Em 15 segundos
- Facing negative consequences for a past mistake or action.
- Used for health, business, or personal life setbacks.
- Implies that the bad result was avoidable but earned.
Significado
This phrase means experiencing the negative consequences of a bad decision or a mistake you made earlier.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Talking about health after a long night
I stayed up all night, and now I'm paying the price with this headache.
لقد سهرت طوال الليل، والآن أدفع الثمن بهذا الصداع.
A business meeting discussing a failed strategy
The company is paying the price for ignoring customer feedback.
الشركة تدفع الثمن لتجاهلها ملاحظات العملاء.
Texting a friend who skipped studying
You'll pay the price during the final exam if you don't start now!
ستدفع الثمن خلال الامتحان النهائي إذا لم تبدأ الآن!
Contexto cultural
The phrase is often used in political campaigns to attack an opponent's past decisions, framing them as 'making the taxpayers pay the price.' In British English, the phrase can sometimes be used with a sense of 'stiff upper lip'—accepting the consequences of one's actions without complaining. In business, 'paying the price' often refers to losing market share or reputation due to a lack of innovation or poor ethics. Athletes use this phrase to describe the physical toll of their training, but in a positive 'no pain, no gain' sense, which is a rare positive spin on the idiom.
Use with 'Heavy'
To sound more like a native speaker, use 'heavy' or 'steep' to describe a very bad consequence.
Avoid 'Prize'
Never say 'pay the prize'. It is a very common mistake that changes the meaning completely.
Em 15 segundos
- Facing negative consequences for a past mistake or action.
- Used for health, business, or personal life setbacks.
- Implies that the bad result was avoidable but earned.
What It Means
Think of this like a debt you didn't know you were building. When you pay the price, you are finally facing the music. It means suffering the bad results of something you did. It isn't usually about actual money. It is about your health, your time, or your reputation. If you stay up until 4 AM watching movies, you will pay the price at work tomorrow.
How To Use It
You use this phrase to link a past action to a current problem. It works perfectly with the word for. For example, you pay the price for being late. You can also use it as a warning to others. It fits into almost any sentence structure. You can say someone 'is paying' the price right now. Or you can say they 'will pay' it later.
When To Use It
Use it when the consequence feels fair or inevitable. Use it when talking about health, like skipping the gym. It is great for business when a company makes a poor choice. Use it with friends when they ignore your good advice. It adds a bit of drama to the conversation. It makes the consequence sound serious and unavoidable.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for small, lucky accidents. If you trip on a rug, you didn't pay the price. That was just bad luck. Avoid using it for positive things. You don't pay the price for winning the lottery. Also, be careful using it with grieving people. It can sound like you are saying they deserve their pain. Stay away from it in very lighthearted, silly jokes.
Cultural Background
This phrase comes from the idea of 'karma' or 'reaping what you sow.' Western culture loves the idea of personal responsibility. If you do the crime, you do the time. It has been used in English literature for centuries. It reflects a worldview where every action has an equal reaction. It is a very common trope in Hollywood movies and political speeches.
Common Variations
Sometimes people say pay a heavy price to show how bad it is. You might hear pay the ultimate price, which usually means dying. Another variation is pay the piper. This one is a bit more old-fashioned. It implies that the party is over and now you must pay. All of these focus on the same idea: nothing in life is truly free.
Notas de uso
The phrase is very versatile and sits in the 'neutral' register. It is common in journalism, casual storytelling, and professional feedback.
Use with 'Heavy'
To sound more like a native speaker, use 'heavy' or 'steep' to describe a very bad consequence.
Avoid 'Prize'
Never say 'pay the prize'. It is a very common mistake that changes the meaning completely.
Past Tense
Remember that 'paid' is the past tense. 'He payed the price' is a common spelling error; it must be 'paid'.
Ultimate Price
Use 'pay the ultimate price' only in very serious contexts involving death or extreme sacrifice.
Exemplos
6I stayed up all night, and now I'm paying the price with this headache.
لقد سهرت طوال الليل، والآن أدفع الثمن بهذا الصداع.
Linking a physical symptom to a choice.
The company is paying the price for ignoring customer feedback.
الشركة تدفع الثمن لتجاهلها ملاحظات العملاء.
Professional context regarding corporate mistakes.
You'll pay the price during the final exam if you don't start now!
ستدفع الثمن خلال الامتحان النهائي إذا لم تبدأ الآن!
A friendly warning about future consequences.
My stomach is really making me pay the price for that third plate of spicy wings.
معدتي تجعلني أدفع الثمن حقاً بسبب ذلك الصحن الثالث من الأجنحة الحارة.
Using the phrase to joke about overeating.
He lied to her for years, and now he's paying the price of being alone.
لقد كذب عليها لسنوات، والآن يدفع ثمن كونه وحيداً.
Focuses on the emotional toll of bad behavior.
Future generations will pay the price for our lack of action today.
ستدفع الأجيال القادمة الثمن بسبب عدم تحركنا اليوم.
A serious, formal tone regarding global issues.
Teste-se
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
If you don't wear sunscreen at the beach, you will ______ the ______ later tonight.
The standard idiom is 'pay the price'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in a figurative sense?
Select the best option:
This sentence correctly links a bad action (lying) to a negative consequence (demotion).
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: 'I can't believe I have a hangover.' B: 'Well, you drank five beers last night. You're just ______.'
The continuous form 'paying the price' fits the current state of having a hangover.
Match the action to the 'price' being paid.
Action: Ignoring a strange noise in your car engine.
A negative consequence (repair bill) follows the neglect (ignoring the noise).
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Price vs. Prize
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosIf you don't wear sunscreen at the beach, you will ______ the ______ later tonight.
The standard idiom is 'pay the price'.
Select the best option:
This sentence correctly links a bad action (lying) to a negative consequence (demotion).
A: 'I can't believe I have a hangover.' B: 'Well, you drank five beers last night. You're just ______.'
The continuous form 'paying the price' fits the current state of having a hangover.
Action: Ignoring a strange noise in your car engine.
A negative consequence (repair bill) follows the neglect (ignoring the noise).
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
12 perguntasYes, in its figurative sense, it always refers to a negative consequence or suffering.
You can, but 'pay the price' is much more common as an idiom. 'Pay the cost' sounds more literal.
'Pay the price' is about the suffering itself; 'face the music' is about the moment you have to admit your mistake to others.
It is neutral. You can use it with friends or in a business meeting.
Yes, you can say 'I am paying the price for his mistake.'
It is a formal way to say that someone died for a cause or because of a mistake.
Always use 'paid'. 'Payed' is only used in very specific nautical (ship) contexts.
Yes, usually when you add an adjective: 'He paid a high price.'
Yes, it is extremely common in all varieties of English.
Only in sports or fitness contexts (e.g., 'paying the price in training'), but even then, it refers to the 'pain' of the work.
Confusing 'price' with 'prize'.
Usually 'for', as in 'pay the price for [something]'.
Frases relacionadas
face the music
similarTo accept criticism or punishment for something you have done.
reap what you sow
similarTo experience the results of your own actions.
pay the piper
similarTo bear the consequences of one's actions, especially after a period of enjoyment.
get what's coming to you
similarTo receive the punishment you deserve.
foot the bill
builds onTo pay for something, often something expensive that someone else used.
