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Lesson 38 of 240

New here? This is lesson 38 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Pay with cash or card in English

Ana is at the drugstore across from the Blue Plate. She has a small basket and two ways to pay.

The clerk asks cash or card. Ana holds out both. The clerk waits.

By the end, you'll say how you will pay, hand over cash or a card, and get your change.

Cash, please is a polite way to pay with bills or coins. I'll pay by card sits next to it.

By the end of this lesson

Say how you will pay, hand things over, and get change.

  • Cash or card?How do you want to pay?
  • Cash, please.I will pay with bills or coins
  • I'll pay by card.I will pay with a bank card
  • Here's my card.I am giving you my bank card now
  • Here you go.I am handing this to you now
  • Here's your change.This is the money back after you pay

Scene — cash and a card

Same afternoon on Larch Street. Ana is at the drugstore across from the Blue Plate. She sets a small basket on the counter.

The clerk stands at the counter and waits. Ana holds cash in one hand and a card in the other.

Ana stands at the drugstore counter with her basket, cash, and bank card as the clerk waits across from her.

Learn — cash or card

Six short lines cover cash, card, handing things over, and change.

You'll pick one way to pay, then hand it over.

  1. From behind the clerk, Ana faces an open-palmed question about how she wants to pay.

    Cash or card?

    How do you want to pay?

    When to use it: Ask this at a counter when someone pays.

    Learn it as one piece at the counter.

  2. Ana holds out cash toward the clerk across the counter.

    Cash, please.

    I will pay with bills or coins

    When to use it: Say this when you pay with bills or coins.

    Learn it as one piece, a polite pay line.

  3. Ana lifts her bank card toward the clerk at the counter.

    I'll pay by card.

    I will pay with a bank card

    When to use it: Say this when you pay with a bank card.

    Learn it as one piece for a card payment.

  4. Ana slides her bank card across the counter toward the clerk.

    Here's my card.

    I am giving you my bank card now

    When to use it: Say this when you hand over your bank card.

    Learn it as one piece as you hand it over.

  5. The clerk holds a plain paper bag out to Ana across the counter.

    Here you go.

    I am handing this to you now

    When to use it: Say this as you hand something to someone.

    Learn it as one piece when you hand things over.

  6. The clerk offers Ana her change over the counter.

    Here's your change.

    This is the money back after you pay

    When to use it: Say this when you give money back after a sale.

    Learn it as one piece for money back.

Story — the clerk waits

Watch Ana at the drugstore counter. She holds out cash and a card, and the clerk waits.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. The drugstore bell rings. The clerk holds two bottles.
  2. AnaJust one, please.only one of that thing
  3. ClerkCash or card?How do you want to pay?
  4. Ana holds out cash and a card. The clerk waits.
  5. AnaCash, please. Here's my card.She will pay with bills or coins, and she gives her bank card too.
  6. ClerkCash or card?How do you want to pay?
  7. AnaWell, I'll pay by card.I will pay with a bank card
  8. She puts the cash back.
  9. AnaHere's my card.I am giving you my bank card now
  10. She puts the card away and holds out the cash.
  11. AnaActually, cash, please. Here you go.She will pay with bills or coins and hands the money over.
  12. ClerkHere's your change.This is the money back after you pay
  13. AnaThank you.you say this when someone helps you

Practice — pay at the counter

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and say how you pay.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

    What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    What does it mean?

    Cash, please.

  3. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    Pick the reply

    Sorry, card only.

    You must pay with a bank card.

    And you reply with:

  4. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    You will pay with a bank card. Hand it to the clerk now.

  5. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    You hand the clerk your cash now.

  6. True or false?

    True or false?

    You say this when you give money back after someone pays.

  7. Build the line

    Build the line

    I will pay with bills or coins

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    I will pay with a bank card

    I'll ____ by card.

  9. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    The clerk holds two bottles. You only want one of them.

  10. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    Pick the reply

    Here's your change.

    This is the money back after you pay

    And you reply with:

  11. True or false?

    True or false?

    This line asks how you want to pay.

Say it — hand it over

Now you're Ana at the drugstore. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. ClerkCash or card?How do you want to pay?
  2. Ana (you)Pay with bills or coins.

    Pay with bills or coins.

    Cash, please.

    I will pay with bills or coins

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Every line from this lesson
EnglishSimple EnglishPlay
Cash or card?How do you want to pay?
Cash, please.I will pay with bills or coins
I'll pay by card.I will pay with a bank card
Here's my card.I am giving you my bank card now
Here you go.I am handing this to you now
Here's your change.This is the money back after you pay
Next: lesson 39The drugstore counter

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these pay lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps cash and card ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards