A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Do you take credit cards" in French
Ask if a shop or restaurant accepts credit cards in France. Essential for smooth transactions.
Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit ?
ahk-sep-TAY voo lay KART duh kreh-DEEneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you're about to pay for something in a shop, restaurant, or for a service. It's polite to ask before you've already presented your card.
Alternatives
- Vous prenez la carte ?Slightly more casual, very common in shops.
- C'est possible de payer par carte ?A bit more indirect, good if you're unsure.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'carte'
The 'r' sound is softer than in English; don't over-roll it.
Forgetting 'les'
You need 'les' (the) before 'cartes' to specify credit cards.
Using 'tu'
Unless you know the person well, stick to 'vous' to avoid sounding rude.
A small cultural note
While credit card acceptance is widespread, some smaller businesses or market stalls might still prefer cash. It's always good to have some euros on hand.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to ask if they take Visa or Mastercard?
You can simply ask 'Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit ?' as most places will take major cards. If you want to be specific, you could ask 'Vous prenez Visa ?' or 'Vous prenez Mastercard ?'.
What if they say 'non'?
If they say 'non', they are indicating they don't accept credit cards. You will need to pay with cash (espèces).
Is it rude to ask this?
Not at all, it's a practical question. Asking politely with 'vous' is always appreciated.
