German Phrase
Wir würden gern getrennt zahlen.
Meaning
Literally, ‘We would gladly pay separately.’ In everyday English it translates to ‘We would like to pay separately.’ The phrase is a polite way to tell a waiter or cashier that each person in the group wants his or her own bill.
When to use
Use this sentence in restaurants, cafés, bars, or any situation where a group is settling the check. It works both in casual and semi‑formal settings, and it signals that you prefer individual payments rather than a single combined bill.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wirwürdengerngetrenntzahlen
würden (Conditional)
‘würden’ is the conditional form of ‘werden’ and is used to make polite requests or hypothetical statements.
gern / gerne
‘gern’ (or ‘gerne’) is an adverb meaning ‘gladly’ or ‘with pleasure’, softening the request.
getrennt (Adverb)
‘getrennt’ modifies the verb and means ‘separately’, indicating that each person will pay his/her own share.
zahlen (Infinitive)
The infinitive ‘zahlen’ (to pay) follows the modal/conditional construction ‘würden … zahlen’.
🗨In Conversation
Möchten Sie zusammen oder getrennt zahlen?
Would you like to pay together or separately?
Wir würden gern getrennt zahlen.
We would like to pay separately.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir würden gern getrennt zahlen
Missing the final period is a minor punctuation error; the phrase itself is correct.
Wir wollen gern getrennt zahlen.
‘Wollen’ sounds more like a demand; ‘würden’ makes the request polite and conditional.
Wir würden getrennt zahlen.
Using ‘gern’ without ‘gerne’ is fine, but beginners sometimes drop the adverb entirely, which can sound abrupt.
Wir würden getrennt gern zahlen.
Placing ‘gern’ after ‘getrennt’ changes the rhythm and sounds unnatural.
↔Alternatives
Wir möchten getrennt bezahlen.
We would like to pay separately.
Könnten wir bitte getrennt zahlen?
Could we please pay separately?
Jeder zahlt für sich.
Everyone pays for themselves.
Cultural Tip
In Germany it is perfectly normal to ask for separate bills, especially in larger groups. Most restaurants will accommodate the request, but some may add a small service charge for splitting the check. Using ‘gern’ or ‘gerne’ makes the request sound courteous. In southern Germany ‘gerne’ is more common, while ‘gern’ is preferred in the north, but both are acceptable.