Paying & Splitting the Bill
Use these phrases when you are ready to finish your meal, check the total, and pay at a restaurant or café.
Key Phrases
On peut payer ?
casualCan we pay?
Use this in relaxed settings like cafes or bars.
L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
neutralThe bill, please.
The standard and most common way to ask in any restaurant.
Ça fait combien ?
casualHow much is that?
Very common in spoken French for any purchase.
Quel est le total, s'il vous plaît ?
politeWhat is the total, please?
A slightly more formal way to ask for the final price.
On fait moitié-moitié ?
casualShould we do fifty-fifty?
Use with friends when splitting the bill equally.
On peut payer séparément ?
neutralCan we pay separately?
Useful when you want to pay only for your own items.
Sans contact ?
casualContactless?
A very quick way to ask if you can tap your card.
Je vais payer par carte.
neutralI am going to pay by card.
Clear and standard statement of how you will pay.
Je paie en liquide.
casualI am paying in cash.
The word 'liquide' is a very common everyday term for cash.
Je vais payer en espèces.
neutralI am going to pay in cash.
The standard and universally understood phrase for cash payments.
C'est bon, merci.
casualKeep the change. (Literally: It's good, thanks.)
Say this when handing cash to the server so they know not to return change.
Gardez la monnaie.
politeKeep the change.
A more direct and polite way to leave a tip in cash.