▶ Hear it spoken by a native voice.
In short: To ask for the bill, say ചേട്ടാ, ബിൽ തരുമോ? (chetta, bill tharumo?) — "brother, can I have the bill?" — or simply ബിൽ താ (bill thaa). To ask the total: എത്രയായി? (ethrayaayi?) "how much is it?".
Variations & related phrases
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ബിൽ തരുമോ? | Bill tharumo? | Can I have the bill? |
| ചേട്ടാ, ബിൽ താ | Chetta, bill thaa | Brother, the bill |
| എത്രയായി? | Ethrayaayi? | How much is it? |
| കാർഡ് ആകുമോ? | Card aakumo? | Can I pay by card? |
When & how to use it
Malayalis use the English word "bill." Tharumo? ("will you give?") makes any request polite. To leave the change as a tip: baakki venda ("keep the change").
Example sentences
| Malayalam | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| ചേട്ടാ, ബിൽ തരുമോ? | Chetta, bill tharumo? | Brother, can I have the bill? |
| ഇതാ പൈസ, ബാക്കി വേണ്ട. | Ithaa paisa, baakki venda. | Here's the money, keep the change. |
Want to hear this used in a real conversation? Listen to Episode 11 - At a Restaurant in the free Listen & Learn library — every line has a Malayalam, romanised and English transcript.
Practise speaking it for real
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Book a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you ask for the bill in Malayalam?
Say ബിൽ തരുമോ? (bill tharumo?) or ബിൽ താ (bill thaa).
How do you ask the total in Malayalam?
Say എത്രയായി? (ethrayaayi?) — "how much is it?".
How do you ask if card is accepted in Malayalam?
Say കാർഡ് ആകുമോ? (card aakumo?).
How do you say keep the change in Malayalam?
Say ബാക്കി വേണ്ട (baakki venda).