payer/pɛ.je/
verb · A2 · Frequency 312
verb
Meanings
to pay (money); to pay someone
Commonly used to indicate paying money or remuneration.
to pay for (something)
Used to indicate obtaining something by paying.
to pay for (suffer the consequences of something)
Figurative meaning, indicating suffering negative consequences because of something.
to pay off (to be fruitful)
Indicates repaying a debt or efforts yielding results.
Examples
Il faut payer le loyer avant le cinquième jour du mois.
The rent must be paid before the fifth day of the month.
Elle a décidé de payer une voiture d'occasion comptant.
She decided to buy a used car with cash.
Après avoir ignoré les avertissements, il a dû payer pour son imprudence.
After ignoring the warnings, he had to pay for his recklessness.
Cette nouvelle méthode demande du temps, mais elle devrait payer à long terme.
This new method takes time, but it should pay off in the long run.
Collocations
- payer en espècesto pay in cash
- payer un articleto pay for an item
- payer les conséquencesto pay the consequences
Common mistakes
Nous paions l'addition.
Nous payons l'addition.
In the present indicative, the first-person plural form of payer keeps the stem pay-, so the correct form is payons, not paions.
Related words
synonymacquitterto pay (a sum); to settle (an account)
Grammar note
Payer is a transitive verb that can take a direct object; to express "to pay for (something)" it is commonly used as payer + for + noun.
verb
Meanings
to pay (money); to pay someone
Commonly used to indicate paying money or remuneration.
to pay for (something)
Used to indicate obtaining something by paying.
to pay for (suffer the consequences of something)
Figurative meaning, indicating suffering negative consequences because of something.
to pay off (to be fruitful)
Indicates repaying a debt or efforts yielding results.
Examples
En payant la facture aujourd'hui, nous éviterons les frais de retard.
By paying the bill today, we will avoid late fees.
Elle a remercié le serveur en payant l'addition.
She thanked the waiter while paying the bill.
En payant pour ses erreurs, il a perdu la confiance de son équipe.
By paying for his mistakes, he lost his team's trust.
Grammar note
Payer is a transitive verb that can take a direct object; to express "to pay for (something)" it is commonly used as payer + for + noun.
verb
Meanings
to pay (money); to pay someone
Commonly used to indicate paying money or remuneration.
to pay for (something)
Used to indicate obtaining something by paying.
to pay for (suffer the consequences of something)
Figurative meaning, indicating suffering negative consequences because of something.
to pay off (to be fruitful)
Indicates repaying a debt or efforts yielding results.
Examples
Le loyer est déjà payé pour ce mois-ci.
The rent has already been paid for this month.
Mon frère a payé cette voiture d'occasion comptant.
My brother paid cash for this used car.
Il a payé cher son imprudence.
He paid dearly for his recklessness.
L'investissement a finalement payé.
The investment eventually paid off.
Grammar note
Payer is a transitive verb that can take a direct object; to express "to pay for (something)" it is commonly used as payer + for + noun.
verb
Meanings
to pay (money); to pay someone
Commonly used to indicate paying money or remuneration.
to pay for (something)
Used to indicate obtaining something by paying.
to pay for (suffer the consequences of something)
Figurative meaning, indicating suffering negative consequences because of something.
to pay off (to be fruitful)
Indicates repaying a debt or efforts yielding results.
Examples
Elle paye la facture dès qu'elle reçoit son salaire.
She pays the bill as soon as she receives her salary.
Il paye son café avant de prendre le train.
He buys his coffee before taking the train.
Il paye cher son erreur de débutant.
He is paying dearly for his beginner's mistake.
Son travail régulier paye enfin.
His steady work is finally paying off.
Grammar note
Payer is a transitive verb that can take a direct object; to express "to pay for (something)" it is commonly used as payer + for + noun.
verb
Meanings
to pay (money); to pay someone
Commonly used to indicate paying money or remuneration.
to pay for (something)
Used to indicate obtaining something by paying.
to pay for (suffer the consequences of something)
Figurative meaning, indicating suffering negative consequences because of something.
to pay off (to be fruitful)
Indicates repaying a debt or efforts yielding results.
Examples
Tu payes la facture avant vendredi.
You pay the bill before Friday.
Tu payes le déjeuner pour tout le monde aujourd'hui.
You are paying for lunch for everyone today.
Tu payes le pain chez le boulanger avant de partir.
You pay for the bread at the bakery before leaving.
Tu payes cher cette erreur de jugement.
You pay dearly for this error in judgment.
Grammar note
Payer is a transitive verb that can take a direct object; to express "to pay for (something)" it is commonly used as payer + for + noun.