Tom betaalt ter plekke bij de kassa.

Tom pays on the spot at the checkout.

Breakdown of Tom betaalt ter plekke bij de kassa.

• Tom: Tom
• betalen: to pay
• bij: at
• de kassa: the checkout
• ter plekke: on the spot

Questions & Answers about Tom betaalt ter plekke bij de kassa.

What does ter plekke mean in this sentence?

Ter plekke is a fixed expression meaning “on the spot” or “right there.” It emphasizes that the action (paying) happens immediately at that location (the checkout).

Why is it ter plekke and not op de plek or in de plaats?

• Ter plekke is an idiomatic contraction of te der plekke (old Dutch).
• Op de plek literally means “on the spot,” but isn’t used idiomatically in this context.
• Ter plaatse is a more formal synonym meaning exactly the same as ter plekke, but you’ll hear ter plekke more in everyday speech.

Why does the sentence use bij de kassa instead of aan de kassa?

Both prepositions can appear with kassa, but there’s a slight nuance:

• Bij de kassa focuses on the location “by/next to the checkout.”
• Aan de kassa can stress “at the cashier’s counter,” sometimes focusing on the act of handing over money or card.
  In most contexts they’re interchangeable, but bij de kassa is more general.

Can I swap the order and say Tom betaalt bij de kassa ter plekke?

Yes. Dutch allows some flexibility in adverbial order. You could also say:

• Tom betaalt bij de kassa ter plekke.
• Tom betaalt ter plekke.
  The emphasis slightly shifts depending on position, but meaning stays clear.

Why is it betaalt and not betaal?

Tom is a third‐person singular subject, so the verb betalen takes the -t ending in present tense:
ik betaal
jij betaalt
hij/zij/het betaalt

Why is there a definite article de before kassa?

In Dutch, kassa is a de-word (common gender). You always use de kassa to mean “the cash register” or “the checkout.”

Could you use a different tense or add a time reference?

Yes. For past tense you’d say:

• Tom betaalde ter plekke bij de kassa.
  To add immediacy, you could include an adverb:
• Tom betaalt onmiddellijk ter plekke bij de kassa.
  But the original is concise and perfectly natural for “Tom pays on the spot at the checkout.”