Breakdown of Я оплатил счёт и решил заказать десерт.
Questions & Answers about Я оплатил счёт и решил заказать десерт.
Both verbs mean “to pay,” but they have different nuances and government:
• оплатить счёт specifically means “to settle/clear a bill or invoice.”
• заплатить (что/кому) is more general—“to pay (something or someone).”
In a restaurant context, оплатить счёт is more precise.
Perfective aspect in Russian indicates that an action is completed or has reached its intended result.
• оплатил (perfective of оплачивать) = “I paid (and finished paying).”
• решил (perfective of решивать) = “I decided” (I reached a decision).
• заказать (perfective of заказывать) = “to order” (the act of ordering will be/finitely done).
Using perfective here tells us you’ve completed the payment, made up your mind, and are about to place the order.
• заказал десерт just states the fact “I ordered dessert.”
• решил заказать десерт adds the nuance “I decided to order dessert,” emphasizing your decision-making process before the action.
и is the coordinating conjunction “and,” linking two past actions in sequence:
- Я оплатил счёт (“I paid the bill”)
- решил заказать десерт (“I decided to order dessert”)