zahlen vs bezahlen
German word comparison
Listen to zahlen
Listen to bezahlen
| zahlen | bezahlen |
|---|---|
ZA-len verb | [bəˈt͡saːlən] verb |
| to pay (money); to settle a bill or cost | to pay (for something); to pay a bill or cost |
How they differ
Bezahlen is very close in meaning to zahlen but more often used transitively with a direct object (what is being paid). Zahlen is also commonly used with amounts or with prepositions (e.g. für), while bezahlen normally emphasizes paying/settling a specific item or bill.
When to use each
When to use zahlen: Prefer zahlen for general, everyday statements about paying (especially when giving an amount: 'Ich zahle 10 Euro').
When to use bezahlen: Prefer bezahlen when you want to specify or emphasize what you are paying for (e.g. 'Ich bezahle die Rechnung').
Side-by-side examples
- Ich zahle 10 Euro für das Buch.
(I pay 10 euros for the book.) - Ich bezahle das Buch an der Kasse.
(I pay for the book at the checkout.)
Register & nuance: Neutral everyday register; both words are common, but bezahlen is slightly more often used when naming the object paid for.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for zahlen
- See the Word of the Day entry for bezahlen
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