German Word of the Day
zahlen
ZA-len • verb — 30th of Jun, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to pay (money); to settle a bill or cost
Examples
- Ich zahle mit Karte.
(I will pay with a card.) - Wer zahlt die Rechnung?
(Who will pay the bill?) - Wir zahlen getrennt.
(We'll pay separately.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to zahlen.
Conjugation
| Person | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | zahle | zahlte |
| du | zahlst | zahltest |
| er/sie/es | zahlt | zahlte |
| wir | zahlen | zahlten |
| ihr | zahlt | zahltet |
| sie/Sie | zahlen | zahlten |
Zahlen is the common verb for paying in shops, restaurants and for bills. Bezahlen is a very close synonym often used with a direct object (e.g. etwas bezahlen), while begleichen is more formal (to settle a debt). You can use zahlen intransitively (Wer zahlt?) or with prepositions (für etwas zahlen).
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