Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to pay" in Italian: pagare
pagare
To pay in Italian is pagare (pah-GAH-reh). Present: io pago, tu paghi, lui/lei paga. Asking for the bill: il conto, per favore—then paghiamo.
Café
Pago io il caffè oggi.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce pagare
Say it
pah-GAH-reh
/paˈga.re/
Pagare stresses GAH: pah-GAH-reh. Pago is PAH-goh.
"to pay" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| pagare | to pay Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| pago / paghi / paga | I pay / you pay / he-she pays Present singular. | Present singular. |
| pagato | paid Past participle. | Past participle. |
| pagare con la carta | to pay by card Checkout. | Checkout. |
How to use pagare in real life
- 1Café
Pago io il caffè oggi.
I'll pay for the coffee today.
Pago io.
- 2Checkout
Posso pagare con la carta?
Can I pay by card?
Pagare con la carta.
- 3Splitting
Paghiamo alla romana, ok?
Shall we split the bill evenly, ok?
Paghiamo.
Mistakes English speakers make with pagare
Incorrect: Io pagare il conto.
Correct: Pago il conto.
Conjugate: io pago.
Incorrect: Ho pagatoed already.
Correct: Ho già pagato.
Past is ho pagato.
Good to know
At restaurants people say il conto, per favore then choose carta or contanti. Pagare alla romana means splitting evenly—common with friends.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After dinner
ChatPal
Chi paga il conto?
Who's paying the bill?
You
Pago io stasera.
I'll pay tonight.
ChatPal
No, paghiamo metà e metà.
No, let's pay half and half.
You
Ok. Pago con la carta e tu mi dai contanti.
Ok. I'll pay by card and you give me cash.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to pay" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to pay" in Italian
Io form?
Pago.
Tu form?
Paghi (note the h).
Pay by card?
Pagare con la carta.
The bill?
Il conto.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- How to Learn Italian Fast and Speak with ConfidenceLearn how to learn Italian with a clear roadmap, speaking-first tactics and daily habits that turn basics into real conversation confidence.
- Translate Hello in Italian with ConfidenceLearn how to translate hello in Italian with context, pronunciation, and practice prompts. Master ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, and salve for real conversations.
