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How to Say ‘Can I pay by card?’ in French

Je peux payer par carte ?

zhuh puh pay-yay par kart

[zhuh puh pay-yay par kart]

🇫🇷 In France: Paris taxis are required to accept card payment. Some drivers still claim their machine is broken, so it's worth asking before you set off.

Phrase Breakdown

Je peux payer

zhuh puh pay-yay

Can I pay

Raising your intonation makes it a question. Say 'zhuh puh peh-yay'.

Example

Je peux payer en espèces ?

Can I pay in cash?

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

peux

[puh]

can / am able to

From the verb pouvoir, used to express ability or possibility.

Example

Non, je ne peux pas venir à la réunion.

No, I can't come to the meeting.

payer

[pay-yay]

pay

Infinitive verb meaning 'to pay.'

Example

Je peux payer par carte au restaurant ?

Can I pay by card at the restaurant?

par carte ?

par kart

by card?

Pronounce the R and T in 'carte'. Say 'par kart', with rising tone.

Example

Vous acceptez le paiement par carte ?

Do you accept payment by card?

Words in this phrase

par

[par]

by / with

Introduces the payment method.

Example

Au serveur, je précise : Je paie par carte.

To the server, I specify: I’m paying by card.

carte

[kart]

card

Usually means bank card in shopping contexts.

Example

Vous acceptez la carte bancaire ?

Do you accept bank card?

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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