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Translation of German word "zahlen" to English

zahlen

/ˈtsaːlən/

Meaning

Verb

To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How to use

The weak verb zahlen ('to pay') conjugates regularly: ich zahle, du zahlst, er zahlt, hat gezahlt. Note: the source translation is perfective 'to pay' (оплатить), but in German, it refers generally to paying (платить / оплачивать). It takes an accusative for the amount paid. It is synonymous with bezahlen, but bezahlen requires a direct object in accusative for the product/person paid (ich bezahle den Kellner / das Bier), while zahlen focuses on the monetary transaction.

🇬🇧 English

to pay

Example

Bezahlen Sie bar oder bar, zahlen Sie mit Kredit-/Debitkarte

Pay cash or cash, pay by credit/debit card

Sie bezahlt ihn dafür, dass er das Haus aufräumt.

She pays him to clean the house.

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Synonyms

Common phrases

  • bar zahlen— to pay in cash
  • Steuern zahlen— to pay taxes
  • mit Karte zahlen— to pay by card

More Core Verbs words

🦊 Conjugation of the verb "zahlen"Full conjugation →

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich (I)zahle
du (you)zahlst
er/sie/es (he/she/it)zahlt
wir (we)zahlen
ihr (you pl.)zahlt
sie/Sie (they/you formal)zahlen

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich (I)zahlte
er/sie/es (he/she/it)zahlte

Perfect (Perfekt)

ich bin/zahlend

Imperative (Imperativ)

duzahle!
ihrzahlen!
Siezahlen!

Frequency rank: #254 in German

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of the German word "zahlen"?▼

The German word "zahlen" is defined as: "To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services."

What does the German word "zahlen" mean?▼

The German word "zahlen" means "to pay" in English.

How do you pronounce the German word "zahlen"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "zahlen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "zahlen"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Bezahlen Sie bar oder bar, zahlen Sie mit Kredit-/Debitkarte" (which translates as "Pay cash or cash, pay by credit/debit card").

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