Breakdown of Das Fleisch ist sehr gut. Wir möchten die Rechnung bezahlen.
sein
to be
sehr
very
gut
good / well
wir
we
Questions & Answers about Das Fleisch ist sehr gut. Wir möchten die Rechnung bezahlen.
Why do we use möchten here instead of a word like wollen (to want)?
möchten translates to 'would like' and is the polite way to express a desire. While you could say Wir wollen die Rechnung bezahlen (We want to pay the bill), using möchten is much softer and is exactly what a native speaker would say to a waiter.
Why is the word bezahlen at the very end of the sentence?
This is a strict rule when using modal verbs like möchten! The modal verb takes the regular second position in the sentence and matches the subject (Wir möchten). The main action verb (bezahlen) gets pushed to the very end of the sentence in its original dictionary form.
Is there a difference between saying bezahlen and just zahlen?
For paying a bill at a restaurant, they mean exactly the same thing. You will hear Germans say both die Rechnung zahlen and die Rechnung bezahlen. You can use them interchangeably!
The bill is receiving the action. Why didn't die Rechnung change its 'the' word for the accusative case?
It actually is in the accusative case, but the word doesn't look any different! Rechnung is a feminine noun, so its default 'the' word is die. Luckily for German learners, feminine nouns keep the exact same die in both the subject position and the accusative (direct object) position.