#10 Paying at a Restaurant | Swedish Everyday Phrases

When you pay at a restaurant, you need to go through several steps, such as politely asking for the bill and choosing your method of payment.

Because Sweden is highly cashless, you will often have opportunities to discuss payment methods such as card payment. Understanding these Swedish expressions will allow you to communicate smoothly during the payment process.

In this article, I explain useful Swedish phrases that you can use throughout the entire process—from requesting the bill to confirming the payment method and receiving your receipt.

Dialogue

A

Ursäkta, kan vi få notan när du har tid?
（Excuse me, could we have the bill when you have a moment?)）

B

Absolut. Vill ni betala tillsammans eller var för sig?
（Certainly. Would you like to pay together or separately?）

A

Vi betalar var för sig, tack. Jag tar min med kort.
（Separately, please. I will pay with my card.）

B

Inga problem. Kortterminalen kommer här.
（No problem. I will bring the card terminal.）

A

Tack. Och kan jag få ett kvitto också?
（Thank you. And may I have a receipt as well?）

B

Naturligtvis. Här är kvittot.
（Of course. Here is the receipt.）

1. Requesting the Bill

When you want to ask for the bill at a restaurant, it is important to make your request politely and with consideration for the staff’s timing.

The key phrase here is “när du har tid” (“when you have time”).

This expression shows consideration and ensures that you do not sound as if you are rushing the staff—something like saying “whenever you have a moment” in English.

Other options include:

These expressions work both when paying at the table and when paying at a counter-style restaurant.

2. Indicating How You Would Like to Pay

If you are dining with others, the staff will often ask whether you want to pay together (tillsammans) or separately (var för sig).

The expression “var för sig” means “separately” or “individually.”

Because Sweden is highly cashless, you will frequently encounter the following payment methods:

In Sweden, card payment and Swish are the most common methods.

3. Proceeding with the Payment

Once you indicate your preferred payment method, the staff will prepare the payment terminal or the receipt.

The phrase “inga problem” means “no problem” and is frequently used in service situations.

Similar expressions include:

Possible responses from you include:

The interaction itself is simple, but polite phrasing helps the payment process proceed smoothly.

4. Completing the Payment

After completing your payment, you may need to ask for a receipt or close the interaction with a polite farewell.

The word “kvitto” (receipt) is frequently used in daily situations and is useful to remember.

Common expressions for ending the interaction include:

A polite farewell ensures that both you and the staff can end the interaction on a pleasant note.

Summary