pagan
/pah-gahn/
they pay
Illustrating a simple transaction where 'they pay' for goods or services.
pagan(Verb)
they pay
?when referring to 'ellos' (masculine/mixed group) or 'ellas' (feminine group)
,you all pay
?when referring to 'ustedes' (formal or universal plural 'you')
they are paying
?present continuous action
📝 In Action
Los clientes pagan con tarjeta de crédito.
A1The clients pay by credit card.
¿A qué hora pagan los empleados hoy?
A2What time do the employees get paid today?
Ustedes pagan la mitad, nosotros pagamos la otra mitad.
A2You all pay half, we pay the other half.
💡 Grammar Points
Subject Omission
Because the verb form 'pagan' clearly indicates 'they' or 'you all,' you often don't need to say 'ellos' or 'ustedes' in Spanish. The verb does the job!
The 'G' Sound Rule
When conjugating 'pagar,' the letter 'g' changes to 'gu' before the letter 'e' (like in 'pagué' or 'pague') to keep the hard 'g' sound. If it stayed 'g,' it would sound like an 'h' (pa-heh).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'for' in English
Mistake: "Pagan por la cena. (literal translation of 'They pay for dinner')"
Correction: Pagan la cena. (The preposition 'por' is usually not needed when paying for a specific item.)
⭐ Usage Tips
The Passive Voice Shortcut
In Spanish, 'pagan' is often used to mean 'they are paid' or 'they receive payment,' especially when discussing salaries or wages.
Visualizing the action of 'they repay' a debt or obligation.
pagan(Verb)
they repay
?settling a debt or moral obligation
they return (a favor)
?reciprocating kindness
📝 In Action
Ellos pagan el favor que les hiciste ayudando a su familia.
B1They repay the favor you did them by helping their family.
Pagan su deuda de honor trabajando en la comunidad.
B2They settle their debt of honor by working in the community.
⭐ Usage Tips
Figurative Use
In this context, 'pagar' doesn't always involve money. It means fulfilling a commitment or balancing the scales, whether through action or kindness.
Showing that 'they pay the price' by suffering the consequences of a past action.
pagan(Verb)
they pay the price
?suffering the consequences
they suffer for
?figurative punishment
📝 In Action
Pagan caro el error de confiar en la persona equivocada.
C1They pay dearly for the mistake of trusting the wrong person.
Los culpables pagan con años de aislamiento.
C2The guilty ones pay with years of isolation.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Link
This meaning extends the idea of 'settling a debt' from money to moral wrongdoing. The 'payment' is the suffering or consequence.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pagan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pagan' in the figurative sense of 'suffering consequences'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'pagan' means 'they pay' or 'you all pay'?
You need context! If you are speaking formally to a group, it means 'you all pay' (ustedes). If you are talking about a different group of people (like 'the neighbors' or 'the company'), it means 'they pay' (ellos/ellas).
Is 'pagan' a regular verb?
Yes, 'pagar' is generally regular, following the easy -AR pattern. However, it requires a small spelling change (g to gu) in the preterite 'yo' form and all forms of the present subjunctive (like 'pague') just to make sure the 'g' keeps its hard sound.