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German Phrase

Ich zahle bar.

/ɪç ˈtsaːlə baːɐ̯/
Meaning"I pay in cash."
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Meaning

Literally ‘I pay cash.’ The sentence tells the listener that the speaker will settle the bill with physical money rather than a card or online transfer.

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When to use

Use this phrase at a shop, restaurant, market or any place where the cashier asks how you’d like to pay. It’s a concise, everyday way to state your payment method.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Ichzahlebar

1

Ich (personal pronoun)

First‑person singular pronoun, used for the speaker. It never changes its form.

2

zahle (verb zahlen)

Present‑tense, 1st‑person singular of zahlen ‘to pay’. Regular weak verb: ich zahle, du zahlst, er/sie/es zahlt…

3

bar (adverb)

Adverb meaning ‘in cash’. It modifies the verb and does not need a preposition.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wie möchten Sie bezahlen?

How would you like to pay?

Ich zahle bar.

I’ll pay in cash.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ich zahle mit bar.

    ‘bar’ is an adverb, not a noun. Use ‘mit Bargeld’ or simply ‘bar’.

  • Ich zahle barer.

    ‘barer’ is not a word in this context; the correct adverb is ‘bar’.

  • Ich zahlt bar.

    ‘zahlt’ is 3rd‑person singular. For ‘I’, you need ‘zahle’.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich bezahle bar.

    I pay cash.

  • Ich zahle mit Bargeld.

    I pay with cash.

  • Ich zahle in bar.

    I pay in cash.

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Cultural Tip

Cash (Bargeld) is still widely used in Germany, especially for small purchases, at farmers’ markets, or in cafés that prefer cash. While many places accept EC‑cards, saying ‘Ich zahle bar’ is perfectly normal and often appreciated by older shopkeepers. Note that ‘bar’ is an adverb; the noun form is ‘Bargeld’. In formal writing you might see ‘Barzahlung’ (cash payment).