Meaning
To pay for goods or services, typically at a restaurant or store.
Cultural Background
The 'Second Round' (2차) rule: If one person pays for dinner, it is polite for another person to pay for the coffee or drinks that follow. The 'Register Struggle': You will often see Koreans playfully pushing each other away from the cashier to be the one who pays. It's a sign of affection and respect. N-bang (1/N): This is the modern term for splitting the bill equally. It is very common among students and young professionals. Company Dinners (Hoesik): In a professional setting, the highest-ranking person or the company card almost always pays. A junior offering to pay might be seen as awkward.
Drop the 'Eul'
In 90% of spoken conversations, Koreans say '계산하다' or '계산할게요' without the '을'. It sounds much more natural.
Don't say 'Pay me'
If a friend owes you money, don't say '계산해.' Say '돈 보내 줘' (Send me the money) or '내 몫 줘' (Give me my share).
Meaning
To pay for goods or services, typically at a restaurant or store.
Drop the 'Eul'
In 90% of spoken conversations, Koreans say '계산하다' or '계산할게요' without the '을'. It sounds much more natural.
Don't say 'Pay me'
If a friend owes you money, don't say '계산해.' Say '돈 보내 줘' (Send me the money) or '내 몫 줘' (Give me my share).
The 'I'll Pay' Gesture
When you want to pay, simply standing up and walking toward the counter is the universal signal in Korea that you are 'calculating' for the group.
Check the Receipt
If you need to check the bill, ask for the '계산서' (Gyesanseo).
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '계산하다' to say 'I will pay.'
걱정 마세요. 오늘 점심은 제가 ( ).
'계산할게요' is the most natural way to offer to pay in the future/immediate moment.
Which sentence is the most polite way to ask to pay at a restaurant?
Choose the best option:
'계산해 주세요' uses the polite '주세요' ending, which is appropriate for service staff.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
가: 우리 너무 많이 먹었다. 어떻게 계산할까? 나: ( )
'따로 계산하자' (Let's pay separately) is a common informal response to 'How should we pay?'
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You think the waiter charged you for an extra drink you didn't have.
'계산이 좀 이상해요' (The calculation is a bit strange) is a polite way to flag a mistake.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Paying vs. Processing
Practice Bank
4 exercises걱정 마세요. 오늘 점심은 제가 ( ).
'계산할게요' is the most natural way to offer to pay in the future/immediate moment.
Choose the best option:
'계산해 주세요' uses the polite '주세요' ending, which is appropriate for service staff.
가: 우리 너무 많이 먹었다. 어떻게 계산할까? 나: ( )
'따로 계산하자' (Let's pay separately) is a common informal response to 'How should we pay?'
Situation: You think the waiter charged you for an extra drink you didn't have.
'계산이 좀 이상해요' (The calculation is a bit strange) is a polite way to flag a mistake.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsYes, but '결제하다' is more common for the final click on a website or app.
Not at all in modern Korea, but it's best to ask '따로 계산해도 될까요?' (Can we pay separately?) before the staff starts ringing things up.
'계산서' is the bill before you pay; '영수증' is the receipt after you pay.
You can say '제가 계산할게요' (polite) or '내가 쏠게' (informal slang).
No, it can also mean to solve a math problem or to strategically plan a move.
It's a cultural display of generosity and social bonding, showing that you value the relationship more than the money.
No, use '납부하다' for taxes or official fees.
Say '계산이 잘못된 것 같아요' (I think the calculation is wrong).
Yes, it comes from {計算}, meaning 'to count' and 'to calculate.'
No, that would be '뇌물을 주다.' '계산하다' is for legitimate transactions.
Say '나눠서 계산해요' or 'N분의 1로 해요.'
It's introduced at A1 for basic needs, but mastering its various forms and social nuances is A2.
Related Phrases
결제하다
similarTo process a payment
돈을 내다
synonymTo pay money
쏘다
specialized formTo treat (slang)
정산하다
builds onTo settle up / calculate the final balance
더치페이
contrastDutch pay
