The meal is almost over — now it's time to pay! In this lesson you'll learn all the vocabulary you need to settle the bill at a French restaurant: asking for the addition, leaving a tip, splitting or treating, and keeping the change. You'll also learn the important prepositions 'pour' and 'par' — two small words with a big impact on meaning. Paying at a French restaurant comes with its own etiquette, so read the cultural note at the end carefully!
Learning tips
- To ask for the bill in French, say 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît' — this is the standard, universally understood phrase. Don't worry about alternatives at this level.
- The verb 'offrir' (to treat / to offer) is used when paying for someone else: 'Je t'offre le dîner' = I'm treating you to dinner. It's an irregular verb similar to 'ouvrir'.
- The verb 'laisser' (to leave) is used for tips: 'Je vais laisser un pourboire' = I'm going to leave a tip. It literally means 'to leave something behind'.
- Learn 'pour' and 'par' as a pair: 'pour' = for (benefit, purpose, destination), 'par' = by (agent, means, through). A quick test: can you replace it with 'by'? Then use 'par'. Can you replace it with 'for'? Then use 'pour'.
- 'Je vais + infinitive' is the near future tense — it expresses what you're going to do. You'll use it constantly: 'Je vais commander', 'Je vais laisser un pourboire', 'Je vais payer'.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ne...pas | not (ne...pas) |
| ne...plus | no longer (ne...plus) |
| ne...jamais | never (ne...jamais) |
| aimer | to like |
| détester | to hate |
| penser | to think |
| aussi | also, too |
| mais | but |
| ou | or |
| la salade | the salad |
Dialog
Camille and Lucas are finishing dinner at a Parisian bistrot. The dialog covers a full end-of-meal scenario: one offers to pay, they discuss splitting the bill, they ask for the addition, and they debate who covers the tip. It naturally demonstrates 'pour' and 'par' in real context, and introduces the near future with 'je vais + infinitive'.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| l' l'addition | /la.di.sjɔ̃/ | the bill (in a restaurant) | Always use 'l'addition' in a restaurant context. 'La facture' is used for invoices and utility bills. |
| le pourboire | /lə puʁ.bwaʁ/ | the tip | Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory in France since service is legally included. Leaving coins is common. |
| remercier | /ʁə.mɛʁ.sje/ | to thank | 'Je te remercie' = I thank you (informal). More formal than 'merci'. Can be followed by 'pour + noun': 'Je vous remercie pour le dîner'. |
| laisser | /lɛ.se/ | to leave (something behind) | 'Laisser' means to leave something in place — not to leave a location (that's 'partir' or 'quitter'). 'Laisser un pourboire' = leave a tip. |
| le reste | /lə ʁɛst/ | the rest, the remainder | 'Le reste' = what's left over. 'Tu gardes le reste' = keep the change / keep the rest. |
| offrir | /ɔ.fʁiʁ/ | to treat (someone), to offer (a gift or meal) | 'Offrir' is irregular: j'offre, tu offres, il offre, nous offrons. 'Je t'offre le repas' = I'm treating you to the meal. |
| inviter | /ɛ̃.vi.te/ | to invite, to treat (to pay for someone) | 'C'est moi qui t'invite' = I'm treating you (it's on me). Also means to invite to an event: 'Je t'invite à la fête'. |
| ensemble | /ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/ | together | 'On mange ensemble ?' = Shall we eat together? Also: 'tous ensemble' = all together. |
| séparément | /se.pa.ʁe.mɑ̃/ | separately | 'On peut payer séparément ?' = Can we pay separately? A useful phrase in restaurants and shops. |
| la monnaie | /la mɔ.nɛ/ | the change (coins / loose money) | 'La monnaie' = coins / change. Not to be confused with 'une monnaie' = a currency. 'Vous avez la monnaie ?' = Do you have change? |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| le reçu | /lə ʁə.sy/ | the receipt | 'Un reçu' or 'un ticket de caisse'. 'Vous voulez un reçu ?' = Would you like a receipt? |
| la note | /la nɔt/ | the bill / the note (also: the restaurant tab) | 'La note' is a slightly more formal synonym for 'l'addition'. Also means a musical note or a written note. |
| le service | /lə sɛʁ.vis/ | the service (charge) | In France, 'le service' (15%) is legally included in restaurant prices — 'service compris'. It's already in the bill. |
| compris | /kɔ̃.pʁi/ | included | 'Service compris' = service included (printed on every French restaurant bill). 'Boissons non comprises' = drinks not included. |
| la carte bleue | /la kaʁt blø/ | the (bank/credit) card | 'La carte bleue' literally means 'blue card' — the traditional French name for a bank card / debit card. |
| le terminal | /lə tɛʁ.mi.nal/ | the card terminal / card reader | 'Le terminal' or 'le terminal de paiement' is the card machine. 'Je peux payer par carte ?' = Can I pay by card? |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| l'addition, s'il vous plaît | the bill, please |
| c'est pour moi | it's on me / that's for me |
| service compris | service included |
Grammar: pour vs par — pour = for / in order to, par = by / through — common uses at A1
| Mot | Sens principal | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| pour | for (beneficiary) | C'est pour toi. |
| pour | in order to | Je travaille pour payer. |
| pour | for (purpose/destination) | L'addition pour la table 5. |
| par | by (agent) | Payé par carte. |
| par | through / via | On passe par le café. |
| pour moi | for me | L'addition pour moi, s'il vous plaît. |
| pour + infinitif | in order to | Je reste pour finir le dessert. |
This lesson focuses on two essential prepositions: 'pour' and 'par'. While both can translate as 'for' or 'by' in English depending on context, they have distinct uses in French. Use 'pour' to indicate: (1) the beneficiary — who something is for ('C'est pour toi' = This is for you); (2) purpose or intention — usually with an infinitive ('Je travaille pour payer' = I work in order to pay); (3) destination or allocation ('L'addition pour la table 5'). Use 'par' to indicate: (1) the agent in a passive action ('Payé par carte' = Paid by card); (2) route or means ('On passe par le café' = We go through/via the café). At A1 level, the most important distinction to memorise is: 'pour toi/moi/lui' (for you/me/him — benefit) vs 'par carte/chèque' (by card/cheque — means of payment). The phrase 'c'est pour moi' (it's for me / I'll take it) is one of the most useful restaurant expressions you'll learn.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the correct word from this lesson.
- L' , s'il vous plaît ! (the bill)(the restaurant bill — with article)
- Je vais laisser un pour le serveur. (tip)(money left for the waiter as a courtesy)
- On mange ce soir ? (together)(adverb: at the same time, not separately)
- Je veux mon ami pour le dîner. (to thank)(infinitive: to express gratitude to someone)
- Tu as de la pour payer ? (change/coins)(coins; loose money for paying)
Grammar Application
Choose between 'pour' and 'par' to complete each sentence. Think about whether it expresses benefit/purpose (pour) or means/agent (par).
- C'est toi. (for — use pour or par)(for someone's benefit → pour or par?)
- Le repas est payé Lucas. (by — use pour or par)(paid by someone → pour or par?)
- Je travaille payer l'addition. (in order to — use pour or par)(in order to do something → pour or par?)
- L'addition la table deux, s'il vous plaît. (for — use pour or par)(allocated for a table → pour or par?)
- On passe la boulangerie ? (through/via — use pour or par)(going via/through a place → pour or par?)
Translate into French
Translate each English sentence into French. Use vocabulary from this lesson.
- The bill, please.
- I'm going to leave a tip.
- Can we pay separately?
- Tonight I'm treating you.
- Thank you, keep the change.
Build Your Own Sentence
Write 2–3 French sentences about a restaurant scenario where you pay the bill. Use 'pour' and/or 'par', and include at least one 'je vais + infinitive' near-future construction.
Takeaway
Use 'pour' for benefit, purpose, and destination ('C'est pour toi', 'pour payer'), and 'par' for means or agent ('payé par carte', 'passer par le café') — and always ask for the bill with 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît!'