A simple storybook illustration showing one person handing a few gold coins to a male recipient.

pagarle

pa-GAR-leh

Verb (Infinitive with attached pronoun)A2regular (with minor spelling changes) ar

to pay him?as in, 'I need to pay him',to pay her?as in, 'We must pay her',to pay you (formal)?as in, 'They want to pay you'

Also:to pay it (to a company or entity)?when the entity is treated as feminine or masculine

Quick Reference

past Participlepagado

gerundpagando (Pagándole)

infinitivepagar

📝 In Action

Debes pagarle al banco antes del viernes.

You must pay the bank before Friday. (Literally: You must pay it to the bank.)

Quiero pagarle lo que me prestó.

I want to pay him/her what he/she lent me.

No olvides pagarle la entrada al guardia.

Don't forget to pay the entrance fee to the guard.

Word Connections

Synonyms

abonar (to credit, to pay)
liquidar (to settle (a debt))

Common Collocations

poder pagarle – to be able to pay him/her
tener que pagarle – to have to pay him/her

💡 Grammar Points

What 'le' means

The 'le' attached to the end tells you who receives the action of paying. It means 'to him,' 'to her,' or 'to you (formal/singular)'.

Attaching Pronouns

In Spanish, when you use the simple form of a verb (the infinitive, like 'pagar'), you must attach the small words like 'le' directly to the end, forming one single word: 'pagar' + 'le' = 'pagarle'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Pronoun Placement

Mistake: "Le necesito pagar."

Correction: Necesito pagarle. (When you have two verbs, the pronoun can go before the first verb OR attached to the second one, but not usually between them.)

Spelling Change in Past Tense

Mistake: "Yo pagé (in the preterite past tense)."

Correction: Yo pagué. (The 'g' changes to 'gu' before 'e' to keep the hard 'g' sound, a very common spelling change for -gar verbs.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Stress Shift

When you attach pronouns to the gerund (pagando) or an affirmative command (paga), the stress shifts, and you need a written accent: Pagándole (paying him/her) or Págale (Pay him/her!).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: pagarle

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'pagarle' to mean 'I should pay her'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

pagar(to pay) - verb

el pago(the payment) - noun

pagadero(payable) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'pagarle' written as one word?

The Spanish rule is that pronouns (like 'le') must attach directly to the end of the infinitive form (the '-ar, -er, -ir' form), the gerund ('-ando, -iendo' form), and affirmative commands. This turns 'pagar' and 'le' into a single word, 'pagarle'.

Can I use 'pagarle' if I am paying money directly, or only if I am paying a person?

'Pagarle' specifically refers to the person or entity receiving the payment (the indirect object). If you are referring to the money itself, you would use a different pronoun (like 'lo' or 'la'), but 'le' is only for the recipient.