A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Could we get the bill" in Spanish
Politely ask for the check at a restaurant in a common Latin American Spanish phrase.
¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?
nos TRAH-ehs lah KWEN-tah, por fah-VORneutral
Spanish TTS · 0:01
Use this when you're ready to pay after your meal. It's a standard and polite way to signal to your server that you'd like the bill.
Alternatives
- ¿Me trae la cuenta?Slightly more direct, common when you've been interacting with one specific server.
- ¿La cuenta, por favor?More concise and very common, but slightly less formal than the target phrase.
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'cuenta' with 'cuento'
'Cuenta' means bill or check; 'cuento' means story or tale.
Using 'queremos' instead of 'nos trae'
'Queremos' means 'we want,' which can sound demanding; 'nos trae' means 'bring us,' which is more polite.
A small cultural note
In many Latin American countries, it's customary to wait for the server to approach you or make eye contact before asking for the bill. Waving them down aggressively is generally frowned upon.
Frequently asked
How to ask for the check in Spanish?
The most common way is '¿Nos trae la cuenta, por favor?'. This politely asks the server to bring you the bill.
Is 'la cuenta' the same as 'the bill'?
Yes, 'la cuenta' is the standard Spanish word for the bill or check at a restaurant.
What's a casual way to ask for the bill?
A more casual option is simply '¿La cuenta, por favor?'. It's shorter and still widely understood.
