How to Say "you paid" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “you paid” is “pagó” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Él pagó la cuenta antes de salir del restaurante.
He paid the bill before leaving the restaurant.
¿Quién pagó el café? Fui yo.
Who paid for the coffee? It was me.
Usted pagó demasiado por ese coche usado.
You (formal) paid too much for that used car.
Recognizing the Preterite
The accent mark on the 'ó' is your biggest clue! It tells you the action happened once and was completely finished in the past. It sounds like a punchier, completed action.
Distinguishing from 'pago'
Be careful: 'pagó' (with the accent) means 'he/she/you paid' (past). 'Pago' (no accent) means 'I pay' (present).
Missing the Accent
Mistake: “Escribir 'el pago' en lugar de 'él pagó'.”
Correction: If you write 'pago' without the accent, you are saying 'the payment' (a noun) or 'I pay' (present tense). The accent is essential to show the past action: 'él pagó'.
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