Inklingo

How to Say "to bill" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to bill” is “cobrar” — use 'cobrar' when you are referring to the act of asking for or receiving payment for a service or good, often implying the sending of an invoice..

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cobrar

/koh-BRAHR//koˈβɾaɾ/

verbB1
Use 'cobrar' when you are referring to the act of asking for or receiving payment for a service or good, often implying the sending of an invoice.
A baker handing a loaf of bread to a customer, extending their hand to receive coins in exchange, illustrating the act of charging a price.

Examples

¿Cuánto me vas a cobrar por cortar el césped?

How much are you going to charge me for cutting the grass?

Necesito cobrar esta factura antes de fin de mes.

I need to collect this invoice before the end of the month.

Direct Object Needed

When you use 'cobrar' to mean 'to charge,' you must specify the money or fee being charged (the direct object): 'Cobró diez dólares' (He charged ten dollars).

cargar

/kar-GAR//kaɾˈɣaɾ/

verbB1
Use 'cargar' when you are referring to the act of adding a cost or expense to an account, a bill, or a credit card.
A storybook illustration of gold coins floating out of an open wallet with a red arrow pointing away, symbolizing money being debited or charged to an account.

Examples

Por favor, cargue la compra a mi tarjeta de crédito.

Please charge the purchase to my credit card.

Nos cargaron una tarifa extra por el servicio a domicilio.

They charged us an extra fee for home delivery.

El banco cargó la cuota mensual automáticamente.

The bank debited the monthly fee automatically.

Using 'A' for the Destination

When charging money, you often use the preposition 'a' (to) to specify where the money is going: 'cargar [algo] a [la tarjeta/la cuenta].'

Cobrar vs. Cargar

The main confusion arises between 'cobrar' (to charge someone, often with an invoice) and 'cargar' (to add a charge to an account or card). Remember, 'cobrar' is about the transaction of receiving payment, while 'cargar' is about assigning the debt.

Related Translations

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