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Portuguese · Cafés & restaurants · Elementary

How to ask for the bill in Portuguese

Catch the waiter’s eye and say “A conta, por favor”. If the bread and olives (the couvert) went untouched, ask “Não pedimos o couvert, pode retirá-lo?”. To split, ask “Podemos dividir a conta por igual?”. Tipping isn’t compulsory; leaving some change is common.

Try it · about two minutes

At the end of a meal with friends you ask for the bill, decide how to split it and whether to leave a tip.

You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. Waiter

    Deseja mais alguma coisa?

    Would you like anything else?

    You

    Podemos pedir a conta, por favor?

    Can we have the bill, please?

  2. Waiter

    Quer fatura com número de contribuinte?

    Would you like a receipt with your tax number?

    You

    Sim, por favor.

    Yes, please.

  3. The bill arrives. It includes the bread and olives that nobody touched.

    You

    Não pedimos o couvert, pode retirá-lo?

    We didn’t order the couvert, can you take it off?

  4. Waiter

    Peço desculpa, resolvo isso já.

    Sorry, I’ll sort that out right away.

    You

    Podemos dividir a conta por igual entre os quatro?

    Can we split the bill equally between the four of us?

  5. Waiter

    Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?

    Card or cash?

    You

    Com cartão, por favor.

    By card, please.

  6. Waiter

    Encoste o cartão aqui.

    Tap your card here.

    You

    Isto é para si.

    This is for you.

Key phrases

  • A conta, por favor.

    The bill, please.

  • Podemos pedir a conta, por favor?

    Can we have the bill, please?

  • Não pedimos o couvert, pode retirá-lo?

    We didn’t order the couvert, can you take it off?

  • Acho que há um erro na conta.

    I think there’s a mistake on the bill.

  • Podemos dividir a conta por igual entre os quatro?

    Can we split the bill equally between the four of us?

  • Queremos pagar separadamente.

    We’d like to pay separately.

  • Quer fatura com número de contribuinte?

    Would you like a receipt with your tax number?

  • Paga com cartão ou em dinheiro?

    Card or cash?

  • Aqui deixa-se gorjeta, ou já está incluída?

    Do people tip here, or is it included?

  • Estava tudo delicioso, agradecemos.

    Everything was delicious, thank you.

Good to know in Portugal

The couvert

Bread, olives or cheese often arrive before you order. You usually pay only for what you eat, so send it back if you don’t want it.

Não pedimos o couvert, pode retirá-lo?

We didn’t order the couvert, can you take it off?

Tipping

Service is rarely added to the bill. Leaving some change or rounding up is common in restaurants, but never compulsory.

How paying usually goes

  1. 1

    Catch the waiter’s eye and ask for the bill.

    A conta, por favor.The bill, please.
  2. 2

    Check the bill at the table.

  3. 3

    The waiter often brings the card machine to the table; in simpler places you pay at the counter.

More situations in Portuguese

All situations in Portuguese

Keep these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.