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How to Say ‘Shall we pay separately?’ in German

Wollen wir getrennt zahlen?

VOL-en veer geh-TRENT TSAH-len

[VOL-en veer geh-TRENT TSAH-len]

💬 Usage Tip: Wollen wir ...? is the everyday way to suggest something: Wollen wir gehen? "Shall we go?".

🇩🇪 In Germany: Offering to split on a first date is normal and polite in Germany, not stingy. Many people expect it, and the server will happily ring up each person separately.

Phrase Breakdown

Wollen wir

VOL-en veer

Shall we

'Wollen wir...?' is a common way to make a suggestion. Both 'w' sounds are said like an English 'v': 'VOL-len veer'.

Example

Wollen wir gehen?

Shall we go?

Words in this phrase

Wollen

[VOL-en]

want (to); shall we

Form of 'wollen'; with 'wir' it makes a polite suggestion like 'shall we'.

Example

Wollen wir etwas trinken?

Shall we have something to drink?

wir

[veer]

Pronoun for a group including the speaker.

Example

Wir arbeiten gern zusammen.

We like working together.

getrennt zahlen?

geh-TRENT TSAH-len

pay separately?

'Getrennt' means separately. Splitting the bill this way is very common in Germany. Say 'ge-TRENNT' with a short 'e' and a crisp 't' at the end.

Example

Zusammen oder getrennt?

Together or separately?

Words in this phrase

getrennt

[geh-TRENT]

separately

Means separate; when paying, each person pays their own.

Example

Wir zahlen getrennt.

We pay separately.

zahlen

[TSAH-len]

to pay

Verb used for paying money, e.g. in shops or restaurants.

Example

Wir möchten bitte zahlen.

We would like to pay, please.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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