Spanish Phrase
¿Dividimos la cuenta?
Meaning
A polite way to ask the people you’re with if everyone wants to split the restaurant bill equally. It literally means ‘Shall we split the bill?’ and is used as a collaborative suggestion.
When to use
Use this phrase at the end of a meal in a restaurant, café, or any situation where a group needs to settle a shared expense. It works well with friends, colleagues, or classmates, and signals that you’re willing to share the cost.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Dividimoslacuenta?
Dividir (present indicative)
The verb dividir is conjugated in the present indicative for 'nosotros' as 'dividimos', meaning 'we split'.
Inclusive 'nosotros'
Using the first‑person plural makes the suggestion inclusive – you’re asking the whole group to do something together.
Definite article with feminine noun
‘Cuenta’ (the bill) is feminine, so it takes the article ‘la’.
Spanish question marks
Spanish requires both opening (¿) and closing (?) question marks.
🗨In Conversation
¿Dividimos la cuenta?
Shall we split the bill?
Sí, me parece bien. Cada uno paga lo que pidió.
Yes, that sounds good. Everyone pays for what they ordered.
✕Common Mistakes
Dividimos la cuenta.
Missing the opening question mark makes it a statement instead of a question.
Dividimos la cuenta?
Spanish requires both opening and closing question marks.
Nos dividimos la cuenta.
‘Nos’ is unnecessary; the verb already includes the subject.
Dividimos la cuenta, ¿sí?
Adding ‘¿sí?’ changes the tone to a tag question, which can sound pushy in this context.
↔Alternatives
¿Pagamos cada uno lo suyo?
Does everyone pay for their own part?
¿Queremos dividir la cuenta?
Do we want to split the bill?
¿Cada uno paga su parte?
Does each person pay their share?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries it’s common to ask to split the bill, but the custom can vary: in Mexico and parts of Central America the host often pays, while in Spain it’s usual for everyone to divide the total. Pay attention to the tone – a friendly smile and a light “¿Dividimos la cuenta?” usually signals a casual, equal‑share approach.