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Lesson 109 of 238

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There's a mistake on the bill in Spanish

Justin and Yako are choosing lunch at Café Laurel, but an unexpected charge will appear later on their bill.

This lesson gives you polite ways to ask what's in a dish, ask whether food is for here or to go, and request the check.

You'll also point out a mistake, ask to split the bill, and find out where payment happens.

By the end of this lesson

Ask about ingredients, request the check, and politely question an incorrect restaurant bill.

  • ¿Qué lleva ___?What's in the ___?
  • ¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?For here or to go?
  • ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?Could we get the check?
  • Creo que hay un error en la cuentaI think there's a mistake on the bill
  • ¿Podemos pagar por separado?Can we split it?
  • ¿Dónde pago?Where do I pay?

Scene — an unexpected drink

It is lunchtime at Café Laurel, and Justin and Yako are choosing what to order.

Justin asks about the pozole before deciding. Later, after they eat, Michael brings a bill with one extra café de olla.

At Café Laurel, Michael presents the bill while Yako studies the total and Justin looks concerned about the extra café de olla.

Learn — restaurant questions and problems

These lines help you manage a restaurant visit from ordering through payment, including a polite way to question a bill.

Notice how creo que softens a correction.

  1. Justin points inquisitively at the empty dish they ordered while Yako listens beside him.

    ¿Qué lleva ___?

    What's in the ___?

    When to use it: Ask what ingredients or fillings a dish has before ordering it.

    Lleva literally means it carries, but learn this question as one restaurant chunk.

    Say it: KAY YEH-vah

  2. Michael gestures between the dining table and a takeaway bag as he asks whether the order is for here or to go.

    ¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?

    For here or to go?

    When to use it: Ask whether food will be eaten here or taken away.

    Aquí means here; llevar means to take or carry away.

    Say it: pah-RAH yeh-VAR

  3. Justin raises his hand politely toward Michael to request the check while Yako waits at the table.

    ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?

    Could we get the check?

    When to use it: Politely ask a server to bring the restaurant check.

    Nos means for us, so this asks for the check for your group.

    Say it: nohss TRAY lah KWEHN-tah

  4. Yako politely points to the bill and indicates that the total is wrong while Michael and Justin examine it.

    Creo que hay un error en la cuenta

    I think there's a mistake on the bill

    When to use it: Politely say that something on the restaurant bill seems incorrect.

    Creo que, meaning I think that, softens the correction.

    Say it: KREH-oh keh eye oon eh-RROR

  5. Justin separates two small payment groups on the table as he asks whether they can pay separately.

    ¿Podemos pagar por separado?

    Can we split it?

    When to use it: Ask whether each person can pay separately.

    Podemos means we can; por separado means separately.

    Say it: poh-DEH-mohss pah-GAR

  6. Yako gestures toward the café counter and asks where he should pay while Michael indicates the payment area.

    ¿Dónde pago?

    Where do I pay?

    When to use it: Ask where payment happens when the restaurant has a separate counter.

    Pago means I pay; dónde asks for the place.

    Say it: DOHN-deh PAH-goh

Story — the extra café de olla

Watch Justin and Yako choose lunch, finish eating, and check an unexpected charge on the bill.

The highlighted lines are today's restaurant chunks. Turn on Show English if you need help.

  1. At lunchtime, Justin and Yako are choosing dishes at Café Laurel.
  2. JustinHola, Michael. ¿Qué lleva el pozole?Hi, Michael. What's in the pozole?
  3. MichaelLleva maíz, carne y lechuga.It has corn, meat, and lettuce.
  4. Michael¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?For here or to go?
  5. JustinPara comer aquí, gracias.For here, thanks.
  6. After lunch, Michael comes over with the bill.
  7. Justin¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?Could we get the check?
  8. MichaelClaro. Aquí está la cuenta.Sure. Here's the check.
  9. YakoCreo que hay un error en la cuenta.I think there's a mistake on the bill.
  10. MichaelAh, hay un café de olla extra.Ah, there's an extra café de olla.
  11. Yako¿Podemos pagar por separado?Can we split it?
  12. MichaelClaro, pueden pagar por separado en la caja.Sure, you can pay separately at the register.
  13. Justin¿Dónde pago?Where do I pay?
  14. MichaelEn la caja, por favor. Y quito el café.At the register, please. And I'll remove the coffee.
  15. JustinGracias.Thank you.

Practice — check the bill

You'll listen, match meanings, choose replies, fill gaps, and build useful restaurant questions.

Read each situation carefully so your line fits the moment.

0 of 9 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    ¿Qué lleva ___?Drop the English here
    ¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?Drop the English here
    ¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?Drop the English here
    ¿Podemos pagar por separado?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You want to ask Michael what's in the pozole before deciding to order it.

  4. Pick the reply

    Michael says:

    ¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?

    For here or to go?

    And you reply with:

  5. Fill the gap

    I think there's a mistake on the bill

    Creo que hay un ____ en la cuenta

  6. What does it mean?

    ¿Dónde pago?

  7. True or false?

    This line asks whether each person can pay separately.

  8. What do you say?

    The server corrected the bill, and you want to thank him.

  9. Build the line

    Could we get the check?

    ¿ , ?

    Tap the words in order.

Say it — handle the restaurant

Now you're Justin during lunch and at the end of the meal. Michael asks a service question, and Yako notices the extra drink.

Tap the microphone for your lines, or tap ▶ to hear the model line first. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. MichaelHola, Justin.Hi, Justin.
  2. Justin (you)Ask what's in the pozole.

    ¿Qué lleva ___?

    What's in the ___?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
¿Qué lleva ___?What's in the ___?
¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?For here or to go?
¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?Could we get the check?
Creo que hay un error en la cuentaI think there's a mistake on the bill
¿Podemos pagar por separado?Can we split it?
¿Dónde pago?Where do I pay?
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

Review the Yak Cards when you want to practice asking about food or checking a bill.

Open Yak Cards