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How to Say ‘How much do I owe you?’ in French

Je vous dois combien ?

zhuh voo DWAH kohm-BYAN

[zhuh voo DWAH kohm-BYAN]

🇫🇷 In France: In bars you often pay at the end, and staff may not bring the bill until you ask.

Phrase Breakdown

Je vous dois

zhuh voo DWAH

I owe you

From 'devoir', meaning 'to owe'. 'Dois' sounds like 'dwa'.

Example

Je vous dois un service.

I owe you a favor.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

vous

[voo]

to you

Indirect object pronoun: the person receiving something.

Example

Je vous donne la monnaie.

I give you the change.

dois

[DWAH]

owe

Form of 'devoir' meaning to owe money.

Example

Je te dois cinq euros.

I owe you five euros.

combien ?

kohm-BYAN

how much?

Placed at the end in spoken French. Nasal sounds: 'kom-byan'.

Example

C'est combien ?

How much is it?

Words in this phrase

combien

[kohm-BYAN]

how much

Question word asking about price or quantity.

Example

Combien coûte ce tapis ?

How much does this mat cost?

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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