The meal was great — now how do you pay like a local? In this lesson you'll learn the essential 'conta, por favor' phrases, the Brazilian way to split the bill, and the three dominant payment methods: cartão (card), dinheiro (cash), and Pix. Spoiler: Pix is taking over the world. You'll also meet the 10% service charge — a small but important cultural detail that keeps everyone happy.
Learning tips
- 'A conta, por favor!' is the magic phrase. Raise your hand slightly and say it with a smile — no yelling needed.
- 'Pode + infinitive?' is the politest way to ask for anything: 'Pode dividir?', 'Pode trazer a conta?' Much warmer than the English 'Can you...'
- The 10% service charge ('os dez por cento' or 'serviço') is almost always included — it's technically optional, but refusing is considered very rude.
- 'Pix' is pronounced 'peeks' — one quick syllable. It's a free, instant bank transfer, and it has revolutionized how Brazilians split bills.
- 'Obrigado/a' shifts with YOUR gender — men say 'obrigado', women say 'obrigada'. This doesn't change when paying a bill.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| doce | sweet |
| salgado | salty |
| apimentado | spicy |
| azedo | sour |
| amargo | bitter |
| quente | hot |
| frio | cold |
| gelado | ice-cold |
| gostoso | tasty |
| ruim | bad |
Dialog
Beatriz, Thiago, and a friend finish lunch at a café in Santa Teresa and handle the bill. Notice the full sequence: asking for the check, deciding whether to split it, the confirmation of the 10% tip, and the flexible payment options. Also notice how they split three ways — one by card, one by Pix, one in cash. This combo is 100% typical.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| a conta | /a ˈkõ.tɐ/ | the bill, check | 'A conta, por favor!' is THE phrase |
| pagar | /paˈɡaʁ/ | to pay | Regular -ar verb |
| a gorjeta | /a ɡoʁˈʒe.tɐ/ | the tip, service charge | In Brazil, the 10% service charge is called 'gorjeta' or 'serviço' |
| dividir | /dʒi.viˈdʒiʁ/ | to split, divide | 'Pode dividir?' is the polite way to ask |
| junto | /ˈʒũ.tu/ | together | 'Vai tudo junto?' = All on one bill? |
| separado | /se.paˈɾa.du/ | separate | Opposite of 'junto' — each person pays their own |
| no cartão | /nu kaʁˈtɐ̃w̃/ | by card | 'No cartão' — note the contraction 'em + o = no' |
| em dinheiro | /ẽj̃ dʒiˈɲej.ɾu/ | in cash | 'Em dinheiro' — literally 'in money' |
| o Pix | /u ˈpiks/ | the Pix (instant bank transfer) | Free, instant, 24/7 — dominant in Brazil since 2020 |
| obrigada | /o.bɾiˈɡa.dɐ/ | thank you (said by a female) | Men say 'obrigado' — agrees with the speaker's gender |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| o débito | /u ˈdɛ.bi.tu/ | the debit (card) | 'Cartão de débito' |
| o crédito | /u ˈkɾɛ.dʒi.tu/ | the credit (card) | 'Cartão de crédito' |
| o talão | /u taˈlɐ̃w̃/ | the receipt booklet | Old-school paper receipts |
| a nota fiscal | /a ˈnɔ.tɐ fisˈkaw/ | the tax receipt | Fiscal invoice — required by law |
| o erro | /u ˈe.ʁu/ | the error, mistake | 'Tem um erro na conta' = There's a mistake on the bill |
| correto | /koˈʁɛ.tu/ | correct | 'Está correto' = It's correct |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| a conta, por favor | the check, please |
| pode dividir por três? | can you split it by three? |
Grammar: Asking for actions politely; the 10% service charge (serviço) convention in Brazil
| Estrutura | Fórmula | Exemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Pedido direto | (Item), por favor. | A conta, por favor. |
| Pedido com verbo | Pode + infinitivo? | Pode dividir? / Pode trazer a conta? |
| Oferta do garçom | Como quer pagar? | No cartão, em dinheiro ou Pix? |
| Resposta | Em / No + forma de pagamento | Em dinheiro. / No cartão. / No Pix. |
'Pode' é seu amigo: no Brasil, 'Pode trazer a conta?', 'Pode dividir?', 'Pode me ajudar?' são pedidos super educados e comuns. Muito mais natural que 'Você pode...' completo.
Divisão da conta:
| Fórmula | Significado |
|---|---|
| Tudo junto | Uma só conta |
| Separado | Cada um paga o seu |
| Dividir por X | Dividir o total por X pessoas |
| No Pix, cada um paga a sua parte | Comum entre amigos |
Formas de pagamento em 2026:
- Dinheiro (em espécie) — cada vez menos comum
- Cartão de crédito / débito — universal
- Pix — pagamento instantâneo via celular, gratuito, 24h/dia. Dominante no Brasil.
A conta com taxa de serviço:
No Brasil, a maioria dos restaurantes cobra uma taxa de serviço de 10% — chamada 'os dez por cento' ou 'serviço'. Legalmente, essa taxa é opcional. Você pode pagar só o valor da comida se quiser. Mas quase todo mundo paga os 10%, porque é a forma principal de remunerar os garçons. Fora essa taxa, gorjeta extra é raríssima — diferente dos EUA, no Brasil os 10% já é a 'gorjeta'.
Paying politely in Brazil uses two main structures — both essential survival tools.
Polite request structures:
| Structure | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct request | (Item), por favor. | A conta, por favor. |
| Request with verb | Pode + infinitive? | Pode dividir? / Pode trazer a conta? |
| Waiter's offer | Como quer pagar? | No cartão, em dinheiro, ou Pix? |
| Your answer | Em / No + method | Em dinheiro. / No cartão. / No Pix. |
'Pode' is your best friend: 'Pode trazer a conta?' (Can you bring the check?), 'Pode dividir?' (Can you split it?), 'Pode me ajudar?' (Can you help me?) — all extremely polite and natural. More idiomatic than the full 'Você pode...' form.
Splitting the bill — vocabulary:
| Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tudo junto | All on one bill |
| Separado | Each person on their own bill |
| Dividir por X | Split by X people |
| No Pix, cada um manda a sua parte | Via Pix, each one sends their share (very common among friends) |
Payment methods in 2026:
- Em dinheiro (cash) — decreasing rapidly
- No cartão de crédito / débito — universal; nearly every store accepts it
- No Pix — instant bank transfer, free, 24/7, via phone. It dominates. Even street vendors accept Pix.
The 10% service charge ('serviço' or 'os dez por cento'):
In Brazil, almost every restaurant automatically adds a 10% service charge to the bill. Legally, it's optional — you can refuse and pay only the food. In practice, almost everyone pays it, because:
1. It's the main way waiters earn a living.
2. Refusing signals dissatisfaction and creates awkwardness.
Unlike the US, extra tipping on top of the 10% is NOT expected — the service charge IS the tip.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the right word.
- Moço, por favor, a !(what you ask for at the end of the meal)
- Vocês aceitam ? Sim, Pix, cartão ou dinheiro.(instant payment by phone)
- Pode a conta por três pessoas?(verb — to split)
- Eu pago em , tem troco?(in cash)
- A de 10% já está incluída.(the 10% tip)
Grammar Application
Answer each prompt about paying.
- Pedido educado para trazer a conta: (polite request for the bill — full phrase)
- Forma de pagamento por celular, gratuita, instantânea: (the instant payment method)
- Oposto de 'junto' na hora de pagar: (opposite of 'junto')
- Taxa de serviço em restaurantes no Brasil: %(service charge percentage — just the number)
- Dividir a conta por quatro: pode por quatro?(verb to split)
Translation (English → Portuguese)
Translate each sentence using the payment structures from the lesson.
- The check, please.
- Can you split it by three?
- I'll pay by card.
- Do you accept Pix?
- The tip is already included.
Creative Construction
Write a short end-of-meal exchange: ask for the check, request a split, choose a payment method, and thank the waiter.
Takeaway
'A conta, por favor!' gets you the check. 'Pode dividir?' splits the bill. Pay 'no cartão' (by card), 'em dinheiro' (in cash), or 'no Pix' (instant transfer). The 10% service charge is technically optional but almost always paid.