Die Rechnung teilen
Splitting the bill · a free German immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Lass uns die Rechnung aufteilen.
Let's split the bill.
Literal Let us the bill split.
A natural suggestion to divide the check equally among friends.
- 'Lass uns' + infinitive is a common way to suggest doing something together
- 'aufteilen' is a separable verb meaning to split or divide
Wie viel schuldest du mir?
How much do you owe me?
Literal How much owe you me?
A direct question about a debt between friends.
- 'schulden' takes a dative object for the person owed
- Verb-second word order: 'schuldest' follows 'Wie viel' immediately
Das macht zwanzig Euro pro Person.
That comes to twenty euros per person.
Literal That makes twenty euros per person.
'Macht' here means 'comes to' or 'equals', commonly used when calculating costs.
- 'pro Person' is a fixed prepositional phrase meaning per person
- 'machen' in math contexts means to equal or come to
Ich habe kein Kleingeld dabei.
I don't have any change on me.
Literal I have no small-money with-me.
A practical statement when you lack coins or small bills.
- 'kein' negates nouns; 'kein Kleingeld' means no change or coins
- 'dabei' means with me or on me in this context
Kannst du erst bezahlen und ich gebe dir das Geld zurück?
Can you pay first and I will pay you back?
Literal Can you first pay and I give you the money back?
A friendly request to cover the bill with a promise to reimburse.
- 'erst' here means first
- 'zurückgeben' is separable: 'gebe...zurück' in a main clause
Wir könnten einfach getrennt zahlen.
We could just pay separately.
Literal We could simply separately pay.
Suggests the simplest solution: each person pays for their own order.
- 'könnten' is Konjunktiv II of 'können', used for polite suggestions
- 'getrennt zahlen' is a fixed phrase meaning to pay separately
Du hast mehr bestellt als ich.
You ordered more than me.
Literal You have more ordered than I.
A gentle observation when the bill needs to be divided unequally.
- Perfect tense: 'hast...bestellt' means have ordered
- 'mehr...als' forms a comparative structure meaning more than
Insgesamt sind es siebenundvierzig Euro fünfzig.
In total it comes to forty-seven euros fifty.
Literal In-total are it forty-seven euros fifty.
Announcing the total amount before deciding how to split it.
- 'insgesamt' is an adverb meaning in total or altogether
- German decimal amounts in speech use 'Euro' followed directly by the cent amount
Kann ich per Handy zahlen?
Can I pay by phone?
Literal Can I per phone pay?
Asking about mobile payment options, very common in modern casual settings.
- 'per' + noun is the pattern for payment methods: 'per Karte', 'per Überweisung'
- Modal verb 'kann' sends the infinitive 'zahlen' to the end of the clause
Wir teilen es durch vier, also zwölf Euro jeder.
We divide it by four, so twelve euros each.
Literal We split it through four, so twelve euros each.
Doing the math out loud and announcing each person's share.
- 'durch' in a math context means divided by
- 'also' functions as so or therefore in spoken German
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
teilen
to split / to share
Wir teilen die Rechnung.
We split the bill.
Can mean to share or divide; 'aufteilen' is more specific to splitting something into parts
die Rechnung
the bill / the check
Kannst du die Rechnung holen?
Can you get the bill?
Also means invoice or calculation
schulden
to owe
Du schuldest mir fünf Euro.
You owe me five euros.
Takes dative for the person owed: jemandem etwas schulden
aufteilen
to divide / to split up
Lasst uns die Kosten aufteilen.
Let us split the costs.
Separable verb: the prefix 'auf-' moves to the end in main clauses
insgesamt
in total / altogether
Insgesamt kostet es dreißig Euro.
It costs thirty euros in total.
Very common in financial and counting contexts
das Kleingeld
coins / change
Hast du Kleingeld?
Do you have change?
Literally small money; used as an uncountable noun in German
getrennt
separately
Wir zahlen getrennt.
We are paying separately.
Past participle of 'trennen' used as an adverb in payment contexts
zurückgeben
to give back / to pay back
Ich gebe dir das Geld morgen zurück.
I will give you the money back tomorrow.
Separable: 'zurück-' splits off; used for returning items and money alike
pro Person
per person
Das sind fünfzehn Euro pro Person.
That is fifteen euros per person.
'pro' is fixed and does not change for grammatical case
bezahlen
to pay
Wer bezahlt heute?
Who is paying today?
Often interchangeable with 'zahlen'; 'bezahlen' typically implies completing a full transaction
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Nach dem Abendessen bat Lisa die anderen, die Rechnung aufzuteilen. Insgesamt waren es zweiundfünfzig Euro, also dreizehn Euro pro Person. Tom hatte kein Kleingeld dabei, also bezahlte Lisa erst und er gab ihr das Geld später zurück. Mia schlug vor, getrennt zu zahlen, aber alle fanden es einfacher, es durch vier zu teilen. Am Ende schuldete jeder nur einen kleinen Betrag.
Sentence by sentence
bat Lisa die anderen, die Rechnung aufzuteilen
Lisa asked the others to split the bill
'bat' is the simple past of 'bitten' meaning to ask or request; 'aufzuteilen' is the infinitive with 'zu' of the separable verb 'aufteilen'
Insgesamt waren es zweiundfünfzig Euro
In total it was fifty-two euros
'insgesamt' opens the clause for emphasis; 'waren es' is an impersonal construction meaning it was or there were
also dreizehn Euro pro Person
so thirteen euros per person
'also' connects the total to the per-person share; 'pro Person' is a fixed prepositional phrase
er gab ihr das Geld später zurück
he gave her the money back later
'zurückgeben' splits in the main clause: 'gab...zurück'; 'später' means later; 'ihr' is dative for her
schlug vor, getrennt zu zahlen
suggested paying separately
'vorschlagen' is separable: 'schlug...vor'; the infinitive clause with 'zu' follows the comma
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Separable Verbs: aufteilen, zurückgeben, vorschlagen
German separable verbs have a prefix that detaches and moves to the end of the clause in main sentences. This pattern is very common with payment verbs. In subordinate clauses and infinitive constructions with 'zu', the prefix stays attached to the verb stem.
[verb stem] + [object/other elements] + [prefix at end of clause]
Wir teilen die Rechnung auf.
We split the bill.
Er gibt mir das Geld zurück.
He gives me the money back.
Sie schlägt vor, es aufzuteilen.
She suggests splitting it.
Kannst du die Kosten aufteilen?
Can you split the costs?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to German: "Let's split the bill."
Hint Think about the separable verb for 'to split up'.
What does this mean in English? "Ich habe kein Kleingeld dabei."
Hint "dabei" often means 'with me' or 'on me' in this context.
Complete the sentence: "Wir teilen es durch vier, also zwölf Euro _____."
Hint How do you say 'each' when referring to a fixed amount per person?
You want to ask if you can pay separately. Which phrase do you use?
Rewrite using the separable verb "zurückgeben": "I will give you the money back."
Hint In a main clause, the prefix "zurück" goes to the end of the sentence.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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