pagan
“pagan” means “they pay” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
they pay, you all pay
Also: they are paying
📝 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.
they repay
Also: they return (a favor)
📝 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.
they pay the price
Also: they suffer for
📝 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.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pagan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'pagan' in the figurative sense of 'suffering consequences'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes from the Latin verb *pacare*, which originally meant 'to appease' or 'to pacify.' It evolved through the idea of 'appeasing a creditor' by giving them money, leading to the modern meaning 'to pay.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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.