New here? This is lesson 141 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.
Treating friends to dinner in Simplified Chinese
Yi-Jun invites you to a hot-pot dinner for her birthday. By the end, everyone has an idea about who should pay.
Practise offering to treat, splitting the bill evenly, asking to pay, and promising to treat your friends next time.
Friends in Taiwan may politely offer more than once before agreeing on a split. A-Li's turn comes next time; the fortune slip stays unexplained, and his drink remains unfinished.
By the end of this lesson
Offer to pay for a meal, suggest splitting the bill, ask to pay, and promise to treat friends next time.
- 我请客My treat.
- 下次换我Next time, it's my turn.
- 我们平分吧Let's split it equally.
- 干杯Cheers!
- 这顿我请This meal is on me.
- 买单Pay the bill.
Scene — birthday hot pot
At a hot-pot restaurant in Taipei, Yi-Jun celebrates her birthday with Maya and A-Li. After a good meal, the friends begin deciding who will pay.
A-Li uses two stools as usual. His soy milk from earlier is still unfinished, and nobody explains the folded fortune slip at the breakfast shop.
Learn — paying for dinner
Listen to six useful lines for a birthday meal with friends. Notice how a short phrase can offer to pay or suggest sharing the cost.
Friends may politely offer more than once before agreeing. Practise each whole expression as a ready-to-use chunk.
我请客
My treat.
When to use it: Use this to offer to pay for everyone.
Friends may take turns treating one another.
下次换我
Next time, it's my turn.
When to use it: Say this when someone else pays and you offer to pay next time.
换我 means the speaker will take a turn next time.
我们平分吧
Let's split it equally.
When to use it: Use this to suggest that everyone shares the cost equally.
吧 softens this suggestion and makes it sound collaborative.
干杯
Cheers!
When to use it: Say this before drinking together.
This is a toast, not an offer to pay.
这顿我请
This meal is on me.
When to use it: Use this to offer to pay for this particular meal.
这顿 names the meal, and 我请 says the speaker will pay.
买单
Pay the bill.
When to use it: Use this short phrase when asking to pay at a restaurant.
It can also mean that it is time to settle the bill.
Story — who gets the bill
Listen to Yi-Jun celebrate her birthday with Maya and A-Li at a hot-pot restaurant. As the meal ends, friends offer to pay and settle on splitting the bill.
A-Li quietly claims the next turn, while his old drink and the fortune slip remain unresolved.
Yi-Jun今天是我的生日，大家一起吃火锅！It's my birthday today; let's have hot pot together!
Maya生日快乐！我请客！Happy birthday! My treat!- Yi-Jun不行啦，这顿我请！No, this meal is on me!
- Maya好吧，谢谢你！All right, thank you!
A-Li先干杯！Let's have a toast first!- Maya干杯！Cheers!
- Yi-Jun我们买单吧。Let's pay the bill.
- Maya我们平分吧。Let's split it equally.
- Yi-Jun好啊，这次平分。Sure, let's split it this time.
- A-Li下次换我。Next time, it's my turn.
Practice — make a dinner offer
Try eight exercises to offer to pay, split the bill, and respond when a friend treats you.
Choose the phrase that fits each moment, then check the explanation and say it again.
0 of 8 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我请客
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your friend paid tonight. Say that you will take a turn paying next time.
Build the line
Build the line
Let's split it equally.
Tap the words in order.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
This meal is on me.
这顿____请
What do you say?
What do you say?
The meal is over. Ask to pay the bill using the short phrase.
Pick the reply
Yi-Jun says:
Pick the reply
我请客。
My treat.
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
Invite your friend to go out for a meal together.
Say it — your turn to treat
You play Maya at Yi-Jun's birthday dinner. Listen to each cue, then suggest splitting the bill, raise a toast, or promise to pay next time.
Say each whole phrase aloud. The friends agree on sharing this bill, and A-Li takes the next turn.
- At the birthday dinner, Yi-Jun offers to pay for the meal.
- Yi-Jun这顿我请！This meal is on me!
- Maya (you)Suggest splitting the bill equally.
Suggest splitting the bill equally.
我们平分吧
Let's split it equally.
0 of 3 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Simplified Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我请客 | My treat. | |
| 下次换我 | Next time, it's my turn. | |
| 我们平分吧 | Let's split it equally. | |
| 干杯 | Cheers! | |
| 这顿我请 | This meal is on me. | |
| 买单 | Pay the bill. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Practise offering to pay and splitting a bill with Yak Cards.
Review these dinner phrases so they come easily when friends reach for the bill.
Open Yak Cards