ítan polý nóstimo, “thank you, it was very tasty.”
When a local friend or host pays for you, the thank-you matters even more than the phrase for the bill. In many cultures the polite move is to accept graciously and offer to pay next time.
A cheat sheet to save on your phone
Before a trip, screenshot just three lines for the country you’re visiting:
- The bill, please.
- Can we pay separately?
- Thank you, it was delicious.
Those three lines cover nearly every restaurant interaction at the end of a meal. Add “card, please” if you’d rather not carry cash, and you’ll rarely need a translation app at the table.
Eating with new people? Decide who pays before you sit down
Whatever the language, the most awkward bill moment is the one nobody planned. Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web and works in your browser, starting in Malta; the phone apps are not in the App Store or Google Play yet. Open MeetNow and see the plans posted in Malta.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the universal sign for the check?
Catching the server’s eye and miming a signature in the air with an imaginary pen is understood in most countries. Pair it with a smile and, if you can, the local phrase.
Is it rude to ask for the bill in Europe?
No. In much of Europe the server won’t bring the bill until you ask, because rushing guests out is considered impolite. Asking is expected, not rude.
How do you say “separate checks” in other languages?
Spanish: “por separado”; French: “séparément”; Italian: “separatamente”; German: “getrennt”; Japanese: “betsubetsu”; Korean: “ttaro”; Greek: “xorista”. Add “please” in the local language and you’re set.
Do you pay at the table or at the counter abroad?
It varies. In Japan and Korea you usually pay at the register near the door. In Germany, Austria and much of Europe the server takes payment at the table. In Italian bars you often pay at the cash desk before or after ordering at the counter.
What should I say after paying in another country?
A simple thank-you in the local language is enough: “gracias”, “merci”, “grazie”, “danke”. In Japan, “gochisōsama deshita” thanks the staff for the meal and is always appreciated.
