You've eaten well — now it's time to pay! In this lesson, you'll learn how to ask for the check, discuss tipping, split the bill, and handle payment. You'll also learn the important distinction between 'para' (for) and 'por' (for/by), two of the trickiest prepositions in Spanish.
Learning tips
- In Colombia, a 10% 'servicio' (service charge) is usually added to the bill at restaurants. The waiter will ask 'Desea incluir el servicio?' — you can say yes or no.
- 'Invitar' in this context means 'to treat someone' (pay for their meal), not 'to invite' to a party.
- The 'para' vs. 'por' distinction is one of the hardest things in Spanish. Start with the basics: 'para' = for a purpose/person, 'por' = because of/in exchange for.
- 'La cuenta, por favor' is the essential phrase for getting the check — memorize it!
Warm-up & Active Recall
Recap: In Lesson 6.4, you learned the irregular verbs 'venir' (vengo, vienes, viene) and 'traer' (traigo, traes, trae). You also practiced 'otro/a' (another) and 'mas' (more) for ordering.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| la arepa | the arepa |
| la empanada | the empanada |
| el ajiaco | the ajiaco |
| la bandeja paisa | the bandeja paisa |
| el tamal | the tamal |
| la carne | the meat |
| servir | to serve |
| traer | to bring |
| otro | another/other |
| más | more |
Dialog
Valentina and Andres finish their meal and handle the bill. Notice 'la cuenta' (the check/bill) and 'la propina' (the tip). In Colombia, restaurants typically ask if you want to include a 10% service charge. 'Dividir' means to split, 'cada uno' means each person. 'Invitar' here means 'to treat' — 'Yo te invito' means 'I'll treat you' (I'll pay). The dialog shows the 'para' vs. 'por' distinction naturally.
Valentina
Andrés, ya terminamos. Vamos a pedir la cuenta.
(Andrés, already we-finished. Let's-go to ask-for the check.)
Andres, we're done. Let's ask for the check.
Andrés
Mesero, la cuenta, por favor. ¿El servicio está incluido?
(Waiter, the check, please. The service is included?)
Waiter, the check, please. Is the service charge included?
Valentina
¿Cuánto es el total? ¿Vamos a dividir la cuenta?
(How-much is the total? Go-we to divide the check?)
How much is the total? Are we going to split the check?
Andrés
Sí, cada uno paga la mitad. ¿Te parece suficiente la propina?
(Yes, each one pays the half. You seems sufficient the tip?)
Yes, each person pays half. Do you think the tip is enough?
Valentina
Sí, está bien. Yo dejo la propina para el mesero.
(Yes, is fine. I leave the tip for the waiter.)
Yes, it's fine. I'll leave the tip for the waiter.
Andrés
No, no. Yo te invito hoy. Tú invitas la próxima vez.
(No, no. I you invite today. You invite the next time.)
No, no. I'll treat you today. You treat next time.
Valentina
¡Gracias, Andrés! Eres muy amable. ¿Incluyen el servicio en la cuenta?
(Thanks, Andrés! You-are very kind. Include-they the service in the check?)
Thank you, Andres! You're very kind. Do they include the service in the check?
Andrés
Sí, incluyen el diez por ciento. Pero yo dejo un poco más de propina.
(Yes, they-include the ten per cent. But I leave a little more of tip.)
Yes, they include ten percent. But I'll leave a little more tip.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| la cuenta | /ˈkwen.ta/ | the check, the bill | Also means 'account' in other contexts |
| la propina | /pɾo.ˈpi.na/ | the tip | In Colombia, 10% service charge is standard but voluntary |
| incluir | /in.klu.ˈiɾ/ | to include | Regular verb: incluyo, incluyes, incluye |
| el total | /to.ˈtal/ | the total | Same word in English — a cognate! |
| dividir | /di.βi.ˈðiɾ/ | to divide, to split | Regular -ir verb: divido, divides, divide |
| cada uno | /ˈka.ða ˈu.no/ | each one, everyone | 'Cada uno paga' = each person pays |
| invitar | /im.bi.ˈtaɾ/ | to treat (pay for someone), to invite | 'Yo te invito' = I'll treat you / My treat |
| dejar | /de.ˈxaɾ/ | to leave (behind) | Used for leaving a tip: 'dejar propina' |
| suficiente | /su.fi.ˈsjen.te/ | enough, sufficient | |
| el servicio | /seɾ.ˈβi.sjo/ | the service | The service charge added to restaurant bills in Colombia |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el IVA | /ˈi.βa/ | the IVA (sales tax/VAT) | Value-added tax — appears on restaurant bills |
| el cargo | /ˈkaɾ.ɣo/ | the charge | |
| el mesero | /me.ˈse.ɾo/ | the waiter | Repeated from 6.1 — essential restaurant word |
| agregar | /a.ɣɾe.ˈɣaɾ/ | to add | |
| redondear | /re.ðon.de.ˈaɾ/ | to round up | |
| generoso | /xe.ne.ˈɾo.so/ | generous |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| la cuenta, por favor | the check, please |
| yo te invito | I'll treat you / my treat |
Pronunciation: The word 'cuenta' is pronounced 'KWEN-ta' — the 'ue' diphthong sounds like the English 'we.' 'Propina' is 'pro-PI-na' with stress on the second syllable. Practice the phrase 'La cuenta, por favor' until it rolls off your tongue naturally — you'll use it every time you eat out!
Grammar: 'Para' vs. 'por' — basic distinctions
| Preposition | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| para | purpose | Esta propina es para el mesero. |
| para | recipient | Un jugo para mí. |
| para | destination | Vamos para el restaurante. |
| por | exchange | Gracias por la comida. |
| por | thanks | Gracias por invitar. |
| por | percentage | Diez por ciento. |
| por favor | please | La cuenta, por favor. |
Para vs. Por — two prepositions that both translate as 'for' in English, but with different meanings:
PARA (purpose, recipient, destination):
- Purpose: La propina es para agradecer. (The tip is for thanking.)
- Recipient: Un jugo para mi. (A juice for me.)
- Destination: Vamos para el restaurante. (We're heading for the restaurant.)
POR (exchange, cause, thanks):
- Exchange: Gracias por la comida. (Thanks for the food.)
- Thanks: Gracias por invitar. (Thanks for treating.)
- Percentage: Diez por ciento. (Ten per cent.)
- Fixed expression: Por favor. (Please. — lit. 'for a favor')
Quick rule of thumb: If you can replace 'for' with 'in order to' or 'intended for,' use para. If you can replace it with 'because of' or 'in exchange for,' use por.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing word.
- La , por favor. Queremos pagar.(the document showing what you owe)
- Voy a una buena propina.(to leave behind — for tips)
- ¿El servicio está en la cuenta?(past participle of incluir — included)
- Vamos a la cuenta. Cada uno paga la mitad.(to split/divide)
- Yo te hoy. Tú pagas la próxima vez.(to treat someone — yo form)
Grammar Application
Choose 'para' or 'por' to complete each sentence.
- This tip is the waiter. (purpose/recipient) → para(recipient — the tip goes TO the waiter)
- Thank you the food. (exchange/thanks) → por(thanks/exchange — thanking FOR something)
- A coffee me, please. (recipient) → para(recipient — the coffee is intended FOR me)
- Ten cent. (percentage) → por(percentage — per cent)
- We're heading the restaurant. (destination) → para(destination — heading toward)
Translation (English to Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- The check, please.
- Let's split the check.
- I'll treat you today.
- The tip is for the waiter.
- Do they include the service?
Creative Construction
Write a short paying scene (2-3 sentences) using words from this lesson. Imagine you are finishing a meal and handling the bill.
Takeaway
Say 'La cuenta, por favor' to get the check. Split it with 'dividir' or treat someone with 'Yo te invito.' Remember: 'para' = for a purpose/person, 'por' = because of/in exchange for (and in 'por favor').
Culture note: In Colombian restaurants, the waiter will typically ask '¿Desea incluir el servicio?' (Would you like to include the service charge?) at the end of the meal. This 10% 'propina voluntaria' (voluntary tip) is standard practice. While it's called 'voluntary,' most people accept it — declining is unusual unless the service was poor. If you want to leave an extra tip beyond the 10%, you can leave cash on the table. Fighting over the bill is common among friends — 'Yo te invito' (My treat) is a generous gesture that's deeply valued in Colombian culture.
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